TOPS payments cut by 20 percent

If Gov. John Bel Edwards’ speech Thursday night did anything in regard to higher education, it moved the doomsday clock to 11:59, and counting.
“I don’t say this to scare you,” he said Thursday night, “but I am going to be honest with you. No more tricks. No more smoke and mirrors.”
The governor would speak at length — for over 13 minutes to be exact — about Louisiana’s new woes, pushing the idea of tax hikes and more cuts in varying forms.
There was one that garnered many ears and eyes though that came even before Edwards sat before Louisiana Thursday night: an email schools received at 3 p.m. from the state’s student financial aid office that announced the immediate stoppage of TOPS payments because of the budget crisis.
“Due to the possibility of state budget cuts, all TOPS payments are being suspended until further notice,” said the email from the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Edwards’ address provided some elaboration promised in that email when he stated that it would be colleges and universities to take the loss that occurs due to the stoppage and potential 20 percent cut in TOPS payments.
The 20 percent cut in payments became official Friday afternoon when LOSFA Executive Director Sujuan Boutte said payments would resume next Thursday for up to 80 percent of the students’ award, leaving individual campuses to absorb the 20 percent remainder.
Further implications for TOPS will depend largely on what happens during the upcoming special legislative sessions concerning the state budget crisis.
The picture still isn’t the clearest for higher education officials, however.
“We do not know the details yet,” said LSU Eunice Chancellor Dr. Kimberly Russell. “However, LSUE students have already been allocated their TOPS scholarships for the spring of 2016 for a total of $550,508.84. This cut would not directly affect our 423 students since LSUE will not pass along the shortfall to the students.
“At this point, we understand that the state is requiring LSUE to absorb the cut. LSUE receives over $1.1 million annually in TOPS tuition payments. Non-payment of TOPS tuition coupled with the additional cuts from state appropriations would result in the ultimate demise of LSUE.”
The deficit for the current fiscal year sits at more than $940 million, according to Edwards.
Any higher education institution will tell you that losing money on top of proposed deeper cuts is nearing doomsday scenarios for the state’s colleges and universities.
“Over the last eight years, LSU Eunice has realized more than a 60 percent decline in state support, the elimination of essential student services and support, a reduction of degree and certificate programs and a 25 percent decrease in overall enrollment,” said Russell.
Russell, who took over LSUE’s helm in July 2015, spent the fall reallocating funds and reaching out to the community to position the school for potential future growth and expansion. The school has started to see a spike in enrollment – up 5 percent.
But if the doomsday clock is still ticking like many institutions believe and fear, significant accomplishments like that at LSUE will be for naught.
“Now, more than ever, LSUE needs your support,” said Russell. “Please contact your local legislators and let them know how all of our constituents will suffer without adequate state support for our public community colleges and universities.
“It’s embarrassing for all of us in higher education, including the flagship family of LSU.”
Her sentiments have been echoed throughout the higher education circuit in Louisiana.
“During the past eight years, Louisiana has led the nation in higher education disinvestment,” read the released statement from the University of Louisiana System. “It’s unfortunate timing that after almost a decade of cuts, the state finds itself in a fiscal crisis that once again places higher education in the guillotine.
“And the bad news continues to pour in with TOPS funding being halted – a blow to our universities and an alarming headline for our students – and a harsh warning from SACSCOC, the regional accreditation body for our public universities.
“If the University of Louisiana System sustains the proposed $38 million-plus reduction – or an even larger cut in a worst case scenario – the public university landscape in Louisiana will be forever changed. These cuts would likely go way beyond cancelled classes, delayed graduations and layoffs. Louisiana’s higher education system is operating as efficiently as possible – our institutions are running on fumes.
“We will continue to work closely with the governor and legislators to ensure the best outcome for our campuses. Even in the midst of difficult times our main concern is our students. We want to ensure our graduates earn the quality education they deserve and become productive contributors to Louisiana or beyond.”
TOPS is a program that provides students who have met certain academic requirements and taken a certain curriculum an opportunity at a higher education at a vastly reduced cost.
TOPS pays a percentage of the higher education institution’s tuition leaving the small remainder as well as fees, books, room and board and more to the student, this is typically offset with grants, loans and other forms of payment.