TULANE TALK

May 23, 2014

Good Morning:

If you did not attend Commencement 2014, surely you have heard or read about it by now. CNN, NBC, ABC and our own local media all provided excellent coverage which will continue to run throughout this week and next. From Wynton Marsalis’ keynote address which has to be one of the best commencement speeches ever delivered anywhere to Devon Walker’s triumph to surprise performances and magical moments with Drew Brees and more, Commencement 2014 was the perfect way to celebrate and honor this special class.

Tonight, I will pay tribute to another special group of graduates when I address the Lusher High School Class of 2014. I could not be more pleased that my first ever high school commencement speech will be at Lusher. As you know, Tulane and Lusher have a long and unique relationship born in the floodwaters of Katrina. Tulane provided the initial funding to reopen Lusher after the storm, and Lusher gave the children of our returning faculty and staff a school to call their own after being displaced so far away from home for so long.

Every commencement ceremony, from pre-school to Lusher to Tulane, is a celebration of the gift of education, one of the many blessings that has been purchased and preserved by the sacrifice of countless men and women who we will honor this Memorial Day Weekend. Please remember them as you gather this weekend with your family and friends.

Traditionally, this is the last Tulane Talk of the academic year. But, as in years past, I promise to write again as news and events warrant. I also plan to say goodbye, via Tulane Talk, one more time before Margie and I begin the next chapter of our lives.

Have a great weekend,

TULANE TALK

May 9, 2014

Good Morning:

Next Saturday we will honor more than 2,700 graduates at Commencement 2014.

It seems like just yesterday that these graduates were the incoming class we were all boasting about. We are boasting about them even more now but, at the same time, our Office of Admission is working hard to assemble the Class of 2018. More than 29,000 applicants wanted to be part of this class but only a select 1,600 were chosen. By increasing our selectivity we are ensuring that we are accepting only those students whose values are consistent with Tulane’s mission of scholarship and service.

While we are becoming more selective, we are also growing in diversity. The Class of 2018 represents students from a vast array of backgrounds, including those affiliated with the Posse Foundation and College Track, two organizations that recruit and prepare talented urban public high school students to succeed at top universities like Tulane. Some of the Posse and College Track students are from New Orleans, while others come from thousands of miles away. They are not alone. The typical member of the class of 2018 will travel an average of 937 miles to attend Tulane. Luckily, more than 200 members of the new class won’t have to travel nearly so far since they come from right here in Louisiana.

Attracting the country’s most accomplished students to New Orleans, while keeping our brightest local students at home, is all part of the central role Tulane plays in our city’s “brain gain.” In addition, the parents of these bright minds visit Tulane for tours and special events such as next week’s Commencement. Annual spending by Tulane parents and their students is equivalent to a major convention returning every year to New Orleans.

So next time you see a Tulane student, prospective student or Tulane parent, be sure to say, “Thanks.”

Have a great weekend,

TULANE TALK

April 25, 2014

Good Morning:

Yulman Stadium, Tulane’s first on-campus stadium in 40 years, is now more than 65 percent complete. With Green Wave football’s return to campus just a few months away, excitement is building both at Tulane and in the community.

We have already secured commitments for more than 11,000 premium season ticket packages in the Jill H. and Avram A. Glazer Family Club and the Westfeldt Terrace sections. We have also launched “Let’s Make Waves,” a television, radio and billboard campaign to promote season ticket sales to the general public.

Each season ticket package has different amenities but, having toured the stadium, I can assure you that there is not a bad seat in the house. No matter which package you choose, you will be up close to the action for six exciting games, including the home season opener against Georgia Tech, four crucial conference games, Homecoming and more.

We are also offering special discounts for Tulane faculty and staff, including season tickets for a family of four for only $150! Our goal is to make Yulman Stadium a family and community destination where lifetime memories will be made. Purchase your tickets at http.com today and be one of the people years from now who will say, “I remember the very first season at Yulman Stadium…”

Have a great weekend,

TULANE TALK

April 11, 2014

Good Morning:

I have some exciting news that holds the promise of transforming Tulane’s uptown campus and undergraduate student living and learning for generations to come.

At its March meeting, the Board of Tulane voted to move forward with a bold plan to re-imagine the physical design and function of the middle section of campus between Freret and Willow streets. This is part of a long-range plan that started with the establishment of McAlister Place as a pedestrian mall in 2010 and resulted in the construction of two new residence halls – Weatherhead Hall and the soon-to-open Barbara Greenbaum House at Newcomb Lawn. Another phase will begin next year when the university breaks ground on a new four-story, $46 million campus facility that will provide our students with a premier dining experience while also creating a new and expanded home for the Newcomb College Institute.

The dining component of the new facility will more than double the seating capacity we currently have in Bruff Commons, which is overcrowded and outdated. In addition to giving our students an outstanding and distinctive dining experience each and every day, the new facility will also provide space for hosting special dinners and events for student organizations and residential colleges.

The new facility, which will be built on the site of the current Newcomb College Institute (NCI), will also provide an expanded, state-of-the-art home for the NCI. It will allow the Institute to bring together all of its offices, programs and activities, which are currently scattered throughout three campus buildings, under one roof. This new high-profile home will provide optimal space for more innovative programs, leadership opportunities and educational activities for women. During this phase of the project we will also complete the Newcomb-McAlister Unified Green Project by uniting the Newcomb and LBC quads into a central campus green space.

The next evolution of the transformation should begin in 2017, when Bruff Commons and the Caroline Richardson Building – whose current functions will be housed in the new facility – will be redeveloped into two new residence halls, allowing 80 percent of our undergraduates to live on campus.

Obviously, all of this will take a great deal of planning, work, patience and understanding, but it is key to creating a more unified undergraduate collegiate experience in the heart of campus where our students can learn, live, eat, play and discover. You will learn more about this initiative as the planning progresses and each phase is initiated. In the meantime, enjoy the weekend.