Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to get involved by becoming informed.Stephen Hulbert, University president, said that he has been trying to educate students, faculty, staff and the broader community about what lies ahead.
“About 500 students, faculty, staff and community members packed Talbot Auditorium a few weeks ago, with another hundred or so in the hallways,” Hulbert said. “But if we’re being honest with each other, 6,500 other students weren’t anywhere to be found, and a number of them are beginning to wonder what’s going on.”
Hulbert said that some students do not realize that this isn’t a quick fix, and the process is ongoing.
“Some students think that if the University doesn’t put fountains in front of the library, or doesn’t mow the lawns, the problem will be solved,” Hulbert said. “That’s not true.”
He said that the most important thing that students can do is become informed.
“The University is a very complex organization,” Hulbert said. “I have been trying to tell people there is nothing wrong with Nicholls, McNeese, Northwestern or Louisiana State University, for that matter. It is the manner in which the state of Louisiana funds higher education that’s the problem.”
Hulbert said that some faculty members have told students that if they do not learn what is going on and speak up, Nicholls will suffer, and possibly close.
“Afterwards, students leave the classroom, go home and say that Nicholls is closing,” Hulbert said. “They’re not listening, they’re not learning, and this is serious business.”
Hulbert said that students need to talk to their families and the community about the problems that the University may face.
“Many people don’t become engaged, until the issue crawls up behind them and bites them,” Hulbert said. “I think students, faculty, staff, parents and friends should progressively become informed and become engaged and the first way to do that is to submit letters.”
Hulbert said that numbers matter. Although students may not feel like their voices are being heard, every bit of participation counts.
“If legislators send you a generic answer to your letter, you can write back and tell them that their answer was not responsive to your specific needs,” Hulbert said.
Hulbert said that everyone will be impacted, and no one is technically “safe.” If the University undergoes a 35 percent budget reduction, the programs that remain will face significantly reduced services.
“Nicholls has always taken care of itself,” Hulbert said. “We’re not exactly well fed from our parent in Baton Rouge.”
He said that most of the advancements made on campus are self-funded.
“We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking to be treated fairly and to allow us to do our own thing,” Hulbert said.
Hulbert said that another way that students can get involved is to join the student organization Stand Up.
“My emphasis is to continue the process of waking people up, or awakening people to the fact that there are real issues that affect them, and you need to stand up for what you’re concerned about and to protect yourself at the same time you’re protecting and fighting for your University,” Hulbert said.
