OPINION: TDR gives its cheers and jeers of the Oscars, p. 13
BASKETBALL: Men’s and women’s teams win close games, p. 7
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Monday, February 25, 2013 • Volume 117, Issue 93
Jindal cuts $200 million from Griffin: higher education LSU must Alyson Gaharan Staff Writer
More than $200 million was cut from higher education for the 2014 fiscal year in the $24.7 billion preliminary executive budget Gov. Bobby Jindal presented Friday. The proposed total higher education budget is composed of different funds that experienced drastic changes this year – the higher education general fund underwent
cuts of nearly $700 million, while the statutory dedications fund was increased about $600 million. The increases and decreases in these funds, as well as others that contribute to the total higher education budget, resulted in a total budget of about $2.7 billion, which is $200 million less than the 2013 fiscal year. Lawmakers and University administrators said they are unsure about what those numbers mean, particularly
the increase in the statutory dedication fund. Sen. Dan Claitor said the $200 million higher education cut looks bad, but it’s actually even larger than it seems. “We are uncertain about the switch from state general funds to statutory dedications,” said University Director of External Affairs Jason Droddy. Jindal’s budget proposal BUDGET CUTS, see page 15
graphic by BRITTANY GAY / The Daily Reveille photo by STEVE HELBER / The Associated Press
FUNDRAISING
fill ‘huge gap’ McKenzie Womack Staff Writer
As the president and CEO of the LSU Foundation and a member of the Transition Advisory Team, Lee Griffin dedicates his time to ensuring the continuation of LSU’s legacy. The Foundation is looking to douGRIFFIN ble its fundraising and endowment in the next four to nine years by expanding its donor base, Griffin said. Griffin said the Foundation has to step up and raise a lot more money to try and fill the “huge gap” that reduced state appropriations have left in the University’s budget. Griffin attended LSU as a graduate student on an assistantship. He received a master’s degree in economics and finance and went to work for a bank. He is the retired chairman and CEO of Bank One of Louisiana, which is now Chase. “A university like LSU makes FUNDRAISING, see page 15
TRANSPORTATION
SG to fund fourth Tiger Trails night bus route Student fees will not be affected Judah Robinson Senior Contributing Writer
Students living on Ben Hur Road and Brightside Drive will find a new designated driver in a recently announced fourth evening bus route on the weekends. The bill to add the new Tiger Trails route was passed by Student Government last Wednesday. The newly added “drunk bus,” as students often refer to it, will begin running Thursday. The new route will cost approximately
$12,500 to run until May 4 and bus, then why wouldn’t Student will be funded through SG’s Ini- Government pay for this bus?” tiative Account. DeBlieux said. Mass com- ‘We have the money, so “We have the munication freshmoney, so let’s do let’s do this.’ man Alexande this.” DeBlieux, who However, Alexande DeBlieux authored the bill this newly added mass communication freshman to fund the new fourth bus is only evening bus route, being temporarsaid it is a great idea to add this ily funded because SG’s Initiative fourth bus to the existing three Account can only be allocated to evening Tiger Trails buses. DeBlieux said he recently atBUS, see page 6 tended a University parking forum where he said the idea of a fourth Would you be willing to evening bus route was discussed, pay additional student fees but there was no available funding for a new bus route? Vote for that route. “If so many people want this at lsureveille.com.
MARIEL GATES / The Daily Reveille
Student Government is adding a new route to cover Ben Hur Road and Brightside Drive on Thursdays from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.