Changes in higher education including raising standards for admission at four-year colleges and universities was the focus of the West St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce luncheon speaker, Barry Erwin.

Erwin is president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, CABL, a nonprofit statewide organization that works on issues that impact the quality of life in the state.

CABL, along with both St. Tammany Chambers, is a part of the higher education reform coalition BILD, Businesses for Improving Louisiana’s Development. The group is pushing for changes in higher education including raising standards for admission in an attempt to improve graduation rates.

Barry Erwin, president for the Council for a Better Louisiana. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

Erwin said that by raising admission standards, the graduation rates will improve because students will enter programs more suitable for their knowledge and skill levels and therefore they will finish the programs successfully.

In addition, duplication of programs and systemic changes in programs is needed. Although this may not solve the immediate budget problem, restructuring the system will allow students to begin their higher education or technical education in a place more appropriate for their needs. Students could then move from community colleges to four-year colleges if they need to for their career path.

A major focus is cost of higher education. The budget cuts this past year, about $250 million, were substantial and many significant changes were made. In addition, “a lot of fat was trimmed,” Erwin said. Although future cuts would cause harm to the system, Erwin she he feels more battles and discussions are ahead during this year’s legislative session.

Erwin said the cost of higher education in the state is far below that of other states. In an effort to make the education received more competitive with other states, a limited increase in tuition may be granted for the coming year may be offered by the legislature for an increase in accountability and performance by the four-year institutions.

The TOPS program is also cause for concern. Every time tuition rises, the cost of TOPS also rises for the state’s budget because the money for TOPS comes out of that budget. With budgetary changes, should TOPS tuition payment be capped with a limit? Should the standards used to receive TOPS be raised with higher GPAs or ACT scores or both? Should income of the student’s family be a factor? Be changing the program, expectations of schools for student performance could also be raised to keep TOPS.

Erwin said that while CABL supported reform in school boards last year to try to separate what school board members are doing, the St. Tammany Parish School Board was already doing a lot of what was proposed last year.

Another concern for higher education is governance. Erwin said many models have been proposed to replaced the multi-board system now in place. Politics makes changing the current system difficult. In addition, many models have one board in charge of all higher education with mini-boards at each school to conduct day-to-day business. Erwin said that any changes with a governing board will result in lengthy debate.

Erwin said that many of the reforms can be enacted first then discuss governing boards.

He said that one proposed change this year will be to expand access and opportunities for students to attend charter schools throughout the state. Thus far, none exist in St. Tammany Parish.

Other topics of concern for the BILD coalition but not discussed at the luncheon include implementing the performance-funding formula proposed by the Louisiana Board of Regents; and granting sole authority to adjust self-generated revenue to the system’s management boards.

Erwin did state that the pathway a junior college can provide to a four-year institution has been neglected.

In a question and answer session following the address, Erwin spoke about an attempt to streamline state government by outsourcing, privatization and restructuring government agencies.

Whether the state would send projects and jobs outside the state was of concern to the business people in attendance. One attendee also commented that many of the RFPs, or request for proposals, written by the state for these jobs are so narrow as to negate the possibility of jobs leaving the state. Some of the requirements are reportedly focused on agreements to keep state employees on providers’ payrolls and other requirements that will make bidding on the privatization component not feasible.

Can you deliver services and save the state money? With narrow requirements and specific criteria, the state may save money at the expense of private business. Some suggestions from the audience included the use of nonprofit companies to provide services to the state and having an independent consultant write the RFPs.

It will be an interesting and busy legislative session, Erwin said.