The University of New Orleans’ Faculty Senate approved on Wednesday a resolution rejecting the Board of Regents’ recommendation concerning the merger between UNO and Southern University-New Orleans.
The resolution, which was passed at the Joint Faculty Council and University Senate’s regular meeting, rejects Senate Bill 183, the merger bill, in its current form and recommends several modifications to the legislation.
The resolution followed the controversial study conducted by the National Center for Higher Education Systems to analyze higher education in New Orleans and the feasibility of
merging UNO and SUNO, which the Regents supported.
“The UNO-SUNO Merger as proposed will be costly to implement and potentially inflict long-term harm on higher education in metro New Orleans and the state,” the resolution says.
It also states the merger will potentially harm both student bodies, the universities’ ability to attract and retain students and the missions of the institutions.
The UNO faculty instead suggests the creation of two separate academic units that grant their own diplomas, with one entity focused on research.
The resolution states the research entity should maintain a full spectrum of undergraduate and graduate programs in math and science, liberal arts, social sciences, engineering, business and education, as they are nationally recognized and serve the needs of the state.
The second entity, according to the faculty, would be academic-based and would admit students unable to qualify for admission to the research unit and focus on undergraduate education.
It would also provide a “portal for shared admissions and student academic and financial aid counseling on the campus of the research unit.”
SB 183 will be voted on during the ongoing legislative session. The session will adjourn June 23.
 
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]