Newcomb College--still a chance to survive

The death of Newcomb College drew a little closer yesterday, when the Tulane University Board of Administrators voted, as expected, to merge Newcombe with Tulane's undergraduate school. The plan is to re-name the undergraduate school the Newcomb-Tulane College.

Meanwhile, 16 plaintiffs were turned down by a U.S. District Court judge when they requested a temporary restraining order against the board. However, the judge did tell Tulane not to do "anything that couldn't be undone in short order." On March 30, a hearing will be held to decide whether Tulane is violating the terms of Louise Newcomb's contract with the university.

Though I am not an attorney, it seems to me that the plaintiffs have a very strong case against the university. Louise Newcomb endowed a college for women, not half of a hyphenated name. At any rate, to kill Newcomb dishonors Louise and Sophie Newcomb, it dishonors a 120-year tradition that was also a first, and it deals a blow to women.