SUNO, Priestley to sign MOU

Taking an aggressive step toward reaching out to the secondary education community to improve college readiness, Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Priestley School of Architecture and Construction on Friday, November 12, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The signing will take place in SUNO's Health and Physical Education Building at 6400 Press Drive. Media outlets are encouraged to attend the signing. New Orleans Public Schools Superintendent Darryl Kilbert is expected to be in attendance.

"We're excited about this opportunity," says Dennis McSeveney, the president of Priestley's charter board.

"The SUNO/Priestley partnership strives to improve the quality of education for Orleans Parish high school students resulting in more students being prepared for enrollment in a four-year college and SUNO in particular."

SUNO faculty and students will work collaboratively with Priestley faculty and students to enhance basic academic skills of Priestley students to raise their ACT scores to meet SUNO's entrance requirements and to make them more college and career ready.

"We believe that this is a win-win for SUNO, Priestley, and New Orleans education," says Victor Ukpolo, the chancellor of SUNO. "I think the public will be pleased at how aggressive both SUNO and Priestley are about meeting the changing climate of education where it is."