Local colleges deal with more budget cuts - Matthew Albright, Houma Today

Nicholls State University will lose $1.14 million and Fletcher Community College more than $203,000 because of a mid-year state budget shortfall. “Obviously, these cuts have affected the institution greatly,” said Nicholls President Stephen Hulbert in a news release. “Because of the continuous reductions and threat of further reductions, morale is down — making it difficult to maintain faculty and staff.” The cuts are the schools' share of a $50 million reduction Louisiana officials have handed the state's higher-education system to help close a $251 million mid-year budget gap caused by lower-than-expected government revenue.