Colleges work out budgets including nearly $66 million less from general fund
by John Pope - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

State-run college systems will receive nearly $66 million less from Louisiana's general fund in the fiscal year starting July 1, prompting administrators to consider remedies such as bigger classes, higher tuition and even layoffs to ease the financial pain. "It's hard to make these decisions," said Victor Ukpolo, Southern University at New Orleans' chancellor. "I don't sleep nights." Some schools will raise tuition by as much as 10 percent in the fall in an attempt to raise more money, but that won't close the gap as state support for higher education continues to drop. The looming cuts stem from the state operating budget adopted by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Gov. Bobby Jindal this month. The higher education allocations are based on the financing formula developed by the Louisiana Board of Regents, which makes its recommendations based on factors such as enrollment and the types of courses each institution offers.