BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal scrapped a proposal to merge the historically Black Southern University at New Orleans with the largely White University of New Orleans, a racially charged idea that had generated staunch opposition from Black lawmakers and Democratic leaders.
House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, sponsor of the legislation, said Wednesday that he doesn’t have the two-thirds support needed for passage and doesn’t expect to be able to get the votes this legislative session. He said he won’t push forward on a House floor vote that had been scheduled and scuttled twice.
“I think it’s a sad day for higher education in New Orleans,” he said. “I think the combined institution is stronger than the parts. I think it was the right thing to do for the students, the institutions and the community, but I could not get 70 people to agree with me, so the governor and I decided we would back off on the merger.”
The decision hands Jindal a significant defeat. He had made the consolidation one of his key education initiatives for the regular session.
Jindal’s office issued a statement, saying, “We continue to believe the status quo for students in New Orleans is unacceptable, and we’re not going to give up on our fight to improve educational opportunities. We make no apologies for pushing big, ambitious and bold ideas to improve our state.”
The Legislature’s Black caucus praised the decision to give up on the merger. Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, said it was “an ecstatic, happy day” for opponents of the consolidation, who had argued it would lessen educational opportunities for minority and poorer students. He said abandoning the bill will bring the House together and end a divisive atmosphere.
“There was intense lobbying on both sides, and it was really wearing down the membership here,” Badon said.
