© 2024 Red River Radio
Voice of the Community
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Louisiana Higher Ed Faces Budget Shortfalls Due To Covid-19 Pandemic

Courtesy: La.gov archive video

LA HIGHER EDUCATION – While colleges and universities are working towards reopening in the fall,  there is considerable concern over what the after-effect of the coronavirus pandemic will have on higher education and in particular enrollment and funding.   This past Wednesday,  higher education officials met in Baton Rouge to discuss money with Louisiana House Appropriations committee members.  LSU Interim President Tom Galligan explained what  impact  the pandemic  had  on the university’s accounting ledger. 

"If you add that up, that's 34.5 million in losses and costs between the middle of March and the end of April," said Galligan.

Credit Courtesy: La. Gov. Video Archive
/
Courtesy: La. Gov. Video Archive
Jim Henderson, President - University of Louisiana System

While the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as CARES Act - has given the state’s four public university systems $113 million to help offset the Coronavirus losses,  the proposed state federal fund shows higher ed getting less money  than this past fiscal year which ends June 30th.   And other concerns are residual costs from the Coronavirus  pandemic  as  Jim Henderson, President of the University of Louisiana system explained to the appropriations committee.           

"It doesn't reflect the Covid-19 expenses that have ocurred since that time," Henderson said. "And what we know are the Covid-19 that will happen going forward."    

When Louisiana’s colleges and universities reopen in the fall they will be facing a different reality – classrooms will be reconfigured for more space between students and larger classes will likely be held online.  And there’s the question of enrollment , will it increase or decline?  As for higher ed funding -- The Louisiana legislature has the rest of June to figure that out.  

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.