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DRIFTWOOD The community newspaper of the University of New Orleans
Volume: 58 Issue: 11 University of New Orleans President Peter Fos is an unelected politician and the biggest cheerleader for his alma mater. Driftwood Managing Editor Kristi Martin sat down with Fos to talk about the issues affecting the university today that have an effect on its future. The interview was conducted in a question-and-answer format, and due to space limitations, answers were condensed and will be continued in Issue 12.
DW: You said during the founders’ luncheon, you anticipate enrollment to stabilize after this year. What led to the decrease, and what is the university doing to increase those numbers? Fos: “The day Katrina hit, it was 17,408. We dropped down to about 6,600. The highest we ever were (after) was 11,741 (in 2009). Then we lost almost 1,200 students to, I think, the BP spill. “I started in January 2012, and at this point in time, we took anyone with a 21 ACT whether or not they needed remedial. New admission standards raised it to 23. We no longer could (offer) remedial (courses), which is math score of 18 and English score of 19. That was 700plus freshmen per year… “The second year, started Privateer Bound, which said that if we rejected you because of your ACT scores or needed remedial, but wanted to come to UNO, you would get accepted into Privateer Bound, which is a joint program between us and Delgado… “My thinking is we might go down a little more next year because the students who are going to graduate this year were admitted six years ago (before the drop). We’re graduating more students than we can replace. That’s the last year of the big group of students that came. Even though we’re 94 down, we’re not 788 down. I think the free fall has leveled off. I think we’ll over around 9,000. I’m hoping in 2020 we have 12,000.”
DW: As a transfer student, I’ve noticed UNO seems to really roll out the red carpet for us. What is so important to cater to transfer students? Fos: “Because of increased admission standards, those kids aren’t coming. The physical plant holds 17,000. We need to reach out to community colleges and bring those kids here. I’ve signed four or five agreements with Delgado to make it seamless when they come here.
Q A driftwood.uno.edu
with University of New Orleans President Peter Fos
November 12, 2014 “In 2007-08, 72 percent of our money came from state this year; this year it’s 28 percent so the money is coming from students while less students are coming. So we don’t have any money. We actually are trying to reduce staff. We laid off 28 people last February, which saved $3 million - nobody in academics, just everything else. Somebody has to make sure the lights work, the UC is open, the bookstore is open. We’re running out of those people. You can’t cut out of a crisis, you’ve got to grow. “It’s tough (to retain). We’re being reactionary because we don’t have any money. If they have an offer to go somewhere else, we counter offer. I have to worry that everybody gets a check at the end of the month, much less a raise. It would take $1.4 million to give everybody a four-percent raise. “I would like to maybe give a bonus or something to everybody this year. Other UL schools are later this year. Faculty are here because they want to be here. They would love to have more resources, but I just can’t give it to them.
DW: Who what or how determines cuts statewide and how do you determine which cuts to make once those cuts trickle down to the university?
Willie Marsalis/Driftwood Staff University of New Orleans President Peter Fos sits with Driftwood Managing Editor Kristi Martin during an q-and-a interview Monday. “This university was established dred and seventy-five people live on that we hand-picked because of Kafor those people in New Orleans campus full-time. You know how trina and the oil industry. “We tell them we are not a comwho couldn’t afford to go anywhere many are at Northwestern State (in else, as well as those people who Natchitoches)? Sixteen hundred. Is muter campus. We are a destination campus.” went somewhere else and needed it called a commuter college? No. a second chance. I didn’t start here “Pontchartrain Hall is 95 percent as a freshman. I went to ULL and occupied. Lafitte Village is 98 perDW: In preparing for this came here at the end of my sopho- cent occupied and Privateer Place, interview, I chatted with more year.” which the university doesn’t own, they’ve told us is 92 percent occu- faculty members, and it seems that morale is a little DW: UNO has a reputa- pied. That’s pretty full. “We’ve hired someone to recruit low. What is the university tion as a commuter school. Is that considered a nega- in Houston. She lives there and is doing to retain instructors? tive connotation? And what originally from Lafayette. She will is the university doing to never come here except for meetFos: “There’s a big reason (for recruit more than local stu- ings. Harris County (Texas) is big- low morale) – the last time anyone ger than Louisiana. She will also got a raise on campus was July dents? recruit once a month in Dallas for 2007. We’re trying to get fiscally Fos: “One thousand, three hun- two days at high schools, schools stable.
Fos: “In June, when House Bill 1 (the budget) is approved, it goes to the Board of Regents, then it goes to the system and the system determines how much we get based upon students and other things. “We’ve also had two mid-year cuts since I’ve been here. We didn’t have one last year and no one is talking about this year. “The UL system decides how much we get cut. We’re third largest budget (in the system). The larger the budget, the larger the cut. “What I did both times was tell the deans you’ve got to make cuts. I go through my VP areas and tell them to talk to their directors and supervisors and come up with a list of cuts. They bring them to me, and I decided last year when we cut 28, they gave me a list of 60. “After not sleeping for a week, they were people doing essential things. I couldn’t cut them. So I personally cut the list down to 28. We needed to cut the 60 budget-wise, but we need the university to run. “ *Editor’s Note: One cut included a buyout plan in which certain employees were offered early retirements in exchange for a portion of their salaries.