Representatives of the Tangipahoa legislature came together to mingle, listen to concerns and discuss plans, goals and hopes for the 2015 Legislative Session scheduled for April 13.

On Thursday, March 19, the representatives met at the Alumni Center for the sixth annual Tangipahoa Legislation Hobnob. The goal of this meeting was to provide a chance for the Chambers to present their Governmental Affairs’ priorities on behalf of the business community to the Delegation members while outlining their plans in advance. 

As people entered, attendees enjoyed light refreshments and discussed personal concerns for the upcoming session. After introductions, the Legislative Hobnob began with concerns to be addressed in the upcoming Legislative Session.

Representatives included Senator Mack “Bodi” White, State Representative John Bel Edwards, Representative Chris Broadwater and Representative Stephen E. Pugh. 

One of the issues addressed by Daryl Ferrara, president of the Southeastern Alumni Association, related to the budget and how Southeastern is not focusing on wanting an increase in budget.

“We just want to make sure that we don’t have any more cuts or any less cuts,” said Ferrara. “We just want a stable budget, meaning we want to know where we stand year after year, not have to come in every year or every two years or six months. We don’t want to have that hanging over our head, not knowing where we are going to be from one month to the next month.”

A stable budget for the university would mean the faculty and staff could focus more on the quality of education rather than finances. 

“If we can have something stable and know where our university is going to stand, that means our students are at ease, our university is at ease and that our alumni are at ease, knowing our university is working for them for a good, quality education,” said Ferrara. 

Representatives have been addressing the budget issue since it first became known that there was a possibility of cuts for higher education from the state. 

“The budget has been the majority of the focus of most of our energy since last fall,” said Broadwater. “Most of my colleagues and I have been working on the state budget since about November, since we got the first hint that we would be looking at a significant deficit.”

Representatives were happy for the opportunity to hear from their constituency. 

“It was interesting to hear from Hammond Chamber of Commerce,” said Broadwater. “Particularly with regard to their supporting higher education standards, including common core state standards. It has been a very controversial issue, and it was great to get feedback from local business people in terms of how they feel about those issues. It was a fantastic evening.”

Though most college students may not be representing the state of Louisiana in a physical capacity through office, current representatives encourage them to get involved and help make a difference.

“Every student at Southeastern is computer savvy, knows how to get on the Internet, find the legislation website, find the contacts for every legislator up there and let every legislator up there know how important it is to them that we can make higher education a priority,” said Broadwater. “People underestimate the impact of direct communication with the legislator, and I’ve seen bills turned in committee because someone said they had an uproar in their community, five people contacted them. Southeastern students come from all over this state. Contact first their legislator back home and then reach out across the state and beg, urge and plea that higher education be a priority.”

Others believe that college students from all universities working together may make a difference, as well as give the opportunity to learn from one another. 

“We have several students from several universities that are going to Capitol Hill to meet with our legislators, to come up with different ideas, to rally for our universities,” said Ferrara. “We always welcome other universities’ input. We always try to learn from them like they try to learn from us. We feel there is strength in numbers because if we are just out there hollering by ourselves, we would feel like we are not accomplishing what we need to accomplish. If we can pull the rest of our universities in, ask for the same thing, we can make a big difference.”

Broadwater encourages students to get involved and if at all possible make a visit  to Baton Rouge during the legislation session. 

“Come to Baton Rouge,” said Broadwater. “Anytime any Southeastern student wants to come to Baton Rouge and hear a legislation session while I’m there, they can contact my district office at 985-543-4900, let my aid know that they are coming, and we will coordinate. I would love to show them around, introduce them and let them see the process in action.”