TULANE TALK

May 25, 2007

Good Morning:

The celebration of Commencement 2007 is still ringing in our ears. By all accounts it was a fantastic end to a remarkable academic year of achievement for Tulane University. The national media is taking note of our accomplishments, too. CNN’s Jack Cafferty commented on air about how special the Commencement was that marked the culmination of his daughter’s educational experience at Tulane. Newsweek, NBC Nightly News and People Magazine are just a few of the national media that plan to feature various aspects of Tulane’s recovery in their upcoming coverage.

National attention like this is always welcomed but so often it fails to recognize those who are most responsible for the renewal of Tulane University – each of you. I hope you are filled with pride when you realize that your dedication has brought about the rebirth of a great American university in the greatest American city.

This renewal has not come without sacrifice. Many of you have worked long hours on your assigned duties and continue to take on tasks far removed from your original job descriptions in order to assist in our recovery. You are doing all of this while also rebuilding homes and lives. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication and loyalty to Tulane and New Orleans.

In addition, some Tulane faculty and staff will be leaving the university at the end of this academic year. I want to personally thank all of these individuals for their work on behalf of our students, the university and the broader community. We wish them success in all their future endeavors.

This will be my last regular Tulane Talk until the fall. I will, however, write occasionally to keep you abreast of any pressing matters and, like last year, I plan to send a special message in the summer that will provide you with a thorough update on our post-Katrina finances. In the meantime, thank you once again for a successful academic year.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend and an enjoyable summer,