SLCC Chancellor stresses that education is investment for La.

OPELOUSAS — As legislators haggle over possible massive spending cuts to higher education, a community college leader told a St. Landry Parish economic development group that education is an investment and not an expense.
Natalie Harder, South Louisiana Community College chancellor, spoke Tuesday to the St. Landry Parish Economic Development District Board of Directors.
The college’s main campus is at Lafayette and there are seven other campuses at Crowley, Opelousas, Ville Platte, Abbeville, New Iberia, St. Martinville and Franklin.
She was asked by Jack Ortego if there are too many colleges in the state and if the college’s campus in Opelousas competes with LSU Eunice for students.
Harder replied, “This state is 49th in terms of educational attainment as a percentage of individuals who have completed some form of college. We need more college graduates in this state not fewer, so there is plenty of work for all of us.”
At a time when health care and higher education are on the budget chopping block, Harder spoke about the value of her college’s two-year programs and its ability to make four-year degrees available locally.
When the community college graduates a welder, Harder said, “What it costs the state to produce that welder is paid back to the state in taxes in 13 months. We are a great investment because for the next 35 years that’s all gravy back to the state. We are not a cost center. We help the state produce revenue.”
After her talk, Harder said it is too soon to talk about the possible budget cuts from the governor and Legislature.
“We are trying to remain positive,” she said about the budget.
Harder also believes Acadiana legislators are working to preserve higher education after six years of budget cuts to colleges and universities.
“The only way we change the ALICE percentage in this parish is with education,” Harder said in reference to a United Way study released in January that reported that 49 percent of the households in St. Landry Parish do not have enough annual income to afford the basics.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
In Evangeline Parish, 48 percent of households didn’t earn enough to pay for basics and in Acadia Parish it was 45 percent.