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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 197
BY SENATOR APPEL
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to
study viable options for the private colleges and universities to contribute to meeting
the workforce gap of college completions and degrees needed for Louisiana four-
and five-star jobs.
WHEREAS, Louisiana is in the midst of an economic renaissance with eighty
thousand new jobs and more than fifty billion dollars in private capital added since 2008;
and
WHEREAS, the next challenge is to ensure that Louisiana has the skilled workforce
to fill these jobs of the future; and
WHEREAS, economists have recently said that they have never seen an industrial
expansion like the one underway in Louisiana but have also warned that Louisiana must do
a better job training skilled workers that will be needed to fill the demand for jobs at the
major industrial and high tech projects coming to Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature created the Workforce and Innovation for a Stronger
Economy Plan to strengthen the collaboration between public higher education, economic
development, and workforce commission; and
WHEREAS, the degree production in four- and five-star jobs as indicated by the
Louisiana Workforce Commission include degrees in computer and information science,
engineering, biological and physical sciences, finance and accounting, and healthcare; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana's private colleges and universities currently produce over
three thousand graduates in these same areas; and
WHEREAS, the private colleges and universities are a resource for the public good
of the State.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request that the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities study viable options that the private colleges and universities might undertake
to help close the workforce gap in high demand four- and five-star jobs as well as strengthen SR NO. 197 ENROLLED
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collaboration with public higher education, economic development, and workforce
commission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges
and Universities submit a written report to the Senate and House committees on education
by March 1, 2015, regarding options and recommendations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
President of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE