HBCU Digest March 5, 2012 LA Rep. Joe Harrison Authors Bill Proposing Elimination of Southern University System Louisiana Republican Joe Harrison last week filed House Bill 927, calling for the seizure of Southern University, Southern University at New Orleans, and Southern University at Shreveport from the Southern University System and placed under the University of Louisiana System. The plan also calls for the removal of Louisiana Tech University, the University of Louisiana of Lafayette, and the University of New Orleans to be placed under the LSU System. "It proposes the elimination of the only HBCU system in America," says Southern University System President Ronald Mason Jr. "And it would be America's loss." It is the second legislative push in as many years to dismantle the Southern University System. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal authored legislation in early 2011 proposing the merger of SUNO with the nearby University of New Orleans. That bill was pulled in May due to mounting local and national advocacy against the measure. The measure has been forwarded to the state's Committee on Education. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.