New LSU addition questioned

Soon after posing for the standard groundbreaking photo-op, Governor Jindal left LSU's Baton Rouge campus. But one day later, the dust still hasn't settled.

Students and faculty want to know how the state has $30.9 million to build a chemistry annex, while asking LSU to cut their operating budget by half.

Senior Tara Smith says the state needs to be less concerned with construction and start recruiting more teachers. "I think that the money should go to keeping the teachers and not building other buildings," said Smith. She had to take intersession and summer courses to graduate on time, because of the lack of classes offered during regular semesters. That's a direct result of budget cuts.

Elizabeth Nuebel found it even harder to get the credits. "I can't graduate in May," said Nuebel, "I have to graduate in December now because of the whole budget cut and everything with the classes." The new construction has Nuebel questioning the state's priorities.

"The teachers I've had are the best in dietetics," said Nuebel, "and so I would want to keep them around more than sitting in a nice building."

Chancellor Mike Martin recognizes the irony. At Tuesday's groundbreaking he said "we'll end up with absolutely great facilities but not the faculty and staff to make them functional and real."

Governor Jindal found the money to add square feet, but the Legislature is asking institutes of higher education to braze for a possible 38% cut in funding.

"We're putting the kind of hardware in the ground," said Martin, "but it's the software inside is what matters."
And with $74 million on the chopping block, it's the University's teachers that are first to leave. Martin said, "Many institutions are going after our very best faculty. There's a sense across this country that certain universities there's a fire sale and very good faculty are being lured away."
 

Two Deans have already accepted out of state offers. Martin says if he can't get the support he needs to keep LSU's top tier status, his top seat may be up for grabs. Martin said, "If the news continues to be negative, I would do what they're doing, which is being willing to listen to an offer."