Regents Visits Delgado CC, Adopts FY 2023-24 Budget Priorities

NEW ORLEANS – As Delgado Community College celebrates its 100th anniversary of educating students and contributing to the landscape of the New Orleans region, the Louisiana Board of Regents held its Board meeting on the campus today, learning more about the campus education partnerships and industry engagement.  Regents travels at least once a year to visit colleges and universities across the state to better understand the impact of its policies and work on regional educational and workforce needs.

“It’s informative to see the work of our institutions up close and visit with students and campus leaders as we focus on increased attainment and prosperity across Louisiana,” said Board of Regents Vice Chair Gary Solomon Jr., a New Orleans businessman. “Having the Board meet at Delgado for its first out-of-town meeting since the pandemic has been enlightening, given the city’s focus on economic growth in the healthcare and STEM sectors.  Delgado and its leaders are accelerating their role in talent development around these occupations, and we applaud their work.”

During its meeting, Regents approved its initial FY 2023-2024 budget request for postsecondary education, prioritizing investments that support the work of the Master Plan for Higher Education and its attainment goal of 60% of working-age adults holding a postsecondary credential of value by the year 2030.  Regents’ ask includes state general funds to align the education-to-employment pipeline and increase student support ($200M), a focus on college affordability ($50.4M), and targeted programs to support statewide economic priorities, including healthcare, cybersecurity, and coastal/maritime research ($30M).

“We are looking to build upon two record-setting years of reinvestment to achieve important and targeted goals in higher education and appreciate the Governor and Legislature for continuing to prioritize investments in our people,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Kim Hunter Reed.  “Continuing to support our students, faculty and researchers leads to stronger communities, healthier citizens, a more competitive workforce, and a prosperous Louisiana.  Prioritizing adult education, expanding dual enrollment opportunities for high school students to get a jumpstart on college, and focusing on affordability and student success will contribute to a better future for all of our citizens.”

The complete budgetary reinvestment package requested by Regents includes:

Prioritize Talent Development and Student Support ($200M)

• • Master Plan Credential Alignment – $80M
    • • Workforce Training – $40M
        • Funding to support student success services, short-term training/credentials, and adult basic education for two-year community and technical colleges (LCTCS colleges, LSU Eunice, and Southern University at Shreveport.)
      • High-Demand Career Funding – $40M
        • Funding to support student success services and creating/expanding programs supporting high-demand fields (nursing, education, STEM, etc.) across all four-year institutions, including health sciences centers.

• • Talent Recruitment and Investment – $75M
    • • An increase in on-campus talent recruitment and investment will allow institutions and entities across the state to allocate funds to their most targeted needs. Institutions may allocate dollars to provide faculty pay increases, expand and support staff critical to improve student outcomes, update financial/student management systems, or all of the above.
  • Drive Performance-Based Funding – $18M
    • • The Board of Regents will support its focus on talent development by leveraging its funding formula to reward improved student completion and expanded campus research activity through an increase in cost and outcomes funding while meeting the mandates pursuant to Act 462 of 2014.
  • Support Specialized Institutions – $10M
    • • Additional funding will increase research and public service productivity at the LSU and SU Agricultural Centers and SU Law Center, as well as enhance instructional and research capacity at the UL-Monroe Pharmacy School, LSU Health Sciences Centers, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
  • Fund Annual Legacy and Mandated Cost Increases – $17M (projected)
    • • For years, higher education was the only state entity that did not have its legacy and mandated cost increases reflected annually in the executive budget. These increases will allow institutions to retain state dollars for instruction, research, and student support, to respond to the state’s workforce needs. The final allocation is determined based on information received from the Office of Planning and Budget.

Focus on Affordability ($50.4M)

• • Dual Enrollment – $25.3M
    • • Providing greater opportunities for students to enroll and complete college courses in high school, focusing on both two-year credentials and four-year degree programs and expansion of online and on-campus classes, to ensure accessibility and affordability for all students.

• • Increased Funding of GO Grants – $15M
    • • Need-based aid is essential to improving student access and success in postsecondary education. This additional funding will continue to build upon the largest base increase in the history of the GO Grants. The $15M would be used to increase the number of awards to students, increase the amount awarded to students, or a combination of both.

NOTE:

• • • • To fully fund all 60,987 eligible students with the current financial aid packaging policy, an additional $73.1M would be required in FY 2023-2024. Each institution sets its own award range, with a minimum of $300 and maximum of $3,000 per student.
      • To fund all 60,987 eligible students at the maximum GO Grant award amount of $3,000 per student, an additional $125.9M would be needed.
      • Currently, only 30,250 students, 49% of those eligible for the program, receive GO Grant awards.

• • TOPS Increases – $7.6M (projected)

• • • • Based on LOSFA projections, additional funding for TOPS will cover the increase in participation, projected to be approximately 1,500 students.

• • Increase Textbook Affordability – $2.5M

• • • • Funding will enable the statewide library network (LOUIS) to continue providing institutions with open-source documents and eTextbooks, proven to reduce the cost of attendance for students with a priority focus on OER development and usage for high-demand, high-wage fields of study. Since 2012, LOUIS has saved students $8M in textbook costs through the purchase of eTextbooks.

Targeted Request Package ($30M)

• • National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation – $16M

• • • • Funding will support development of multidisciplinary cancer care and clinical programs at institutions and centers across the state, with the intent to receive an NCI designation. This designation will recognize both laboratory and clinical research, as well as the quality of care provided to the community through healthcare professionals. NCI dedicates significant resources toward developing research programs, faculty, and facilities leading to better and innovative approaches to cancer protection, diagnosis, and treatment. NCI supports the research infrastructure for cancer centers to advance scientific goals and fosters programs that draw together investigators from different disciplines.

• • LOSFA High School Outreach and Engagement – $7M

• • • • Informed by recent survey information from students and families about outreach and engagement, LOSFA requests $3.5M to implement outreach specific to the state’s K-12 population, including career exploration, career-related dual enrollment, college-going, and financial aid, along with an additional $3.5M for outreach to non-traditional students and adult learners, as well as services related to state programs including TOPS, GO Grants, 529 Savings, and M.J. Foster Promise.

• • Cyber Program Development and Expansion – $5M

• • • • The increase in cybersecurity funding will support the creation of additional talent development avenues. The funds will be used to support the work of the Cyber Education Management Council to continue expanding the scope and scale of established programs, as well as to ensure the collaborative development of strong new programs designed to increase and diversify Louisiana’s cyber workforce.

• • Focus on Coastal Marine Consortium (LUMCON) – $2M
    • • Increases will provide additional funding for operational needs as LUMCON expands coastal and maritime research and education critical to our state and the Gulf region with the opening of its BlueWorks campus in Houma.

Regents also requested $170M of available surplus funds to address priority deferred maintenance projects across the state’s public postsecondary education institutions. The Board noted that funding maintenance needs on campuses statewide helps to mitigate long-term damage caused by years of neglect.  Currently, deferred maintenance needs in higher education total more than $1.6B.

Next, Regents will transmit the approved budget request for all higher education systems to the Division of Administration in accordance with R.S. 39:31.1(F), no later than November 1, 2022.

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