TULANE TALK

March 1, 2002

Good Morning:

I traveled quite a bit again this week. After meeting Sunday with the site team reviewing the re-accreditation of our School of Architecture, I flew to Chicago to attend a meeting of the presidents of Conference USA’s 15 universities. We meet as a group three times a year to discuss everything from bowl and tournament sites to eligibility issues regarding our student/athletes.

On Monday night I flew to Washington, D.C. for two days of meetings with Louisiana’s and Mississippi’s congressional delegations. (We now meet with Mississippi’s delegation because of the partnerships we’ve forged with that state’s university system.) We presented our research priorities in neuroscience, bioterrorism, the humanities, the Mississippi River and other areas and discussed how federal funding might help support our goals. As they have in the past, our representatives in Congress displayed much support and interest in our projects. We also hosted, with Xavier University, a dinner and reception for the delegation and their staffs.

I arrived back in New Orleans yesterday morning for some meetings and catch up work. I received a very positive report on the School of Architecture from the re-accreditation site committee. Thursday night I was pleased to attend a dinner party at the home of Tim Favrot, one of our Board members and a driving force behind the School of Architecture’s current renovations. I made sure I was back in town to vote in this Saturday’s mayoral election. Be sure to make it to the polls, rain or shine. As you know, this election is crucial to the future of our city and university.

Finally, for anyone who wants to smile, check out the link below.One of these babies is our granddaughter. Want to make a guess? I will reveal the answer next week. By the way, this picture was taken after I had just finished giving this group a lecture on the intricacies of our new Decentralized Management Center model: http://www2.tulane.edu/images/babies.jpg

Have a great weekend,