Faculty and students will not feel the impact of state budget cuts to higher education for the first time in 2008.

Despite the budget containing a $171 million gap, Gov. Bobby Jindal will protect the state’s public colleges from cuts in his proposal to rebalance the year’s budget.

This announcement came after six years of funding reductions in the state. Louisiana’s four public college systems have lost around $700 million in funding since 2008, as higher education is considered one of the most vulnerable areas to budget cuts. However, these four systems will receive the same protection, according to Jindal’s Division of Administration.

“We do not anticipate a midyear budget reduction for our nine universities,” University of Louisiana System President Sandra Woodley said in a statement.

Jessica Moore, a freshman risk management and insurance major, said she thinks it is great how prospects for higher education seem to be improving.

“I hope next year is just as successful,” Moore said.

Moore said the courses now offered at the university will not have to be compromised due to budget cuts.

“This is a win-win situation for students and the faculty,” Moore said.

The decision to protect higher education from state budget cuts will allow the possibility of new programs for students and more faculty collaboration and innovation.

Sandra Lemoine, dean of the College of Arts, Education and Sciences, said she did not have to begin the college’s faculty meeting at the beginning of the fall semester with a discussion of budget cuts and projected layoffs for the first time in almost six years.

“For the first time in a long time, we’re actually looking forward,” Lemoine said.

Though the college dealt yearly with continued budget cuts from the fall of 2008 until this fall, Lemoine said the goal was to “move forward with the budget in reverse.”

“The main concern that I’ve always had is dealing with the budget cuts but also maintaining the quality in the classroom,” Lemoine said.

Despite cuts to funding, Lemoine said the faculty was willing to work hard to keep students from feeling a major impact.

However, some students and faculty said no budget cuts for higher education is a sign that all possible cuts have been made.

Mara Loeb, an assistant professor of communication, said, ”There couldn’t be any more budget cuts out of higher education because there’s nothing left to cut.”

Jenna Fahnestock, a freshman general studies major, said she believes the fact that no budget cuts will occur is “too good to be true, especially for arts and sciences.”

“The future of ULM looks brighter if we could budget money for more parking or bayou clean-up or conservation,” Fahnestock said.

In addition to funds created by the Workforce and Innovation for a Stronger Economy plan and their plan for partnerships, administration predicts a brighter outlook on growth in the university budget.

WISE funding will be available in January of 2015.