Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration informed Louisiana universities Friday of deep cuts to higher education.In a letter to students at Louisiana State University, President F. King Alexander told students that the university was informed by Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne that the "state's $750 million budget shortfall in the current year would require a $131 million reduction to higher education."Alexander said LSU's operating budget would bear about $65 million of the amount."We have four days to provide a general plan of how we will respond to the potential cuts," the LSU president said. "These determinations will be made working collaboratively with campus stakeholders."Dardenne told the higher education officials that the reductions could be necessary to balance this year's budget, if lawmakers don't agree to raise taxes or find other ways to generate new money to close a gap estimated at more than $700 million.In a budget reduction memo to universities and the Louisiana Board of Regents, Dardenne said: "We will work on the assumption that the Legislature will authorize use of the Rainy Day Fund ($128 million) and redirect the BP non-coastal dollars ($200 million), which addresses a portion of our projected shortfall."We also anticipate the universities suffering a significant reduction as part of the $160 million we expect to get by reducing stat deds. Nevertheless, there remains a presently anticipated shortfall of $262 million."The brunt of the shortall, Dardenne said, will hit higher education and health care."Accordingly, I am requesting that higher education prepare for one-half of these potential cuts, i.e., $131 million," Dardenne said.Edwards has proposed a list of tax options for lawmakers to consider in a February special session.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration informed Louisiana universities Friday of deep cuts to higher education.

In a letter to students at Louisiana State University, President F. King Alexander told students that the university was informed by Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne that the "state's $750 million budget shortfall in the current year would require a $131 million reduction to higher education."

Alexander said LSU's operating budget would bear about $65 million of the amount.

"We have four days to provide a general plan of how we will respond to the potential cuts," the LSU president said. "These determinations will be made working collaboratively with campus stakeholders."

Dardenne told the higher education officials that the reductions could be necessary to balance this year's budget, if lawmakers don't agree to raise taxes or find other ways to generate new money to close a gap estimated at more than $700 million.

In a budget reduction memo to universities and the Louisiana Board of Regents, Dardenne said: "We will work on the assumption that the Legislature will authorize use of the Rainy Day Fund ($128 million) and redirect the BP non-coastal dollars ($200 million), which addresses a portion of our projected shortfall.

"We also anticipate the universities suffering a significant reduction as part of the $160 million we expect to get by reducing stat deds. Nevertheless, there remains a presently anticipated shortfall of $262 million."

The brunt of the shortall, Dardenne said, will hit higher education and health care.

"Accordingly, I am requesting that higher education prepare for one-half of these potential cuts, i.e., $131 million," Dardenne said.

Edwards has proposed a list of tax options for lawmakers to consider in a February special session.