What were university presidents doing at Washington Mardi Gras?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington Mardi Gras is known as a boozy political party for lobbyists, donors and politicians. But for higher education leaders, it's also an opportunity to take advantage of having Louisiana's most rich and powerful in the same building — and in a good mood.
While higher education leaders do engage in the party — LSU President William Tate was spotted on his way into Saturday night's ball, the main event of the week — they also use the trip to D.C. as an opportunity to meet with Louisiana's congressional delegation to discuss funding for state colleges and universities.
Several universities, including LSU, Tulane and Southern, hosted their own hospitality suites, with a buffet and open bar for revelers. Campus leaders were seen milling about, meeting with D.C.-based alumni, donors and elected officials. McNeese State and the University of Louisiana Lafayette did not host their own suite but helped sponsor one for their regions.
LSU, the University of New Orleans and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System also hosted their own events during the four-day long event.
Complicating plans was the freak snow storm in Louisiana the day before Washington Mardi Gras was supposed to kick off, meaning several university presidents were unable to attend and others had to cancel meetings.
The Illuminator caught up with some of these higher education leaders to ask what business the officials engaged in on their trip.
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Southern University System President Dennis Shields was spotted next to a dancing jaguar mascot outside of the university's hospitality suite. Shields reported meeting with members of the congressional delegation and prospective donors.
Shields said money is needed to close the $1 billion historical funding disparity between Southern, a historically Black university, and LSU, the state's primarily white land-grant institution. He also said he is seeking funding for the university's capital campaign, adding that he was 'feeling optimistic' about securing funds for both.
LSU President William Tate arrived late to the party, having traveled with the LSU women's basketball team to Columbia for their matchup against South Carolina. The Lady Tigers lost the game, 66-55. Tate said his main priority was meeting with state legislators, several of whom made appearances at LSU's purple and gold-lit suite at the Washington Hilton.
Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed had her hands full chaperoning student body presidents from Louisiana colleges and universities who are taken to Washington Mardi Gras-related events every year. She said she was also meeting with members of the congressional delegation.
Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson met with members of Louisiana's congressional delegation to seek federal research funding for asphalt research, which he intends to try out at the Ruston campus' parking lots.
'Most of our work is just telling our story,' Henderson said of the meetings. 'They can't be the sole funder for these kinds of things. We have to go out there and find the resources to do these things. But they can say, 'Hey, this is part of an initiative that somebody else is doing.''
Henderson said he also took meetings on research funding for cybersecurity, traumatic brain injuries and a potential swine research facility.
UNO President Kathy Johnson was representing her fiscally challenged university amid a relaunching of the school's D.C. presence. UNO recently hired a federal lobbying firm to help seek research funding from federal agencies. The university also held a brunch event, which U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, D.C.-based alumni and prospective donors attended.
McNeese State University President Wade Rousse was spotted at UNO's brunch. Rousse, who was hired as president of McNeese last spring, said his mission was to meet with funders and impart the importance of funding higher education.
'We all know economic growth is driven by two things, labor and capital, and what drives labor is education,' Rousse said.
South Louisiana Community College Chancellor Vincent June said he met with delegation members to discuss the importance of passing a bill seeking to expand Pell grants, a federal program that gives funding to low-income students seeking college degrees, short-term credentials and other job training.
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