TULANE TALK

November 14, 2008

Good Morning:

Tulane University is preparing for its 2011 reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the primary sanctioning body for higher education in the Southern states. This reaffirmation process occurs every 10 years.

To maintain accreditation, universities must develop a Quality Enhancement Plan for improving student learning. As students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees and supporters of Tulane University, I believe you are a wonderful source for new ideas and approaches to enhance student learning both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Now is the time to see one of your great ideas possibly come to fruition in a way that could make a significant difference for years to come.

Visit http.tulane.edu or e-mail http@tulane.edu to submit your idea. Ideas should be as original and as bold as Tulane itself and should be university-wide in scope. Our TIDES classes and our public service requirement are examples of the type of innovative suggestions we seek. But, remember, we need NEW ideas and not simply a rehash of what we already do.

Once we receive your ideas, our Quality Enhancement Plan Task Force, which includes students, faculty and staff, will take the best ideas and, working with their originators, further develop them into actual proposals, including methods to evaluate their potential success.

In February, we will hold a community forum in which we will examine and discuss the pros and cons of the selected ideas. In the meantime we will present various campus events to encourage as much participation as possible. By the end of next semester we will select the final idea(s) for implementation.

Given the depth of your knowledge, your experience, your innovative spirit and commitment to Tulane, I know your ideas will lead us to a very positive outcome for our students.

Have a great weekend,