Thomas Pressly blasts LSU for treatment of Shreveport campus: 'It's a slap in the face'

Republican state Rep. Thomas Pressly blasted LSU system administrators on the House floor for treating its Shreveport campus like a second rate college when it comes to funding.

"It's a slap in the face to our community," Pressly told USA Today Network after his floor speech, noting LSU-Shreveport's proposed budget is $2 million less than the current one while he said the flagship campus in Baton Rouge is flush with cash.

Pressly's comments came late Thursday during an all-day debate on the overall state budget.

"It's upsetting that LSU continues to fail to provide the resources for LSU-Shreveport to thrive," Pressly said on the House floor. "Something is wrong ... and my community is suffering for it.

"My community continues to get the short end of the stick."

But Kimberly Lewis, executive vice president of the LSU system, said the reduction in funding is because Shreveport received $2.5 million this year in one-time funding for cyber security that is non-recurring.

"I'm not diminishing the impact, but that's where the number comes from," Lewis said.

Lewis said LSU-Shreveport's proposed budget actually increases general fund revenue of $698,000 for faculty raises.

She said the system submitted proposed budgets that increased funding for all of its campuses.

But Pressly, who made a similar speech last year, dismissed Lewis' explanation.

"It's clear that the Shreveport campus isn't a priority for LSU," he said.

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Greg Hilburn covers Louisiana politics for the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Thomas Pressly accuses LSU of starving Shreveport campus: 'Slap in face'