Earlier this month, the Southern University at Baton Rouge’s Board of Supervisors voted not to declare a financial emergency. In a 6-6 vote, the board decided against declaring financial exigency. Nearly 60 percent of faculty agreed to take voluntary furloughs to balance out the budget. In addition, SU’s enrollment dropped five percent from last year. Southern’s enrollment dropped from 7,294 last year to 6,915 this fall. A decline in enrollment does not help SU with its already existing financial woes.
The former dean of graduate studies at Southern University, Dr. James Llorens, attributed additional losses to problems with the new banner registration and financial aid process that stalled students receiving money to pay their bills.
“We lost some students just out of frustration,” Llorens said, promising they will try to bring them back to the university.
Southern enrolled nearly 9,500 students as recently as 2004.
Back at LSU, the enrollment is nearly 29,000 students, although Chancellor Michael Martin wants to expand to as much as 33,000 students. Martin also wants to increase the graduate student body to 20 percent of the total enrollment. Graduate students currently make up nearly 16 percent.”
Read the full story on Diverse Education.
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HBCU Southern University Facing Financial, Enrollment Troubles was originally published on newsone.com
