Protesting Miss. Governor's Plan to Merge Black Colleges
Hundreds of students, alumni and others rallied Friday in Jackson against Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican, to merge the state's three public historically black colleges, The Jackson Clarion Ledger reported. The governor says that the plan to merge Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University into Jackson State University will save money and result in a better combined institution than exists now. But critics have noted a range of problems, including the distance between the institutions and their different missions and academic strengths. At the rally Friday, many said that while the state does face serious financial problems, black colleges should not be forced to pay a disproportionate price for those shortfalls.
