Nicholls State University is in the process of releasing one hundred positions due to a financial deficit. 

Dr. Jay Clune, president of Nicholls State University, says that Nicholls is down in enrollment. Being down an estimated 1,000 students puts Nicholls around a $6 million budget deficit. 

Clune attempted to work with the Louisiana Legislature to get discretionary funding that could have been put towards the budget deficit, but Nicholls did not receive that money. 

“I take responsibility for not making a decision earlier, I was naive, I held out hope that the money was coming,” Clune stated at the Oct. 4 faculty senate meeting.  

The Louisiana Division of Administration is looking at Nicholls’ business interruption insurance and deciding if Nicholls can still qualify to receive money from Ida because of the surrounding parishes affected by Hurricane Ida. 

Jerad David, director of communications, said that the university has not received a response from the Louisiana Division of Administration. 

“We check in with the Louisiana Division of Administration twice per week.” David says.

Business interruption insurance covers the loss of income when a business endures a disaster. 

“Our buildings were not damaged, but our service region is devastated.” Clune says. 

Due to the deficits, Nicholls is reducing professor positions in nursing, geology, history, math, and management. 

Clune says that the number was supposed to be 25 faculty reductions, but many people came forward to retire, dropping that number down to five. 

Each college on Nicholls campus was given an amount of money they had to reduce. The way the colleges went about those reductions was up to the deans, department chairs, and/or the department heads. 

Nicholls will be giving the administration a 2% raise in January 2024. Clune states that this is because the state gives the university money that they can only use for raises. Nicholls gave the staff a 2% raise in August 2023.

“Administrators other than myself, I don’t participate in the legislative raises, gets the same raise the staff gets” Clune states.

Clune says that Nicholls’ dual enrollment students have increased while the “traditional college students” have decreased. Dual enrollment is when a student is enrolled at a high school and college, and the student receives credit for both their high school and college. 

“We hope to get 1,220 freshmen next year,” Clune says.

Clune says that tuition will not be raised. He does not have the power to raise tuition or fees. The only way a Louisiana university can raise tuition or fees is through a two-thirds vote in the state legislature.

“I have not heard any talk of anybody raising tuition or fees.” Clune says. 

Clune says he has plans to help generate revenue to compensate for the $6 million deficit. Using the dining services to cater events, making business investments, recruiting students to increase enrollment, and using the early childhood program Nicholls has to raise money are some of his ideas. 

Follow the Nicholls Worth and KNSU TV for more updates to the story.

https://youtu.be/n5m_VF0kk-4