The Louisiana Board of Regents, Higher Education Imperative, and Shreveport business leaders asked the Eva Klein and Associates to conduct a study about the best solution for LSU Shreveport.

The recommendation is to merge LSUS with LA Tech, creating two "equally important" campuses, and it will be the "response" to the needs of LSUS. The research said that it would "retain" the LSUS identity.

According to Dr. Brian Salvatore, some his former students who are now pursuing graduate studies at Tech told him that there is a different word spoken at Ruston, it is not "merger" but a "take-over."


The editorial at Monroe's The News Star according to Dr. Salvatore "conveys a sense of selfishness and entitlement in every paragraph." Agreeing to the said opinion, Shreveport is the third largest city in the state. Referring to majority of the modern maps made, only 3 cities are named when Louisiana is shown. Namely, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. Ruston is not being shown, some movies shot in the south mentions Shreveport. So, why they be in command while we are in the larger city than they are, we implement programs better than they do, and  we are Louisiana's "best buy" according to US Department of Education and College Affordability and Transparency Center.

However, Eva Klein failed to get the opinion of LSUS students. Dr. Salvatore states the following argument: "In the eyes of the world, a degree from the University of Louisiana system is far less prestigious than one from LSU, and LA Tech does not have the prestige around the nation that the people in Ruston have deluded themselves into believing." Yes, it's true, the name Louisiana State University is well known in the world.

It's ridiculous to travel from Shreveport to Ruston back and forth and vice versa just to take classes not offered on the the respective campuses.

Opposing the editorial which said that "[s]o far, not a single voice of opposition has spoken up. We doubt anyone will. The merger is good for Shreveport and excellent for Ruston." It will be never good because Shreveport created its own name and reputation on its own and not for taking or sharing prestige from other towns or cities.

We have this petition in response to the above mentioned editorial, the board of regents, the legislature, and everyone else.

Links