BY: councilmember fielkow seconded by

RESOLUTION

NO. R-09-225

CITY HALL: May 7, 2009

BY: COUNCILMEMBER FIELKOW

SECONDED BY:

WHEREAS, Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO) has been in the business of educating students in the city of New Orleans for 50 years, and in that period of time has consistently turned out informed, inspired, and productive members of our community; and
WHEREAS, SUNO, as one of the nation’s most esteemed historically black universities, has the ability to reach out to those who seek a higher education that might otherwise fall through the cracks; and
WHEREAS, recent news from SUNO includes enrollment returning to nearly 80% of its pre-Katrina level and the initial phase of its first-ever residential housing facility scheduled to be completed in January 2010; and

WHEREAS, SUNO’s prestigious School of Social Work, having been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, is needed now more than ever, with the destruction of Hurricane Katrina having exposed many of the city’s longstanding social ills; and
WHEREAS, the university’s College of Education recently garnered re-certification from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and has throughout its history supplied qualified teachers to New Orleans schools; and
WHEREAS, an economic impact study published by Southern University of New Orleans on April 30, 2009 found that for every dollar spent on SUNO by the State of Louisiana, the State receives approximately seven dollars in return, indicating a sound investment for Louisiana, NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS that the Council is in opposition to the proposed plan to close Southern University of New Orleans and/or merge it with the University of New Orleans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council encourages the State Administration and the Louisiana Legislature to search for new, creative ways to make up any financial shortfall that may adversely affect higher education, including SUNO, over the next several years.
THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION WAS READ IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS:

NAYS:

ABSENT:

AND THE RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED.