LSMSA needs your help. The recently released Executive Budget for 2009-2010 deals a 17%, $1.47 million cut to the school’s state general fund appropriation. As you can imagine, this will have devastating consequences. If this cut stands, it places areas such as operating services, travel, supplies, and adjunct funds to bare bone levels, including $0 for new textbooks and educational supplies. It also requires a 3% pay cut for faculty and staff, cancels Special Projects Week (resulting in leave without pay), cancels summer school and Excel, and eliminates three positions. The only budgetary relief will come through the legislative process and as alumni we can help in two ways.
1. Complete the 10 question survey
This survey is anonymous, but the data collected will be very important as the school makes its case for restoring state funds. It doesn’t matter if you are a student, in your professional career, raising a family, Class of 1985 or Class of 2008; this can demonstrate the return on the state’s investment by collecting honest responses from every alum living in Louisiana. It is a quick Survey Monkey questionnaire, so please complete it now.
2. Contact your state senator and representative to express your support for LSMSA and for adding funds back to the school’s 2009-2010 budget. The school will be seeking restoration of funds so that critical operational services can be provided, Special Projects can be held, along with summer school and Excel, and three positions and pay cuts can be restored. Even with this, LSMSA would face a legitimate "belt tightening" reduction of about 9%, but for one year, it would not harm the integrity of the academic and residential programs, and it would not diminish the LSMSA experience for current students. If you do not know who your legislators are, go to www.legis.state.la.us and scroll down to "Who are your senators and representatives?".
You may also contact members of the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee. The Executive Budget moves first through the House Appropriations Committee and is then referred to the Senate Finance Committee. This is where money decisions will be made. LSMSA’s testimony before the House Appropriations Committee will be on April 21 or 22, so any action you take before then might make a difference.
This call will also go to alumni living outside of the state, but as a Louisiana resident, it is especially important that your voice is heard. If you have any questions about the budget and school, please contact LSMSA’s Executive Director, Dr. Pat Widhalm at pwidhalm@lsmsa.edu. If you have any questions, or ideas about how alumni can help at this critical time, please contact me at johncwells@bellsouth.net.
Thank you
John C Wells, President
LSMSA Alumni Association
LSMSA Class of 1989