BRAC issues higher-ed reform recommendations

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber says the most important higher-education governance reform available for consideration by the state's Postsecondary Education Review Commission should be giving universities and colleges the authority to set fees. BRAC says it’s time for state universities to get the right to raise tuition and revenue, without legislative approval. "Allowing the university management boards to operate with the same financial flexibility as their national peers when it comes to self-generated funding is one of the most essential things that we can do to help them maintain their level of competitiveness during this unprecedented time,” says Adam Knapp, BRAC CEO and president. Knapp warns that with limited ability to be financially independent, LSU and other state universities run the risk of falling behind their peers. The chamber suggests the self-generated revenues be tied to performance goals, relative to peer southern schools. If those goals were not met, then revenue authority would be returned to the Legislature.

Loop meetings continue

Baton Rouge Loop officials will hold public meetings in the five affected parishes starting this week to provide information about the latest corridor alternatives and receive public input as part of the “environmental study” phase of the project. The schedule of meetings is:

— Wednesday: West Baton Rouge Community Center, 4 p.m.

— Thursday: BREC headquarters, 4 p.m.

— Jan. 19: Gonzales Civic Center, 5 p.m.

— Jan. 20: Plaquemine Civic Center, 4 p.m.

— Jan. 25: Livingston Parish Health Unit, 5 p.m.

Changes announced by the Capital Area Expressway Authority last fall include the elimination of the northernmost Mississippi River crossing and the addition of another river crossing alternative between Addis and the Dow Chemical plant. The project team has recommended widening the corridor south of I-10 in West Baton Rouge Parish to allow for the consideration of fewer curves and more direct connection to the two river crossings south of Addis.

Metro Council to decide on special election, expropriations

The Metro Council is seeking public comment Wednesday on a resolution calling for a special election May 1 to approve the continuation of a 6-mill property tax that provides funding for salaries and benefits of the City of Baton Rouge Fire Department. In addition, the council will consider 10 separate items authorizing the parish attorney’s office to initiate expropriation proceedings in order to acquire land associated with sewer upgrades. Also on the agenda: over 30 condemnations in different parts of the city; approving a grant for up to $45,000 to develop a Historical Land Development GIS Web site for the parish; and authorizing a pay-grade increase to the $79,808 – $110,473 level for Downtown Development District Executive Director Davis Rhorer, effective Jan. 16. —Emma James

Shaw gets tax credit, hits milestone for China project

The Shaw Group has been awarded a $10.8 million federal tax credit for building a nuclear module assembly plant in Lake Charles. The U.S. Department of Energy and the IRS awarded the tax credit, which comes from a $2.3 billion stimulus pool aimed at supplying clean energy projects with American-made parts and equipment. Shaw's nuclear program hit a milestone for the plant it is building in China. The consortium of Shaw, Westinghouse Electric and China’s State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation completed the lift and setting of the 900-ton containment vessel bottom head of the Sanmen AP1000 nuclear plant. The CVBH serves as the foundation for the structure that houses the nuclear reactor.

Financial assistance likely for shrimp industry

Although it will take several more weeks for the federal government to publish its final rules, there’s a high likelihood that shrimpers and processors in Louisiana could benefit from special trade support this year. For commercial shrimpers, there’s the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which offers cash benefits and technical help to applicants whose economic environments have been altered by foreign competition. Shrimpers fit neatly into that category: Along with processors, they’ve been successful in building the strong-enough argument against importers that tariffs have been levied in an attempt to level the playing field. Those tariffs, however, will be reviewed soon by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and there’s a chance that they could be eliminated. For those in the industry suffering from low dockside prices, high fuel prices and a backlog of frozen inventory, this round of federal support is especially important. Last year, President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan reauthorized the USDA’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program for farmers, which includes shrimp harvesters. In response, the USDA issued in the fall a set of proposed rules for the program, and a final decision on how it will work is expected within the next two months. Once the final rules are published, Louisiana will have two months to get its fishermen organized. Early estimates indicate that each eligible fisherman could receive $4,000 for the development of a new business plan and up to $8,000 during the subsequent 36 months if USDA officials approve their business plan. —Jeremy Alford

Poll: Few frequently eat lunch at desk

Thirty percent of people who responded to a Daily Report poll say they never eat lunch at their desk. Nineteen percent of people who responded to the poll say they eat lunch at their desk every day, while 15% say they eat at their desk three times a week. Twelve percent say they eat lunch at their desk once a week; the same percentage report eating there two and four times a week. More than 1,450 people participated in the survey.

Today's question: Is giving Louisiana colleges and universities the right to set tuition and fees the most important postsecondary education reform?

News roundup: Jetson named Harvard fellow ... Section of South Harrell's Ferry closing ... Carroll says NFL move not a result of investigation

Jolly good fellow: Rev. Raymond Jetson, the pastor of Star Hill Church, has been named a 2010 Fellow in the Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative. Jetson is one of 21 people selected for the yearlong program, which is aimed at experienced leaders who want to tackle new challenges. Jetson, a former state representative and deputy secretary for the Department of Health and Hospitals, will work on a pilot program to train and mobilize young urban professionals to serve as neighborhood leaders.

Detour: A section of South Harrell's Ferry Road will be closed for about two weeks, beginning today. The section between Jones Creek Road and Manchester Drive will be closed in order to relocate a pipeline as part of the South Harrell's Ferry widening project. Traffic will be rerouted down Jones Creek and O'Neal Lane while the work takes place.

Leaving USC: Pete Carroll all but confirmed this morning his resignation as football coach of USC to join the Seattle Seahawks in the same position. Carroll told the Los Angeles Times his pending move wasn't in reaction to possible sanctions the Trojans' program faces as a result of an ongoing investigation over whether players may have received improper benefits. "Not in any way," Carroll says. "Because I know where we stand. It's just a process we have to go through. We know we've fought hard to do right." Carroll, a longtime coach and coordinator in the NFL before joining USC in 2000, said he had for a while "given up" on a return to the pro ranks. "But it came out of nowhere," he told the Times. Seahawks Chief Executive Officer Tod Leiweke was in Los Angeles on Sunday to finalize the deal, the Times reported. The newspaper also reported that USC players received text messages Carroll would resign. A USC spokesperson told ESPN.com on Sunday night that the school had nothing official to announce. Carroll had already planned a team meeting for Monday afternoon, on the day the Trojans return to class after the winter break. A team spokesman said that meeting is still on.