Volume 122 · No. 4
Thursday, August 25, 2016
EST. 1887
lsunow.com
@lsureveille
dailyreveille
thedailyreveille
Financing the Future Board of Regents looks toward new ways to fund Louisiana higher education BY KATIE GAGLIANO | @katie_gagliano
Louisiana Colleges’ 2014-2015 Fiscal Year Composite Score 5
Baton Rouge Community College
4
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Louisiana State University A&M
3
Louisiana Tech University
2
University Louisiana Lafayette LSU Law School
1 0
LSU system average A composite score of or below 1.75 signifies a campus under significant financial stress
Grambling State University Southern University A&M
The Louisiana Board of Regents released financial health scores for state universities Wednesday in conjunction with its Elevate Louisiana! initiative. The University’s main campus received a composite score of 3.90, placing it safely above the significant financial stress marker of 1.75. The University system received a 2.90 average overall. The composite scores were calculated
using University assets, revenues, expenses and debt from the University’s most recent year-end audited financial statements, according to the report. Scores were ranked between zero and five, with zero indicating poor financial health and five indicating excellent financial health when compared to similar national institutions. Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Rallo said producing annual financial health statements is an
important step toward keeping higher education at the top of legislators’ minds. Financial health is important all year, not just in times of financial hardship or when higher education budgets are facing cuts, he said. Ensuring institutions’ financial health is a small facet of Elevate Louisiana’s overall mission. Rallo said the first phase of the initiative focused on establishing an
see BUDGET, page 2 FOOD AND DRINK
Chef caters for LSU athletes, grows personal brand BY SEMAJ ATKINSON @SemajAtkinson Though Craig Lawson, Jr. only graduated this year, his experience in the kitchen is on par with more seasoned chefs. Known as “Private Chef Craig” to his faithful clientele, the BRCC Culinary Arts School graduate’s star is on the rise. Serving athletes like LSU running back Leonard Fournette, LSU safety Jamal Adams and LSU Shooting guard Jenna Deemer, Lawson gives back to the local community by the most delicious means possible. While in school, Lawson
worked at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. During his two-and-a-half-year stint there, he said he took all the information he learned in his classes and enhanced his findings to fit the needs of a fast-paced work environment. “The most important thing you can do is practice,” Lawson said. “Never stop cooking, and just follow your dreams.” Inspired by MasterChef Junior, Lawson said his interest in food sparked from his simple love for the actual taste of food. Although he was raised in Louisiana, he said he loves Vietnamese and Asian cuisine more than anything. Lawson, who describes his
food as having a “cool, tasteful swag,” has been featured as a vendor for multiple Baton Rouge community events. He also catered for the 1st Annual NOLA Basketball League in New Orleans, where he said his seafood pasta nachos were the talk of the event. “Catering the event was fun for me, and everyone talked about how good my food was,” Lawson said. Not only is Lawson familiar with catering for large crowds -— he has experience with detailed meal preparation. His clients have enjoyed everything from
see CHEF, page 2
HASKELL WHITTINGTON / The Daily Reveille
BRCC Culinary School alumnus Craig Lawson Jr. in his house on Saturday in Baton Rouge.