Edwards names higher education committee
BATON ROUGE — Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards, who has identified higher education funding as one of his top priorities, announced members of the transition committee charged with finding ways to stabilize and boost revenue to support colleges and the students who have had to mitigate cuts with tuition hikes.
“Disinvesting in higher education is not the pathway to progress for our state," Edwards said in a news release. "It has been proven time and again that education is our greatest long-term economic generator. Among my top priorities is to make college more affordable for students and stronger in our state. This committee will be tasked with putting forth recommendations to get this done."
State funding for higher education has been cut $700 million since 2008. Edwards has committed to increasing funding to 80 percent of the Southern Regional Education Board's per-student average in the next four years. He has also committed to improving the student-to-state cost share to a 50-50 mix as one step in improving affordability for students.
Kim Hunter Reed, a principal at HCM Strategists, a policy and advocacy firm based in Washington, has been named chair of the committee. Reed previously served as executive vice president for the University of Louisiana System, chief of staff at the Louisiana Board of Regents and in the administration of two Louisiana governors.
Other members include: Sheryl R. Abshire, Chief Technology Officer, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools; Jane Arnette, executive director, SCI; Preston Castille, national president, Southern University Alumni Federation; Mike Clary, business manager, finance secretary, I.B.E.W. Local 995; Lisa Cooper, assistant professor, LSU Shreveport; Lola Dunahoe, CEO, The Mary R. Gallaspy Trust & Northwestern State University Foundation; and Tom Enmon, president, Jani-King Gulf Coast;
Barry Erwin, president and CEO, Council for a Better Louisiana; Carolyn Hargrave, professor, provost emeritus and vice president for academic affairs and technology transfer, Retired, LSU System; Valerie Holliday, associate professor, Baton Rouge Community College; Paul Howard, business manager, Local 241; Grambling Mayor Edward R. Jones; Renee Lapeyrolerie, client services leader, CDM Smith Calvin Mackie, Managing Partner, Channel ZerO Group, LLC;
Ron Maestri, retired athletic director and coach, University of New Orleans; James Maurin, founder and past chairman, Stirling Properties; Huey L. Perry, retired professor, Southern University; Sean Reilly, CEO, Lamar Advertising Co.; Phillip Rozeman, recent chair, Blueprint Louisiana; Joe Savoie, former Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education and current president, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Joshua Stockley, associate professor, University of Louisiana at Monroe; and Roland Toups, chairman and CEO, Turner Industries.
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