The TOPS budget is still causing concerns for the university and its students.

The proposed budget will go into effect Jul. 1. This budget would be cutting TOPS by 66 percent if it is passed. According to Governor John Bel Edwards, a $750 million shortfall in the budget has meant that he cannot fully fund TOPS. If the Legislature agrees to raise taxes this summer, then TOPS can get the funding it needs for scholarships. 

A fully funded program is expected to cost about $298 million. Edwards’ proposal could cut the scholarship by $183.2 million next fall and spring. After the cuts, it would only leave around $110 million for the program. 

Another concern is about the TOPS law. It states that the ACT score required for the scholarship will automatically go up if there is a funding shortfall. If the cuts go into effect, the ACT score to receive the scholarship will be raised to a 26. This also means the number of students qualifying for TOPS would drop to around 17,400 students. Under this new proposal, no community college students would receive the award. 

More than half of the funding would come from tobacco settlement dollars. On the other hand, the state budget would have to pay $50 million to the program’s costs. 

Edwards describes the cuts as “very nasty” and is pushing lawmakers to raise the revenue in a second special session.

According to Edwards, he is looking to a newly formed task force to craft more long-range solutions. The plan he has most recently discussed had to be balanced on the projected revenue available. House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry wants to see the Legislature better prioritize the funding. 

“We have the ability to fully fund TOPS if we choose,” he stated in an interview with The Advocate. “It comes down to priorities amongst everyone.”

With the bills being sent to the House for voting, it has been noticed that the House has been resistant to the changes. Only one bill made it to the House floor for voting and it was pulled a little less than two weeks ago. The financial problem the state has could cause larger altercations regarding TOPS no matter if the new legislation is put into effect. 

According to Edwards, he would like to hold a special session in June concerning the raising of taxes and to find more funding.

The university will be impacted by these cuts. If higher education receives this reduction, it could result in a $1.7 million cut for the university. These cuts affect TOPS and if TOPS cannot be fully funded, it can cause a reduction in the number of students.

According to President John Crain in a mass staff email, the university has the third largest number of TOPS recipients. One third of the undergraduates depend on the scholarships.