UNO, SUNO should be merged

Gov. Bobby Jindal is right in wanting to consider a merger of UNO and SUNO in his efforts to cut expenses. Even if it were not a matter of eliminating state budget deficits, there is no need to have two state-supported universities almost side by side in New Orleans.

Preserving a primarily black university is not a reason in this day and age. We  integrated to bring the races together. Now let’s do it.

Both student bodies would benefit by having more courses and a larger faculty available. And the administration can be reduced considerably, saving money around the clock.

The same could be considered in other areas of Louisiana where four-year state colleges stand within a few miles of each other. Some were formed for political reasons, not racial.

Its time to concentrate on improving our educational institutions without regard to race or politics. We owe it to our people to give them the education they need to make their futures and that of their state bright.

 

Roemer wants to be President, too

So former Gov. Buddy Roemer wants to be President of the United States. That is somewhat surprising since he has been out of the public eye for so long.

Roemer served as governor from 1988 to 1992. But then he was defeated in two elections for governor in which he did not even reach the second primary.

Of course, his first defeat was when Edwin Edwards and David Duke ended up in the runoff. Next time around, it was Republican Mike Foster and Democrat Cleo Fields who pushed him into third place.

Since then, he has served in the private sector as president of Business First Bank in Baton Rouge which he founded.

He’s a very likeable and intelligent guy and he was extremely successful in his first race for governor. But since then, he has not fared too well on the political front.

He is the second Louisianian to mount a campaign for President in recent years though Gov. Bobby Jindal apparently is putting off his ambition until he is re-elected governor.

Maybe Roemer’s time has come again. One never can tell.