The LSU Student Government Higher Education Report Card serves to hold our legislators accountable for their support of higher education. Our mission holds true for the 2016 legislative sessions. Many times legislators claim that they are an advocate for higher education, but they have cast votes that diminish our educational value and ultimately the university experience. Our goal is to hold our lawmakers accountable for their votes during these legislative sessions to ensure access to affordable, high quality public education in the state of Louisiana. It is only through awareness and education that students, parents, and other citizens of Louisiana are aware of the continual decreased funding in higher education.
The graphs below show Louisiana is leading the country in the rate at which its public universities are being defunded. The State Higher Education Executive Officers' graph shows how universities are being defunded at a national average of -2.4%, while Louisiana's defunding rate of -28.5% shows a clear lack of priority by the elected officials of the state of Louisiana. The graph prepared by the Advocate using data from the Louisiana Board of Regents show how universities have shifted from receiving the majority of their funding directly from states, to increases in tuition. This puts an unnecessary burden on students who end up paying more for an education while not receiving an improvement in the quality of their education.
The graphs below show Louisiana is leading the country in the rate at which its public universities are being defunded. The State Higher Education Executive Officers' graph shows how universities are being defunded at a national average of -2.4%, while Louisiana's defunding rate of -28.5% shows a clear lack of priority by the elected officials of the state of Louisiana. The graph prepared by the Advocate using data from the Louisiana Board of Regents show how universities have shifted from receiving the majority of their funding directly from states, to increases in tuition. This puts an unnecessary burden on students who end up paying more for an education while not receiving an improvement in the quality of their education.
DISCLAIMER: The Louisiana Legislature Higher Education Report Card is an independent project of the Student Government of Louisiana State University and in no way reflects the views of the university or its administration.