Some of Louisiana’s higher education leaders addressed the Louisiana Board of Regents recently about the potential negative impacts of projected budget cuts to the state’s public postsecondary institutions.

The regents held the annual higher education budget hearings on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The $0.45 sales tax is scheduled to sunset in Fiscal Year 2025-26. In preparation, a possible $250 million in budget cuts for higher education are looming.

Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed and President of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System Monty Sullivan spoke with the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) on Friday to emphasize the consequences of the cuts.

Reed said the state’s higher education budget is currently operating on a “2012 level of funding.” With Louisiana being $800 million to $1 billion short in higher education funding, Louisiana has “one of the largest disinvestments of higher education in the nation.” Additionally, education (and healthcare) are not constitutionally protected funds.

“We are reduced in revenue already, and now we are in another uncertain budget situation.”

In the “worst case,” budget cuts could lead to a decline in scholarships, axed programs, downsized faculty and staff, and the closure of satellite campuses and institutions, she said.

“We have a critical mission to fulfill in this state, and that is to develop talent,” she noted. “And if we don’t have the resources to do that, then we won’t have the high-quality opportunities to support students.”

Sullivan echoed this, stating that in the community and technical college system, the budget cuts could lead to the loss of about 420 jobs, 50 to 55 programs, 20 rural campuses and one institution.

The solution to ensuring funding for higher education is to address the deficit of workers and the over 41 percent of working-age adults not participating in the economy, which would increase tax revenue and drive down federal reliance, he said.

“We have to have more people participating in this economy,” he said. “Our job is to say what we do every time we go to the table: The more Louisianaians educated and skilled, the more Louisianaians working, the more Louisianaians paying taxes, is good for our economy.”

The final decision on the state sales tax is likely to be discussed in a tax policy special session later this year, The Time-Picayune reported.