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Higher Education

$4 million for a Biotechnology Initiatives and Health Care Workforce Development

• The biotechnology initiative is designed to replicate the success of the Information Technology Initiative by providing funds to universities to enhance research capacity in emerging fields tied to the state's economic development efforts outlined in Vision 20/20. The biotechnology initiative funding will provide for investment in faculty, facilities and research equipment at institutions with demonstrated expertise in specified areas of research under the broad heading of "biotechnology". These funds will be allocated based upon a competitive, peer-reviewed evaluation process. A portion of these funds are designated specifically for the "neurobiotechnology" initiative currently underway at LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, LSU Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, and Tulane University Health Sciences Center.

$7.6 million for Emerging Community and Technical Colleges Pool

• The $7.6 million Community and Technical Colleges Development Pool Fund has been allocated for the growth in the existing community colleges and for the enrollment, expansion, and development of new community colleges around Louisiana. This fund will help such projects as the creation of the new Delta Community College in northeast Louisiana and the growing enrollment from 3,000 to 4,300 students at the Baton Rouge Community College.

$6.4 million for the Performance and Quality Improvement Distribution Pool

• These funds will be used to assist colleges and universities in improving performance in targeted focus areas outlined in the Master Plan for Public Post-Secondary Education. The focus areas include enhancement of quality teacher education programs, state and regional economic development efforts, improved competitiveness of graduate student stipends, and further implementation of enrollment management strategies including the admissions criteria framework at four-year universities.

$2.8 million from the Higher Education Initiatives Fund for implementation of the Master Plan

• Funding will be used to implement the Master Plan for Public Post-Secondary Education as adopted in 2001. The new plan addresses student enrollment issues, the overall direction of higher education and specific mission standards for each institution.

$4.3 million for Aid to Independent Colleges

• The $4.3 million is used to pay for eligible Louisiana resident students at the following colleges and universities: Centenary College, Dillard University, Louisiana College, Loyola University, Our Lady of Holy Cross, Tulane University, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, Xavier University, Our Lady of the Lake College, and St. Joseph Seminary College.

$10.6 million for full funding of Classified Employee Merit Increases and $15.8 million for full funding of Group Insurance Increases

• The combination of funding merit and group benefit increases totaled roughly $26 million. The act of providing new general funds dollars for these costs means that the universities can utilize all other funding resources on other operating expenses and initiatives designed to increase student achievement.

$800,000 for a Teacher Recruitment /Quality program partnered between the Board of Regents and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

• The "No Child Left Behind Act" requires all states to have 100 percent highly qualified (certified) teachers in all classrooms in all schools within six years. The additional $800,000 for the teacher recruitment and quality program is designed to improve the quantity and quality of applicants in alternative track university based teacher practitioner programs. Primarily, the monies will be used to recruit quality teachers for Louisiana's K-12 classrooms.

$500,000 in General Appropriations and $2 million in Capital Outlay for the LSU Fire and Emergency Training Institute

• The $500,000 additional appropriation for the LSU Fire and Emergency training Institute is designed to help fund advanced training of firemen and address homeland security issues. Additionally, the Fire and Emergency Training Institute also received $2 million in the Capital Outlay Act to provide new equipment for the operations of the center and conduct major repairs and renovations.

$2.5 million for Neurobiotechnology Acquisitions in Capital Outlay from non-recurring revenues

• Funding will be used to compliment existing operating funds in the field of neurobiotechnology. The non-recurring monies will be used to purchase the latest equipment in this field, bringing together the LSU Health Science Center and Tulane University Health Science Center in their research in neurobiotechnology.

$5.8 million in Biotechnology Acquisitions in Capital Outlay from non-recurring revenues

• The one-time funding of $5.5 million in the Capital Outlay Act will compliment the operating funds provided in Act 13, the General Appropriation Act, for Biotechnology Initiatives and Health Care Workforce Development ($4 million) and will be used to purchase equipment to enhance research capabilities.

$15 million in Library and Scientific Acquisition from non-recurring revenues

• An investment of $15 million in the Capital Outlay Act from one-time recurring revenue will help assist the state's public universities in purchasing comprehensive up-to-date technology for library research and services. This appropriation is applicable to library, academic, scientific (including research), and instructional equipment acquisitions. In accordance with a plan approved by the Board of Regents, the highest priority should be placed on acquisitions that address institutional or specific discipline accreditation, national and/or industry certification needs and technology needs with an emphasis on teacher education programs. Items used in the conduct of agricultural research will be allowed with proper justification.. Plans, approved by each management board, are to be submitted with operating budgets and include a description of goals and accomplishment of the plan.

$3.2 million for State Prisoner Health Care at the LSU Health Sciences Center - Shreveport

• This $3.2 million State General Fund is required to fund medical services for state inmates as the federal government will no longer provide federal financial participation through the Disproportionate Share Payments program for inmate health care. This does not fully fund these costs or address the costs of medical services for local inmates.
   

Several Higher Education Initiatives were funded with the one-time cash sources. The list below highlights some of the major initiatives that were funded in the higher education community: