logo
Legislators approve transferring UNO to the LSU System. What happens next?

Legislators approve transferring UNO to the LSU System. What happens next?

Yahoo4 hours ago

Flowers grow Dec. 15, 2022, in front of the University of New Orleans sign on Lakeshore Drive. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator)
Louisiana legislators have approved legislation that will kick off a lengthy process to transfer the financially embattled University of New Orleans to the LSU System from the University of Louisiana System.
Senate Bill 202 by Sen. Jimmy Harris, D-New Orleans, easily passed the House Monday and already has Senate approval. It must receive approval from Gov. Jeff Landry before it takes effect.
The university's likely return to LSU's control is in response to UNO's acute budget crisis. The school faces a $30 million budget shortfall and has implemented a spending freeze, layoffs and staff furloughs in an attempt to make ends meet.
The proposed state budget, which lawmakers have to approve by Thursday, includes $20 million to pay off UNO's remaining debts and $450,000 for a financial and academic audit of the university.
Harris' legislation spells out several steps before the transition can be finalized.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
By Aug. 1, UNO President Kathy Johnson must send a letter to the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the accrediting body for most Louisiana colleges and universities, seeking approval for a change in UNO's governance.
The LSU System Board of Supervisors must set up a transition committee that will make recommendations to the board based on the audit's findings. The transition committee's meetings are subject to the state's open meetings law, meaning it must meet and take any votes in public.
The committee must be made up of legislators and stakeholders from the greater New Orleans region, and it must submit its report to the state Board of Regents and legislative education committees no later than April 1.
The legislation instructs the UL System Board of Supervisors to work with their LSU counterparts so the transfer can take place immediately after SACSCOC gives its approval.
Before the transfer receives accreditation approval, the UL and LSU boards are instructed to enter into agreements to transfer as many administrative and supervisory functions as possible to the LSU System before final approval is given. The UL board is also instructed to continue to balance UNO's budget in close collaboration with the LSU board.
UNO's fiscal troubles are related to an enrollment decline. The school had a student body of around 17,000 before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with an immediate drop to around 6,000 after the storm. For the fall 2024 semester, its total enrollment was 6,488.
Unlike UNO, every school in the LSU System has reported enrollment increases over the past few years, in contrast to nationwide trends of declining student numbers on college campuses.
UNO had been in the LSU System since its founding 1958 until 2011, when alumni and boosters applauded the switch to the UL System because many felt the university was overshadowed by LSU.
UNO would be the only undergraduate degree-granting school in the LSU System classified as an R2 university, meaning it has high levels of research activity, second only to LSU's main campus, which is a R1 school with the highest research activity rating.
In the UL System, two other campuses have research-level rankings: UL Lafayette, an R1 school, and Louisiana Tech, an R2.
UNO would be the only other school in the LSU System with an NCAA Division I athletics program.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Legislators approve transferring UNO to the LSU System. What happens next?
Legislators approve transferring UNO to the LSU System. What happens next?

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Legislators approve transferring UNO to the LSU System. What happens next?

Flowers grow Dec. 15, 2022, in front of the University of New Orleans sign on Lakeshore Drive. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator) Louisiana legislators have approved legislation that will kick off a lengthy process to transfer the financially embattled University of New Orleans to the LSU System from the University of Louisiana System. Senate Bill 202 by Sen. Jimmy Harris, D-New Orleans, easily passed the House Monday and already has Senate approval. It must receive approval from Gov. Jeff Landry before it takes effect. The university's likely return to LSU's control is in response to UNO's acute budget crisis. The school faces a $30 million budget shortfall and has implemented a spending freeze, layoffs and staff furloughs in an attempt to make ends meet. The proposed state budget, which lawmakers have to approve by Thursday, includes $20 million to pay off UNO's remaining debts and $450,000 for a financial and academic audit of the university. Harris' legislation spells out several steps before the transition can be finalized. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By Aug. 1, UNO President Kathy Johnson must send a letter to the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the accrediting body for most Louisiana colleges and universities, seeking approval for a change in UNO's governance. The LSU System Board of Supervisors must set up a transition committee that will make recommendations to the board based on the audit's findings. The transition committee's meetings are subject to the state's open meetings law, meaning it must meet and take any votes in public. The committee must be made up of legislators and stakeholders from the greater New Orleans region, and it must submit its report to the state Board of Regents and legislative education committees no later than April 1. The legislation instructs the UL System Board of Supervisors to work with their LSU counterparts so the transfer can take place immediately after SACSCOC gives its approval. Before the transfer receives accreditation approval, the UL and LSU boards are instructed to enter into agreements to transfer as many administrative and supervisory functions as possible to the LSU System before final approval is given. The UL board is also instructed to continue to balance UNO's budget in close collaboration with the LSU board. UNO's fiscal troubles are related to an enrollment decline. The school had a student body of around 17,000 before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with an immediate drop to around 6,000 after the storm. For the fall 2024 semester, its total enrollment was 6,488. Unlike UNO, every school in the LSU System has reported enrollment increases over the past few years, in contrast to nationwide trends of declining student numbers on college campuses. UNO had been in the LSU System since its founding 1958 until 2011, when alumni and boosters applauded the switch to the UL System because many felt the university was overshadowed by LSU. UNO would be the only undergraduate degree-granting school in the LSU System classified as an R2 university, meaning it has high levels of research activity, second only to LSU's main campus, which is a R1 school with the highest research activity rating. In the UL System, two other campuses have research-level rankings: UL Lafayette, an R1 school, and Louisiana Tech, an R2. UNO would be the only other school in the LSU System with an NCAA Division I athletics program. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups
The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups

