HB 927: And the fight continues

 
And the fight continues…
The Southern University System is faced again with legislators trying to eliminate the only HBCU System in the nation by merging the institution with the University of Louisiana System.
House Bill 927, authored by House Rep. Joe Harrison, R-Napoleonville, of District 51, has a proposed law that will add “Southern University, Southern University at New Orleans, and Southern University at Shreveport to the University of Louisiana System” and “remove them from the Southern University System.”
What does this mean to the SU community?
 Before we write letters and protest at the Capitol, we must analyze this situation thoroughly. It’s obvious we take pride in OUR institution, hence we generally say, “Once a Jaguar, always a Jaguar” or “I’m proud to be part of the Jaguar Nation.” But we must also understand the Board of Supervisors for SUS has its fair share of problems.
If this bill passes, the SUS becomes a part of the University of Louisiana System (ULS) – currently consisting of Grambling State, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and the University of New Orleans  - and their board of supervisors will govern SU.
This is where the problem comes in. The ULS Board of Supervisors is not equally diverse and not representative of the state’s population; therefore, the overall mission of SU serving the underprivileged as a HBCU will eventually become tainted.
The ULS Board of Supervisors has two so-called minorities representing, one male (David Guidry) and one female (Renee Lapeyrolerie).
How can two persons of color help uphold the mission of educating the underprivileged if 14 of the 16 members of the board are white?
I don’t think that is fair.
In my view, I would like to see the Southern University System Board of Supervisors continue to operate with full autonomy, especially when it comes to serving the underprivileged.
In other words, I would settle with dealing with SU Board member Tony Clayton’s arrogance displayed amongst an all black board rather than operate under a board that doesn’t fully understand the African-American experience in America.
I, a proud student of SU, will continue to love the SUS Board of Supervisors, no matter what differences I may have against some of their policies and procedures.
I just hope they continue the overall mission and that is to educate and serve those who are positioned at the bottom of society’s totem pole.