Tough economic times challenge LSU-Alexandria as it celebrates 50 years - Bret H. McCormick, the Town Talk

Louisiana State University at Alexandria is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and university officials plan to celebrate at least 50 more. Despite rumors that LSUA could return to a two-year college or be shuttered completely, that's not going to happen, university Chancellor David P. Manuel said in an interview. Manuel pointed to something Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said in January as he entered his third year in office: that merging universities or scaling back efforts at LSUA would be "going backwards." "We cannot afford to go backward," Manuel said. The LSU System recently announced a 23 percent cut in state-appropriated funds from its 2011-12 budgets, which includes a $2.6 million cut at LSUA. That dropped the university's budget below $18 million after being nearly $22 million in 2008-09.