USA Today

time5 hours ago

  • USA Today

The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups

The HEMI is back: Citing customer feedback, Ram returns V8 HEMI engines to 1500 pickups Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Free Press Car, Truck, Utility of the Year revealed Decades of work by Toyota and a bold new strategy from General Motors pay off with great vehicles, all priced in the heart of the market. Ram discontinued the HEMI engine in 2024, opting for a more powerful and fuel efficient inline six-cylinder engine. Citing customer sentiment, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the brand would rerelease the V-8 HEMI engine in most of its pickup offerings. Kuniskis also noted a change in Ram's market approach, with an extensive focus on one-to-one retail sales with "real customers." A year after removing the HEMI, Ram is reintroducing its famous V-8 engine to its product lineup and unveiling a new logo to accompany it. At a preview event with automotive media, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said the HEMI is coming back to Ram trucks along with a new emblem that the brand is calling a "symbol of protest," featuring a ram's head jutting out of a V-8 engine block. Rams reequipped with the HEMI engines will be available for sale this summer, the company said, in the following Ram 1500 models: Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel (available later than other models), Limited and Longhorn. A year ago, Ram announced it would be discontinuing the HEMI V-8 engines in favor of a more fuel-efficient and powerful Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine. The hurricane engines also performed better under emissions regulations. That move, Kuniskis said, was a mistake. "Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI — we own it and we fixed it,' Kuniskis said in a statement. Both the Hurricane and HEMI engines will be available for buyers now, giving buyers a choice. Kuniskis said that the decision was informed by customer feedback. People were mad. Toyota Tundra recalls: Is Toyota's most expensive truck reliable or plagued with issues? "(Buyers) hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice," Kuniskis said. "We as Americans, probably more so truck buyers, hate the fact that we said, 'This is the choice you get, this is the engine you're going to take.' " Kuniskis said Ram's market approach has changed to focus almost entirely on retail sales, pulling back on fleet and rental business. Kuniskis considers this the truest reflection of the automotive market, he said, referring to retail sales as "sales to real customers." As is common with Kuniskis, whose persona reflects Ram's brand identity as loud and unapologetic, he was quick to decry experts who hawk Ram's sales numbers. The decision to bring the HEMI back was made because he heard enough from people who were upset, not crafty data analytics. "At the end of each month, we count sales to customers, not statisticians or ideologues," Kuniskis said. "Data be damned — we raise our flag and let the HEMI ring free again!' added Kuniskis. Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW. Contact him at LRappleye@

Educators Say Worst Fears Realized as High Schoolers Detained by ICE
Educators Say Worst Fears Realized as High Schoolers Detained by ICE

Yahoo

time11 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Educators Say Worst Fears Realized as High Schoolers Detained by ICE

