Proposed Merger Clears Regents

Louisiana's top higher education board has recommended merging LSU's Shreveport campus into Louisiana Tech University. The consolidation suggestion came from higher education consultant Eva Klein and Associates. She was hired by Shreveport-Bossier area business leaders to study ways to improve higher education in northwest Louisiana. Klein says the merger would better serve the region. Under the proposal, LSUS would become a second campus of Louisiana Tech and would become part of the University of Louisiana system. The merger idea, which faces opposition from LSU system leaders, would need backing in a two-thirds vote by the House and the Senate for approval. It will be discussed in this year's legislative session, which begins in just a couple of weeks.