Judge Tosses SUNO/UNO Merger Challenge

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A state judge has thrown out the lawsuit seeking to stall the possible consolidation of Southern University at New Orleans with the University of New Orleans, a merger sought by Gov. Bobby Jindal.District Judge Tim Kelley ruled Tuesday against a group of Southern students who challenged the constitutionality of the Board of Regents. Lawyer and former state Sen. Cleo Fields, on behalf of the students, argued the board makeup is unconstitutional because it doesn't adequately represent black Louisianians.

Kelley says the governor's Regents appointments are legal, even if they might have been "politically ill-advised and damaging."