Louisiana Bill puts SLC, SWAC in jeopardy

[TheRevSFA]

Bill would limit Louisiana public universities not part of LSU system and their non football/basketball sports to travel within 375 miles of campus. Southland conference wants all or nothing (with the exception of bowling)

http://latechreport.com/2016/04/05/house-bill-971-a-bill-restricting-where-louisiana-public-colleges-and-universities-can-travel-for-athletic-events-unless-youre-named-lsu/

[lionsrking2]

Bill would limit Louisiana public universities not part of LSU system and their non football/basketball sports to travel within 375 miles of campus. Southland conference wants all or nothing (with the exception of bowling)

http://latechreport.com/2016/04/05/house-bill-971-a-bill-restricting-where-louisiana-public-colleges-and-universities-can-travel-for-athletic-events-unless-youre-named-lsu/

Zero shot of ever becoming law.

[TheRevSFA]

Zero shot of ever becoming law.

I hope it doesn't as it would bring chaos but why wouldn't it?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

"Exemptions are made for football and basketball programs, playoff/championship competitions, and any athletic competitions where the opposing team pays for travel and associated costs on behalf of the Louisiana school (i.e. money games or guaranteed games). "

Still, it's meaningless and merely an attempt to micromanage athletic departments.

[TheRevSFA]

"Exemptions are made for football and basketball programs, playoff/championship competitions, and any athletic competitions where the opposing team pays for travel and associated costs on behalf of the Louisiana school (i.e. money games or guaranteed games). "

Still, it's meaningless and merely an attempt to micromanage athletic departments.

Yes and as was stated in the OP, football and basketball are exempt but baseball is not.

It's 600 miles from Hammond to Abilene. That would ruin conference play in other sports

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Certainly a thinly-veiled effort to put unnecessary restrictions on non-Power-Five collegiate athletics, following in the footsteps of Virginia.

[TheRevSFA]

Certainly a thinly-veiled effort to put unnecessary restrictions on non-Power-Five collegiate athletics, following in the footsteps of Virginia.

Well Louisiana is broke and LSU is the money maker.

[lionsrking2]

I hope it doesn't as it would bring chaos but why wouldn't it?

Because it has no support.

[Nickels]

These broke ass Louisiana schools are seriously becoming a liability for the SLC . They're already going to slip in the next few years. Do you think quality coaches and players are going join teams that they don't even know will exist in a few years?

This could have major unfair implications for the solvent schools in the league if the LA schools have to skip games, ect.

Time to slim down the conference IMO.

[FormerPokeCenter]

Watch the FB post I made on the subject. The three guys I tagged are in the Louisiana legislature. One of the, Alan Seabaugh, is the brother-in-law of former McNeese and current La Tech AD Tommy McClelland, who played football and threw the javelin for Northwestern. Alan's a huge sports fan, so I expect him to be all over this thing.

The other two guy are folks I've know for a long time and have served with on the La. GOP State Central committee. It'll be interesting to see if they respond. Alan may respond privately, but I'm thinking that Johnson and Peacock will weigh in, though Peacock's in the State Senate and the bill in question is a House Bill....

[Nickels]

Watch the FB post I made on the subject. The three guys I tagged are in the Louisiana legislature. One of the, Alan Seabaugh, is the brother-in-law of former McNeese and current La Tech AD Tommy McClelland, who played football and threw the javelin for Northwestern. Alan's a huge sports fan, so I expect him to be all over this thing.

The other two guy are folks I've know for a long time and have served with on the La. GOP State Central committee. It'll be interesting to see if they respond. Alan may respond privately, but I'm thinking that Johnson and Peacock will weigh in, though Peacock's in the State Senate and the bill in question is a House Bill....
OR the SLC could simply kick out Nicholls, SELA and maybe NW and we can go back to having a real conference schedule again.

[Laker]

Any of these schools thinking about going D2 or even D3 like Centenary did?

[FormerPokeCenter]

No....some people have suggested that Nicholls should at least consider going Division II...but I don't see that happening. I think they'd sooner drop football than move down, but that's just my opinion.

[McNeese72]

From what I hear, this bill has little chance of making it out of committee much less reaching the floor for a vote.

Doc

[FormerPokeCenter]

I got one commitment to fight it from Representative Johnson on Facebook, LOL! I'm sure Seabaugh will be all over it, too!

[superman7515]

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/04/louisiana_colleges_privatizati.html


Louisiana's public university leaders raised the specter of privatization as they brace for another round of budget cuts in the next academic year.

"Some of our institutions receive so little state funding, they should qualify as private," Joseph Rallo, Louisiana's higher education commissioner, told House Appropriations Committee members Tuesday (April 5).

A few higher education leaders brought up privatization as an option in the face of dramatic funding reductions. They said many of the mandates from the state -- retirement costs and other benefits -- were crushing their budgets.

"I would like to move toward privatization," said Dr. Larry Hollier, chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. "I think I could do it better if I had more freedom."...

[FormerPokeCenter]

To put that in perspective, there were two branches of LSU's Health Sciences. One in New Orleans and One in Shreveport. The facilities housed LSU's medical school, Louisiana's Charity Hospital System and - in Shreveport - a Biomedical Research Center. LSU Medical Center in Shreveport went private for all things besides the Medical school a few years ago, becoming University Health, being run by the same folks who ran the Biomedical Research Center in the same facility.

Under Louisiana's constitution, the only two areas of the state budget NOT protected by law are Education and Health Care. So, for the LSU Medical Schools and their dual role with the Charity Hospital System, the cuts are onerous.

