TULANE TALK

March 9, 2007

Good Morning:

A few weeks back I mentioned that in addition to visits by Janet Reno, Colin Powell and Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, who will read from her works on April 12 at 7 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium, there would be many more special speakers to announce.

Perhaps the biggest of these is former vice president Al Gore, who will discuss global warming May 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium.

More immediately, however, Walter Isaacson, noted author, the president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, Tulane board member, former chairman and CEO of CNN, former managing editor of Time Magazine, will speak March 15 at 1 p.m. in the Kendall Cram Lecture Hall of the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life. Walter will discuss his latest work, a biography of Albert Einstein and, as vice chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the Road Home program and its impact on the recovery of New Orleans.

Tulane graduate and President’s Council chairman Lawrence Schloss, chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Diamond Castle Holdings, LLC, will also speak March 15 from 5:15 to 6:20 p.m. in the J. F. Jr. and Jessie Lee Seinsheimer Theater, Room 1111, in Goldring Woldenberg Hall II. A true Tulane success story, Lawrence, throughout his storied career, has overseen deals worth more than $100 billion and climbed Mt. Everest. Lawrence’s talk “Private Equity: The Return of the Masters of the Universe” will examine how today’s private equity market works.

New Orleans native Michael Lewis, best-selling author of “Liar’s Poker,” “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game,” “The New, New Thing” and his latest “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game” will speak March 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Freeman Auditorium of the Woldenberg Art Center. Michael will discuss his career and various themes of his work.

And finally, the date of political consultant and commentator James Carville’s address has been moved to April 19 at 5 p.m. in the Kendall Cram Room. James, one of the most recognizable personalities on the nation’s political scene, will discuss national politics, including the 2008 presidential election.

Each of these talks, which are open to the entire Tulane community, promises to be engaging, thought-provoking and, possibly, life-changing. I hope you will be among those in attendance.

Have a great weekend,