But the budget still needs to be cut. “If we can’t furlough, we’ll lay more people off,” he said.
In addition, a 5 percent tuition increase and possibly other student fee increases will be necessary to preserve LSU’s “academic core,” Martin told staff and students during multiple forums throughout the day.
LSU faculty groups have adamantly opposed allowing Martin to impose a proposed policy that would allow for employee furloughs without declaring a financial emergency, or exigency.
Faculty contend a broader furlough policy would give chancellors too much power to force employees to take unpaid leave whenever times are financially tough.
“We’d be better off if we have a furlough system to save jobs if we think this (recession) is short term,” Martin told students during a lunchtime forum.
Declaring financial exigency could lead to both furloughs and massive layoffs, he said, explaining that he does not want to “open that door.”
“I have to believe — because I’m a pathological optimist — that we will grow ourselves out of this,” Martin said during an afternoon faculty forum.
LSU also is looking into the possibility of employee “deferrals of payments,” Martin said, that would set aside a small portion of salaries to be paid at a later time when the economy improves.
Martin said LSU likely will “tax athletics” and use some of the Southeastern Conference’s funds from its new ESPN football contract to cushion the cuts.
Officially, LSU’s flagship Baton Rouge campus is looking at a proposed $35 million cut, or 15 percent of its state appropriations. But Martin contends it is really $50 million when a $10 million cut from January is counted and another $5 million in unfunded mandates from increased insurance and benefits costs are included.
LSU’s total budget – counting tuition revenue and federal funding – is about $450 million.
“A cut that large would be devastating to this institution,” Martin said. Roughly 80 percent of LSU’s budget is dedicated to personnel, Martin said, so people will be impacted.
A poorly rated flagship university is a “curse” on the whole state, he said.
Martin said LSU can either “spread the pain” of cuts or target specific academic units to eliminate. Regardless, he said, the cuts will protect LSU’s academic strengths and not be made “across the board.”
How do you think this faculty furlough will effect the University?
Did you know that the Budget Cuts would cause all of these effects?
Are you finally realizing how bad these cuts are for the University?
Wow...okay. Thanks for posting the article. My first response is 'are you serious?'. Are people really expected to agree to have their pay deferred? Especially at this time. That is just ridiculous. I tell you exactly what is going to happen if a furlough is mandated. People are going to do one of two things: a whole lot of people are going to quit their jobs and transfer to other universities or a whole lot of people are going to go on strike. I know that I wouldn't be willing to not get paid for my work. Especially if I had a mortgage to pay, a car payment to make, and children to feed. Which faculty members would the furlough effect? Hopefully not the faculty members who don't get paid much to begin with. I mean, I don't think that anyone would disagree that Les Miles gets paid well enough to miss a check or two. I think it's a question worth asking because there is a big gap in distribution of wealth amongst faculty members. I didn't think that the budget cuts would effect the faculty in the way proposed. I really thought that maybe a few programs would get cut, but I guess that it may be a little tough for whichever group of people who gets to decide which programs get cut. I just think that it is terrible that this is even an option. It makes the recession real to me. I mean, I know it's real but it puts some things into context.
ReplyDeleteI definitely didn't know that the budget cuts were so deep rooted. I find it weird how our tuition will go up but our number of classes available will go down. I can see it in several of my teachers eyes that they are scared for their jobs. Though sports may be the thing that LSU is most known for, their budget needs to be looked over and revised. I don't believe that in these times our educational classes can be cut so easily while sporting activities don't seem to be worried, or so it seems to me. Last time I checked I paid my tuition to LSU for the sole purpose of paying for a higher education not so I have chances to go see sporting events. I definitely agree with the above comment on Les Miles' paycheck. In the article it also stated that they will continue construction on a new business facility and Band Room. I wonder if this is smart at all, I know what he means when he says that we did all this stuff for the sporting teams and we should continue to do the same for the educational classes, but can we possibly delay it? I would rather have teachers that don't have to worry about their jobs and can focus on their teaching rather than a new Business Building.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this article, I was somewhat in the dark about budget cuts. I knew it was a substantial, but I did not know the severity of the problem. After reading the article, I now realize how great the problem is. It is terrible that even one educator must be laid off let alone a group of educators. Also, I feel that LSU was on a steady climb up the ranks of schools, but these budget cuts will impede that progress. It will be sad to see LSU fall and continue to fall over the years.
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