Baton Rouge, La (NBC33) — The Board of Regents has decided to move forward with a Colorado consulting firm's recommendation to merge Southern University’s New Orleans campus with the University of New Orleans.

The merger would rename Southern’s campus the University of Greater New Orleans; the board passed the merger with a 9-6 majority.

The Regents' plan will still have to be approved by the Louisiana Legislature in a two-thirds majority vote in April.

Even though it will be a singular university, the two units would have separate accreditation, admission standards, and faculty governance.

Dr. Ronald Mason, the President of the Southern University system, says this merger will cause Southern University to lose its identity in New Orleans.