Guest Editorial
Originally published June 15, 2003 in The (Monroe, La.) News-Star
In my brief tenure in Louisiana, I have examined the higher education landscape in Louisiana. I see some interesting activities. We are developing a long-needed two-year college system, the Board of Regents Master Plan is requiring higher admission standards for all four-year colleges, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System has clearly defined unique areas of excellence for each of its eight universities, and we are on the cutting edge of improving teacher education. We certainly have much more to do. But, the progress we have made is making a real difference in the lives of students and the communities we serve.
The major problem in Louisiana is that there are not enough of Louisiana's young people in our colleges and universities. The state must encourage those students not served by the current system to attend two-year institutions. If we look very closely at the student data in Louisiana, it is obvious that the enrollment mix recommended by PAR can best be achieved by increasing the underserved students in Louisiana rather than redirecting the current student. The American College Test (ACT) data for high school graduate of 2002 shows that only 17,691 students scored above a 20 on the ACT, the lowest cutoff score for four-year colleges under the Board of Regents Master Plan. There were 18,669 high school seniors that scored below that number. The Public Affairs Research Council suggests diverting students from four-year colleges into community and technical colleges. I think what is more important is that we encourage those students not served by the current system to attend two-year institutions and to make a better effort at preparing them for success in postsecondary education.
In 2002, the University of Louisiana System institutions served 80,609 students, more than any other higher education system in the state. From 1996 through 2002 the UL System produced 51 percent of all graduates in business, 60 percent of all the teachers and 76 percent of all nurses. Its universities increased the quality of its programs while receiving 10 percent less funding than other Louisiana institutions.
The University of Louisiana at Monroe graduates answer a critical need in the state and in the northeast Louisiana region. Our university produces 60 percent of all non-nursing health science professionals in the UL System and 35 percent of all health professionals in Louisiana's public institutions. We house the only public Pharmacy school in the state. In addition, we have a host of programs with remarkable accomplishments. ULM students have a 100 percent passage rate on professional exams for education and health sciences. No university in America better prepares its students for teaching your children or guarding your health than ULM. If you live in northeast Louisiana, chances are, your pharmacist, your nurse, and your child's teacher graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
There is no doubt that Louisiana needs a viable technical and community college system to provide a better trained workforce. Serving the currently underserved student and forming partnerships with four-year institutions, however is both more cost-efficient and intellectually sound. The University of Louisiana at Monroe is taking the necessary steps to assist in their development by forming a partnership by housing LDCC on our campus as they get started. There is also no doubt that Louisiana needs a strong research institution. Downgrading and reducing the size of the extremely cost-effective University of Louisiana System Institutions, including ULM, is not the answer. If anything, we must continue to invest in higher education at all levels.