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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 185
BY SENATOR BROOME
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Board of Regents to implement Recommendations 10(C) and 13 of
the Postsecondary Education Review Commission relative to the provision of
equitable and sufficient funding necessary for the state's Historically Black Colleges
and Universities to achieve their unique and important institutional mission.
WHEREAS, Act No. 309 of the 2009 Regular Session of the Legislature created the
Postsecondary Education Review Commission to "review all aspects of postsecondary
education in order to ensure that the enterprise is operating efficiently, effectively, and in a
manner that best serves students, their families, and the state"; and
WHEREAS, this legislation also specified that the scope of such review would be
comprehensive and include consideration of factors such as governance, facilities, programs,
and funding; and
WHEREAS, during the course of their work, the commission made several
recommendations with respect to the higher education funding formula, calling for an
increased emphasis on institutional quality and performance; and
WHEREAS, while it is unarguably appropriate for the higher education funding
formula to focus on quality and performance, it is equally logical and reasonable that the
formula give due consideration to the levels of funding necessary for each postsecondary
educational institution to achieve the desired goals; and
WHEREAS, unanimous Recommendations 10(C) and 13, as contained in the final
report issued by the Postsecondary Education Review Commission, recognize and address
the funding gap that exists between the state's Historically Black Colleges and Universities
and other public postsecondary educational institutions; and SR NO. 185 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Recommendation 10(C) calls for additional funding to be provided to
the state's Historically Black Colleges and Universities until such funding gap is closed; and
WHEREAS, Recommendation 13 states the commission's belief in the educational
value of students learning in diverse educational environments and in the unique and
important mission of the state's Historically Black Colleges and Universities for "fostering
and expanding educational access, excellence, and success for all students, especially
African-Americans and disproportionate numbers of low-income, first generation students";
and
WHEREAS, Recommendation 13 further calls for the Board of Regents to
recommend to the legislature actions that will set aside, within the higher education
appropriations, a specific allotment of funds sufficient to enable the state's Historically Black
Colleges and Universities to realize their important mission; and
WHEREAS, although the state's Historically Black Colleges and Universities have
been and remain fully committed to educational quality and performance, it must be
recognized that these institutions face a greater challenge in their efforts to meet newly
established performance standards due to the historical funding inequities that were created
through the funding formula for higher education and the method utilized to distribute
additional funding made available outside of the formula.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the Board of Regents to implement Recommendations 10(C)
and 13 of the Postsecondary Education Review Commission relative to the provision of
equitable and sufficient funding necessary for the state's Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to achieve their unique and important institutional mission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
chairman of the Board of Regents, the chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Southern
University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the chairman of the Board of
Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, and the commissioner of higher
education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE