[StBernard] Support House Bill 713

[Westley Annis]

Help funnel much needed funding to Nunez Comm College, UNO, and other
colleges that were the most damaged by the storm, but are being
penalized because their enrollment was and remains less after the storm.


Please contact your State Representative and ask him or her to support
House Bill 713 to provide supplemental storm recovery funding.

Public institutions of higher learning in the New Orleans area were
already affected by Hurricane Katrina, but now they're about to get hit
again.  That's because a key part of the state's funding formula for
state universities is based on recent enrollment figures--figures that
unfortunately include the storm-related dip in enrollment for the
2005-06 academic year.

As a result, the four state colleges and universities most affected by
the hurricane stand to receive, collectively, a fraction of what other
public institutions of higher learning are slated to receive under the
formula.

House Bill 713, authored by Representative John Alario, would provide
an additional $20 million to be distributed among the University of New
Orleans, Southern University at New Orleans, Delgado Community College
and Nunez Community College.  This much needed, one-time funding
provision will help bridge the unintended funding anomaly caused by the
temporary drop in enrollment.

In the effort to rebuild and renew the New Orleans area, the need for
highly qualified graduates in engineering from UNO is greater than ever.
 Demand for the technical and trade skills provided by community
colleges is similarly high and needs our support.

Ask your Representative to support House Bill 713 to provide stop-gap
funding to the most affected public universities and colleges.

Since St. Bernard's representatives surely support this, send this
message to those in other districts to urge their representatives to
support those most hurt by the storm.

Deborah Keller