Students in the Bronx high school that Dylan Lopez Contreras attended before he was arrested by immigration agents last month have sent hundreds of letters in recent weeks to the Western Pennsylvania detention center where he is being held. Written in a third-period elective class set aside for this purpose, staff made sure to send the missives individually, rather than in a single pile, hoping Contreras would enjoy their support over time while lawyers fight for his release. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Contreras, 20, didn't always have time for school — working to help support his family would often pull him away, one of his teachers told The 74 — but he left his mark on the ELLIS Prep campus. He was the one who introduced a fun new tradition, one that continues in his absence, maybe even in his honor: He got the kids to play Uno in their downtime. His teacher could hear their laughter over the game in the hallway. So when it came time to send Contreras a supportive note, telling him to stay strong during a dark time, one of them slipped an Uno card inside the envelope. 'I'm going to give him a +4,' the student told his teacher, referring to a card used to delay or prevent an opponent's victory. 'That would make him laugh.' Contreras' May 21 arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after a routine mandatory court hearing — and that of a Massachusetts high school junior who was picked up by ICE 10 days later on his way to volleyball practice — have intensified anxiety among educators who serve immigrant students. They say their early fears about President Trump's return to power are now playing out. And while these young men engage in separate legal battles, CNN reported last week that some 500 children who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors have been taken into federal custody by agents following 'welfare checks' that many advocates say are wreaking havoc. Families say the children have been increasingly difficult to find and extract from government 'care.' The efforts targeting children — some younger than 10 — may be the result of increased pressure from a reportedly furious White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to boost the number of immigration-related arrests to 3,000 per day. Related Adam Strom, executive director of Re-Imagining Migration, said some school districts have been preparing for this escalation — creating rapid response teams and family support networks that activate when immigration enforcement occurs — but others are shocked at what they're witnessing. 'For other communities, this is a wake-up call … the unimaginable is happening in communities like their own, to students not so different from the kids in their own classrooms,' Strom said. After much protest, 18-year-old Massachusetts teen Marcelo Gomes da Silva was granted bond and released from custody Thursday. He said he had not showered in six days, had crackers for lunch and dinner, slept on a concrete floor with a metallic blanket and had to use the bathroom in front of 40 other men. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said he should never have been taken into custody by ICE agents, who later admitted they were looking for his father. 'While ICE officers never intended to apprehend Gomes-DaSilva, he was found to be in the United States illegally and subject to removal proceedings, so officers made the arrest,' homeland security officials said in a Twitter post. The New York and Massachusetts cases come amid others. An 18-year-old student from Colombia living in Detroit, was picked up May 20 as he was driving friends to join their high school field trip. Federal officials said he already had a removal order from a judge. In another case, a 19-year-old Georgia woman was held in an ICE detention facility for weeks after she was arrested by local police in early May on traffic charges that were later dismissed. As the cop told Ximena Arias Cristobal he was taking her to jail, she replied shakily that she couldn't go because she had finals the next week and her family 'really depends on this.' Released on bond May 22, the young woman is now facing deportation to Mexico, a country she left when she was 4. Far younger children — including toddlers — have been defending themselves in immigration court for years. And the many organizations that have helped them through the system are now under attack. Some have been issued stop work orders — Trump ceased funding for their legal representation — leaving them in further jeopardy. Nancy Duchesneau, a senior pre-K-to-12 research manager at the advocacy organization EdTrust, said it's too early to tell if the country's most recent immigration enforcement campaign — manifested in raids and surprise detentions after court appearances — has led to a drop in school attendance as it has in the past. Duchesneau noted that ICE's aggressive tactics disrupt learning and cause harm to a wide swath of students, not just immigrants or those with foreign-born parents. 'When we see trauma happen to other kids, or to other people, we still have emotional impacts from that,' she said. 'Seeing your friends taken away — kids that you know — even if you are an American citizen, we don't know what else could happen.' Like Strom, she said schools should make sure there are clear policies in place for when ICE agents visit campus and that both students and staff know their rights. Related Eric Marquez, one of Dylan's teachers at ELLIS Preparatory Academy, said he taught Contreras for weeks last fall before the young man, who worked as a delivery driver, started regularly missing school. 'If he had a chance to work, he worked,' Marquez said. His teachers understand that struggle. ELLIS Prep is a small specialized school that serves older newcomer students with limited English, nearly all of whom had arrived in the country just weeks or months before their admission. Many are behind on their credits and some have massive gaps in their education. Despite these challenges, Marquez said many go on to college. The 74 published a 16-month-long undercover investigation last year into how schools respond to enrollment requests from students like Contreras. The fictional teen in The 74's Unwelcome to America project, 'Hector Guerrero,' was also Venezuelan. But unlike Contreras, Hector, 19, was refused admission to more than 200 high schools across the U.S. where he had a legal right to attend based on his age. Related At the time of our reporting, Donald Trump, then a leading presidential contender, was once again vilifying immigrants on the campaign trail, a winning tactic for a man who rode a similar wave of xenophobia into office in 2016. Worry was beginning to build over how far he might go as president to deport undocumented children and families. Now five months into his second term, Marquez remembers the moment he learned his student had been arrested and was living out that fear. 'For me, it was soul-crushing,' the teacher said. 'It hit everyone. It was symbolic in a way. He was that over-age, under-credited student with a limited, interrupted formal education. But he was super smart. He totally can go to college. He really can.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store