Innovation in Austere Times: Louisiana's Call Program

The state budget for public higher education in Louisiana was reduced 55 percent from 2008-2016. Colleges in the state decreased payrolls, eliminated or consolidated 387 degree programs, and dramatically shifted the burden of paying for college from the state to individuals and families through a series of budget cuts and tuition hikes. Despite this depletion of resources available to higher education, interest surged in programs offered through the Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana (CALL). This multi-university consortium began to offer online baccalaureate degrees in a range of social science majors including Sociology, Family and Child Studies and Criminal Justice. This program allowed adult learners to pursue their degree online without putting their lives on hold. The program’s success was due in large part its alignment with a key statewide education goal: to improve the graduation rate among Louisiana’s college student population.