SL boys win home meet
March 14, 2012
Nicholls women make history at Southland Tournament
March 15, 2012
As the legislative session enters its third day, state Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard and Phyllis Taylor, whose late husband, Patrick Taylor, is credited with the developing the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, formerly TOPS, are concerned about the future of the program, which provides state-paid college tuition for academically qualified students.
“If we cap TOPS, how better are we going to spend that money than what we are spending it on now?” Taylor asked at the Bayou Industrial Group’s annual membership banquet. “I hope that caps are not placed on TOPS. What would happen to graduation rates at state colleges if TOPS were capped? It will impact the workforce of the state.”
According to Richard, who will be serving on the Education Committee this year, TOPS is currently safe.
“People voted to spend more of the tobacco settlement money to fund TOPS,” he said. “TOPS is safe for now because of that amendment. I will be on alert this year because I am on the education committee, and I will be keeping an eye on TOPS.”
One of the reasons that both Taylor and Richard are concerned about the safety of TOPS is because of how much the cost of tuition has gone up since the passing of the Grad Act.
“I’m not happy with the Grad Act vote, and I regret this vote,” Richard said. “The Grad Act raised tuition and increased the cost of TOPS to the state. It will send tuition through the roof if we keep allowing this 10 percent increase.”
According to Richard, there has been talk of capping the program or making it for low-income students only.
“I want to keep it open to all incomes, and that’s what Patrick would have wanted and it’s what Phyllis wants,” he said.
Taylor’s concern for the program is close to her heart.
“TOPS has become a passion of mine, beyond retaining Patrick’s legacy,” she said. “People come to me and tell me what TOPS has meant to them and their families, to see that dreams and ambitions are fulfilled.”
Taylor recalled the beginnings of the TOPS program.
“In 1988, Patrick was asked to speak to a group of at-risk children at Livingston Middle school, and he made a promise to these students: if they remained in school, he would see that they had the means to go to college,” Taylor said. “That day changed our lives, that these children could and would have the opportunity to go to college. It encouraged them to stay out of trouble and take the hard courses so that they would be able to attend college.”
Thanks to the Taylors, about 42,000 students a year are able to attend college through TOPS. And it’s not just happening in Louisiana.
“There are now 23 states that have some form of TOPS,” Taylor said. “We can see the value of TOPS to the state. As a result of TOPS, there have been vast improvements to the state’s higher education. It helps to keep children here and going to school. Now we can compete with out of state schools.”
Phyllis Taylor, wife of the late Patrick Taylor, speaks during the Bayou Industrial Group’s annual membership banquet.
