Board of Regents recommends merging SUNO, UNO

[Turbine]

Fast forward 26 years . . . not only can the Board of Regents rename schools, they can open, close and merge them as well.

Oh wait I almost forgot, the Board of Regents always had that right. There was just this one single day in 1984 when this right didn't exist.

I know, I know, since 84 there is the needed rubber stamp vote.
igeaux.mobi

[CajunEXPRESS]

_ LSU was too smart by half.

LSU likes the numbers and prestige that having a system gives them, but they didn't like the fact that UNO often showed them up.

With that, long-time UNO Chancellor Tim Ryan was very aggressive & very pushy. So when LSU tried to disproportionately shove budget cuts onto UNO, Ryan screamed, and they canned him.

Bad decision. Before they fired him, he could rant and rave within the System. After?

He could rant and rave in public: https://ultoday.com/node/1929

Which gave Jindal the excuse he'd been looking for. Soon after that's published, Jindal proposes merging UNO-SUNO, and putting it in the UL System. UNO doesn't want SUNO, but I suspect it's an oblique way to close SUNO.

If the new entity comes to our System, they will bring their own formula funding with them. We don't lose anything, and the UL System gains a pretty good research university, some prestige, a boost in total numbers, and a little more clout.

It's not clear how pro-LSU Jindal is. I think his parents taught there, but there have been some subtle signals that he is no LSU homey. _

Fun, I respect you a lot, but I have to ask you to look deeper.

UNO is built to house and educate 17k students. That means bonds were passed to build buildings, facilities, and fixed overhead for that number. Now UNO has 11k students. The primary funding to pay the bonds, facilities, and overhead comes from the formula you mention, tuition and fees per student . Now that the formula per student does not change, tuition and fees but the overhead remains. LSUS THUS HAS to make up the void. If I am wrong great, but that void has to be made up and it is not from the state's general funds.

Somone who I respect a lot works for UNO has told me that each university is responsible to meet their overhead costs which include the things I mention. Now he may be wrong, but if not then the ULS will have to absorb the UNO deficits.

[CajunFun]

_ Fun, I respect you a lot, but I have to ask you to look deeper.

UNO is built to house and educate 17k students. That means bonds were passed to build buildings, facilities, and fixed overhead for that number. Now UNO has 11k students. The primary funding to pay the bonds, facilities, and overhead comes from the formula you mention, tuition and fees per student . Now that the formula per student does not change, tuition and fees but the overhead remains. LSUS THUS HAS to make up the void. If I am wrong great, but that void has to be made up and it is not from the state's general funds.

Somone who I respect a lot works for UNO has told me that each university is responsible to meet their overhead costs which include the things I mention. Now he may be wrong, but if not then the ULS will have to absorb the UNO deficits. _

I can't see how they would expect UL System schools to absorb UNO's losses, and you can bet every school in the System would scream Bloody Murder if someone tried to do that.

When the other schools in the state have had shortfalls, the Leg covered them. They didn't like it, but they covered them. That's why Bonds have to be approved by the Regents, because I believe the State is responsible if a school defaults.

But then, how many buildings at UNO are bonded? Most of them were built by state gov't.

[CajunFun]

_ I don't think that the move is racially motivated as SUNO indicates, but there is something going on. I think that budget money allocated to each system and when cuts are concerned really come into play. It's strange. It's been said for some time now that we have too many 4 year universities, yet the LSU system grows with LSU-A becoming a 4 year university and they want to expel 2 other universities, or at least diminish their roles, that don't share the LSU name. In fairness, Ryan did say that UNO needed to leave the LSU system. But what damage will Lombardi do before this step might occur. Just the conspiracy coming out in me. _

Well the timing is amazing... Ryan says it, Jindal moves within weeks. May be it's a coincidence.

It's not racial, SUNO is simply not a strong school.

BTW, I'm the lone voice here, but I do not think Louisiana has too many 4 year colleges.

I think we don't have enough GOOD 4 year colleges.

[SlappyCajun]

I'd argue this all day long fun. We have more publically funded 4 year universities per capital than TX, MS or AR. There is no reason for their to be 4 publically funded 4 year universities along I20. Thibodaux does not need a 4 year university

Well the timing is amazing... Ryan says it, Jindal moves within weeks. May be it's a coincidence.

It's not racial, SUNO is simply not a strong school.

BTW, I'm the lone voice here, but I do not think Louisiana has too many 4 year colleges.

I think we don't have enough GOOD 4 year colleges.

igeaux.mobi

[Turbine]

BTW, I'm the lone voice here, but I do not think Louisiana has too many 4 year colleges.

I think we don't have enough GOOD 4 year colleges. _

Same thing.

[CajunEXPRESS]

_ I can't see how they would expect UL System schools to absorb UNO's losses, and you can bet every school in the System would scream Bloody Murder if someone tried to do that.

When the other schools in the state have had shortfalls, the Leg covered them. They didn't like it, but they covered them. That's why Bonds have to be approved by the Regents, because I believe the State is responsible if a school defaults.

But then, how many buildings at UNO are bonded? Most of them were built by state gov't. _

So you are telling me right now the LSUS is not absorbing the loses, but the state is handling them directly? If so then having UNO in the ULS is indeed a good thing, another independent school against the flagship agenda.

Still if UNO is not responsible for the fixed overhead, and in reality the LSUS, why are they bleeding money when they have reduced their staff and variable overhead to the current student body?