Article archive / February 1, 2011
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 6. Source pages: 1, 4.
Cuts “less than 10 percent” Governor To Protect Higher Education in Next Budget
In a speech Monday to members of Louisiana’s college boards, Governor Jindal described his reform proposals for Louisiana’s higher education. According to the press release, the Governor noted that a number of reforms and key gains have been made but that there is still work to do.
“Through the use of creative solutions to protect higher education services while improving outcomes,” he said to the group, “we expect the reduction to higher education to now be less than 10 percent.”
Last week the Board of Regents announced 459 academic programs are being reviewed for low numbers of graduates. These college programs from across the state may be cut or consolidated as a step toward budget reductions.
The Regents have set criteria for “low-completer” programs. Doctoral programs at risk are those that have fewer than two graduates per year, or six in three years. Masters programs must reach the criteria of five graduates per year and undergraduate programs need eight graduates per year.
This criterion places the Specialist in School Psychology (SSP) program at University of Louisiana Monroe at risk and also the SSP school program at LSU Shreveport in a position to be monitored, according to reports on the Regent’s website. Both programs are noted to be a “72-hour, predominantly post-master’s course of study.” The reports note that there is a strong need for graduates. Additional discussions and reviews will continue until the Regents vote on the matter in April.
This is the third review since 2009 in efforts to streamline the state’s education system. “This review however, is the most stringent…” it was noted in the announcement. Two hundred and forty-five programs have already been eliminated or consolidated.
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