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Exclusive content @
Friday, September 16, 2011
www.southerndigest.com
Volume 57, Issue 5
BP ultimately responsible for spill see News, page 3
Today
Jaguars prepare for grudge match vs. J-State see Sports, Page 5
Leaving a legacy
see Commentary, page 7
System adjusts to SUBR budget crisis Finance VP outlines system involvement in budget recovery efforts; what SUBR needs to do for future Norman J. Dotson Jr. The Southern Digest
Throughout the budget downfall at Southern University at Baton Rouge, little is known about the rest of system’s involvement in alleviating this problem. According to Kevin Appleton, vice president of finance and business affairs for the Southern University System, the other campuses have contributed approximately “$3.65 million this academic year” to help the dismal budget situation facing SUBR. Along with their contributions and many cost cutting measures being implemented this year’s budget was successfully balanced and submitted to the Louisiana Board of Regents. “Baton Rouge campus has suffered what I call a triple whammy with reductions in state appropriated funds compounded by unfunded mandates from state government also compounded by enrollment losses which impact tuition and fees,” said Appleton. “That is why the Baton Rouge campus is in worse shape than the other
campuses in the system.” Appleton insisted that the most effective way for SUBR to pull itself out of this budget sinkhole is to increase enrollment stating, “the money follows the students”. “There are other steps that
budget issues Appleton said that he thinks that furloughing the other campuses would negatively impact the functions of the other campuses unnecessarily. “Furloughs are not meant to be a permanent solution,” Appleton said. “They are only meant to
There were rumors of the Baton Rouge campus loaning money to not only the other campuses but the system office as well, however Appleton could not comment on this due to this predating his arrival last October.
“Baton Rouge campus has suffered what I call a triple whammy with reductions in state appropriated funds compounded by unfunded mandates from state government, also compounded by enrollment losses which impact tuition and fees.That is why the Baton Rouge campus is in worse shape than the other campuses in the system.”
Kevin Appleton SUS VP of Finance & Business Affairs
need to be taken in order to mitigate the financial stress, the major step is going to be a critical examination of academic and administrative structures to make sure that our institution is organized in a way that promotes efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability,” Appleton explained. When asked if the other campuses would take furloughs too to further assist with the
serve as a temporary solution.” He stressed that this action would weaken the system and would bring down the moral on the other campuses. This current academic year SUBR’s operating budget no longer receives a majority of its funding from the state funds, now the university’s operations are funded mostly by self generating revenues such as student tuition and fees.
“I think it is more important for us to focus on external fundraising from private sources as well as from grants and contracts,” he said. “Also to think more like an entrepreneur in terms of how the university and the system can develop revenue streams from meeting economic needs of it’s constituencies.” Active pursuits of funding are being done to further increase the budget at SUBR. Appleton
claims that the university is aggressively seeking funding from all people who “love” SU as well as philanthropic sources. “A lot depends on the economy and how well the state does in terms of its collections and much depends on the political process and the spending priorities set by the governor and the legislature,” he said. “Much will also depend on our efforts at recruiting and retaining students. Those are going to be major factors.” Appleton is confident that SUBR will not be closing anytime soon, he said that there is the ability and willingness to make the hard decisions needed to move Southern forward from this point. “Southern University Sys-tem and its institutions are aggressively pursuing strategies that will reposition our institutions for future growth and prosperity,” Appleton stated. “Part of that is aggressive fundraising, aggressive recruiting, administrative restructuring and efficiency and effectiveness, as well as restructuring of the academic enterprise to facilitate a 21st century education.”
Air cleared on Ombudsman’s office, purpose on campus Samantha Smith
The Southern Digest
This sign posted on the door of the Office of the Ombuds in T.H. Harris Hall gives instructions to students needing assistance. The ombudsman position itself is currently vacant, but officials are currently facilitating the functions of the ombudsman from The Office of Student Affairs in the J.S. Clark Annex Building.
Since its opening in November 2009, the Southern University office of the ombudsman’s motto has been “students working for students” providing services the students need. While students are plagued with consideration of transferring, dropping classes, adding classes, seeking other professors, and finding a voice on an administration driven campus; the ombudsman office is still a mystery for most students. Ryan Ward, mass communications major from St. Louis, didn’t have a place on campus in mind in the event he should need to solve a conflict between him and a professor or staff member. He said, “I am not sure, but I don’t think there
is a place like that on campus, maybe you could talk to an administrator.” Although the office has been operating for two years, students around campus say that they are not sure if there is a place on campus that they could go to if they had a conflict with a teacher or a staff member. “Personally I really don’t know but you probably can go to the department of that class,” said Wesley Lee, computer science major from LaPlace, La. Raven Brady-Parker, a nursing major from Baton Rouge, considered going to speak with a trusted professor. The dictionary defines ombudsman as: A man who investigates complaints and mediates fair settlements, especially between aggrieved parties such as consumers or students and an institution or
the official student newspaper of southern university and A&m college, baton rouge, louisiana
organization. In a university or higher education setting the role of the ombudsman is usually conflict resolution. In its short existence the SU office of the ombudsman has provided peer counseling, student development, leadership, mentoring, informal mediation of group conflicts and assisted students in the development of conflict resolution strategies. Services offered by the office are: the Lagniappe informational kiosk on the first floor of the Smith-Brown memorial student Union; University Ambassador, formerly known as SOLA, and 365-Jag Preview. “There are plenty of places to go if you feel you are not being See Ombudsman page 3