A new suit seeks to reopen Tulane women's college NEW ORLEANS (AP) (wrkf) - A descendant of the founder of one of the nation's oldest degree-granting colleges for women has filed a new challenge Wednesday to Tulane University's merger of Newcomb College with its other undergraduate colleges.

Susan Henderson Montgomery of Franklin, Massachusetts, argues she has the legal right to file a challenge under an opinion handed down in July by the Louisiana Supreme Court. That ruling said "would-be heirs" may sue to enforce conditions of a will.

The university merged all its undergraduate colleges into Newcomb-Tulane College about two years ago, as part of a reorganization after Hurricane Katrina.

A news release from Tulane says the new lawsuit brings up the same issues as the earlier one, and its response is the same that has honored Josephine Newcomb's wishes for more than a century and continues to do so. It says the Newcomb Institute sponsors many of the college's programs and traditions. © Copyright 2009, wrkf