BATON ROUGE - Tight economic times have raised concerns not only at the cash register but also about the future of higher public education in Louisiana, so a legislative task force has been meeting to make recommendations on funding the state's public universities.

According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of college tuition fees rose 83.6% over the past twenty years, increasing faster than the cost of inflation.

As a retired educator, State Rep. Barbra Freiberg says Louisiana has to build a workforce, and construction starts in the classroom.

"We have the need in the next few years for over 40,000 new jobs, and it's going to take the two-year colleges, the technical colleges, the four-year colleges," Freiberg said.

Just as families struggle to make ends meet, so too universities currently struggle with limited state and federal dollars because fewer and fewer students are enrolling.

Interim Southern University President Dr. Orlando McMeans says the state needs to contribute more money towards universities to keep infrastructure maintained and the lights turned on.

"I think you work with the legislature and have them meet us where we are," McMeans said.

Some who testified suggested the state reward improvements and invest in degree programs with higher earning potential. Meanwhile, others testified the task force should weigh need when allocating funds.

The board is expected to submit its recommendations to the legislature by February.