Lafayette is a college town. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has brought so much recognition to our town and our part of the state that to attempt to measure the economic impact would be doing the institution a huge disservice. U.L. Like most colleges and universities across the state is faced with even more  budget cuts and service reductions. The amount of money any university can charge in fees is closely regulated by the legislature.

One Louisiana lawmaker wants to put the decision of raising or lowering student fees into the hands of the institutions that plan their budgets around those monies. Frank Foil a representative from Baton Rouge told the Louisiana Radio Network that the current system allows for very little flexibility in  budget planning for schools. He is set to propose legislation that would  take away the two-thirds majority passage by the legislature and put fee decisions in the hands of college administrators.

"I think it would give colleges more stability and flexibility in their budget planning,We're the only state right now that requires a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise any fees."

To get this legislation changed it would  require a change to Louisiana's constitution. Foil believes his ideas for helping ease the budgetary shortfalls and crisis that many institutions face could be eliminated if the people on the ground, and not in Baton Rouge, made the decisions.

"I believe colleges are in the best position to know what level of fee is appropriate for the students and what the students can pay,"

 

Foil believes this change in the fee gathering structure would not only help ease the budget issue colleges and universities are facing, but it would allow the state to make better budgetary decisions regarding higher education without having such a devastating impact on some of the state's smaller schools.

 

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