CABL comes out in favor of SUNO-UNO consolidation

The Council for a Better Louisiana has come out in favor of two bills that would consolidate the University of New Orleans and Southern University in New Orleans. The good-government group says it’s backing the controversial bills by House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, and state Sen. Conrad Appel, R-Metairie, that are backed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. CABL says the new institution, which would work along with Delgado Community College, is the best way of educating the growing minority population of New Orleans and allow students who don’t meet new higher admission standards to start in a community college. “The most urgent need is to look boldly to the future and focus first and foremost on the interests and needs of the students of the New Orleans region who have been shortchanged by our post-secondary educational system for decades,” says Barry Erwin, CABL president. While CABL is aware of the sensitivities involved in merging the two schools, Erwin says the status quo is “unacceptable.” See the full CABL statement about the consolidation here.