La. needs a constitutional convention to change the way the budget is handled. As an example, there are more than 4,000 managers in various departments on the state payroll who manage just one person. So...it's kinda crazy. One worker and one manager? But that can't be cut because the departments they all work in are protected by state law. Meanwhile, budget cuts are limited to the two areas least worthy of being cut...

It's kinda insane...

[BEAR]

To put that in perspective, there were two branches of LSU's Health Sciences. One in New Orleans and One in Shreveport. The facilities housed LSU's medical school, Louisiana's Charity Hospital System and - in Shreveport - a Biomedical Research Center. LSU Medical Center in Shreveport went private for all things besides the Medical school a few years ago, becoming University Health, being run by the same folks who ran the Biomedical Research Center in the same facility.

Under Louisiana's constitution, the only two areas of the state budget NOT protected by law are Education and Health Care. So, for the LSU Medical Schools and their dual role with the Charity Hospital System, the cuts are onerous.

La. needs a constitutional convention to change the way the budget is handled. As an example, there are more than 4,000 managers in various departments on the state payroll who manage just one person. So...it's kinda crazy. One worker and one manager? But that can't be cut because the departments they all work in are protected by state law. Meanwhile, budget cuts are limited to the two areas least worthy of being cut...

It's kinda insane...

I'm glad Arkansas lives under a balanced budget law (revenue stabilization law). We may not have much, or anything for that matter. But at least we don't have less than nothing. That debt creates situations like that in Louisiana. I feel for you residents.

Dave Ramsey told a story of a business man in New York who used to walk the sidewalks at lunch talking and feeding the poor. He admired their FINANCIAL status, not necessarily their living status. He asked an intern one day to walk with him. He walked over to one of the poor guys and asked if he had any money. The poor guy opened his pocket and asked how much he needed. The NY business guy looked at his intern and said "this is why this man, with little money in his pocket, actually has more money than I do." The intern looked at him and kinda laughed and said, "what do you mean? You have a lexus, a condo in a high rise, and so many nice things in that condo. Plus you have a palatial office. You are so much richer than this guy." The business man looked at him and said, " how many of those do I OWN?" The intern looked at him and said, "well, you are paying for them." The business guy replied, "so I own NONE of them. I actually owe millions for them. I'm in debt millions and this homeless guy has enough money in his pocket to survive just one more day and is willing to give me some. I own nothing just like this guy yet he has more than me because he doesn't owe a dime!"

I thought that true story gave a great perspective on what we consider "riches" in this world. I guess arkansans are like the homeless guy. Don't got much but at least we don't have less than nothing. xlolx Straighten those finances out Louisiana! Then come to Arkansas and teach our poor how to cook!

[lionsrking2]

I'm glad Arkansas lives under a balanced budget law (revenue stabilization law). We may not have much, or anything for that matter. But at least we don't have less than nothing. That debt creates situations like that in Louisiana. I feel for you residents.

Dave Ramsey told a story of a business man in New York who used to walk the sidewalks at lunch talking and feeding the poor. He admired their FINANCIAL status, not necessarily their living status. He asked an intern one day to walk with him. He walked over to one of the poor guys and asked if he had any money. The poor guy opened his pocket and asked how much he needed. The NY business guy looked at his intern and said "this is why this man, with little money in his pocket, actually has more money than I do." The intern looked at him and kinda laughed and said, "what do you mean? You have a lexus, a condo in a high rise, and so many nice things in that condo. Plus you have a palatial office. You are so much richer than this guy." The business man looked at him and said, " how many of those do I OWN?" The intern looked at him and said, "well, you are paying for them." The business guy replied, "so I own NONE of them. I actually owe millions for them. I'm in debt millions and this homeless guy has enough money in his pocket to survive just one more day and is willing to give me some. I own nothing just like this guy yet he has more than me because he doesn't owe a dime!"

I thought that true story gave a great perspective on what we consider "riches" in this world. I guess arkansans are like the homeless guy. Don't got much but at least we don't have less than nothing. xlolx Straighten those finances out Louisiana! Then come to Arkansas and teach our poor how to cook!

Louisiana operates under a balanced budget as well. Why do you think education and healthcare are being cut to the bone? Our problem is we don't want to pay for anything. If you want a healthy higher education system, you must pay for it. We have yahoos in office who want to privatize everything.

[ccd494]

Louisiana operates under a balanced budget as well. Why do you think education and healthcare are being cut to the bone? Our problem is we don't want to pay for anything. If you want a healthy higher education system, you must pay for it. We have yahoos in office who want to privatize everything.

I'm fascinated by the cuts to the legal system as well. I have a law school classmate practicing in LA who is convinced that because there are no funds for public defenders, and therefore people don't have access to attorneys if they are indigent, combined with a constitutional right to a speedy trial, is basically going to make it a waste of time to even arrest anyone because no one will be able to be convicted and all sentences will be overturned. Sounds like a cluster.

[FormerPokeCenter]

It is...I have a good friend who's a former McNeese player who's over the indigent defender program in his Parish and the money's been tight for a long time. Now it's non-existent.

In my area, the insurance defense guys are all being assigned criminal cases to handle pro-bono since there's no money to pay the ID. Most of them have little to no experience in criminal court.

One friend showed up expecting an arraignment and learned that the DA was ready to go to trial that day. Despite the fact that the newly assigned defense lawyer hadn't been favored with any discovery...

Another walked up to talk to the DA before court, hoping to get a look at previously requested discovery, thinking that the DA might hand it to him before the proceedings started so he could look at it while the other cases were moving through. The DA just looked at him and said, "I'm busy right now, I'll hand it to you when your case is called..."

Holy ****, that's screwed up!