Tulane Talk January 12, 2007
TULANE TALK
January 12, 2007
Good Morning:
Like all of you I am shocked and saddened by the surge of crime that our city has experienced in this new year and I want each of you to know that there is no issue more important to Tulane University than the safety of our students, faculty and staff.
While the crime statistics on and around our campus are comparable, if not more favorable, to those at other urban universities, we are going to step up our efforts at crime prevention. In this spirit, I have authorized increased funding that will enable our Office of Public Safety to hire more New Orleans Police Department officers to patrol the streets surrounding campus. This funding will increase the number of officers assigned to areas most frequented by our students and university community. The funding will also increase these campus perimeter patrols to seven nights per week. We are also in the process of recruiting six new full-time officers for the Tulane University Police Department.
This increase in patrols and personnel will augment the many successful safety initiatives we already have in place such as our uptown/downtown Shuttle Service, Safe Rides program, escort program, crime alert e-mails and postings, self-defense classes and crime prevention orientation sessions.
All of these efforts have, despite the violence that has greeted the new year, kept on-campus crime extremely low; the same or even lower than that of many of our peer urban institutions. Additionally, the increased patrols, Safe Rides and Shuttle Service programs will extend the on-campus safety our community enjoys to the surrounding streets. It is also important to remember that there is now more on-campus housing available for students who may not feel safe living off campus.
But creating a bubble of safety for the university community is not our aim. We are working with city leaders to use the university resources to make our entire city safe in the short and long term. Knowing an educated community of young people with hopes and dreams for the future does not turn to violence, we have taken a leading role in reforming the New Orleans public school system and increasing our tutoring, mentoring and other volunteer efforts such as painting and refurbishing neighborhood schools. I can assure you that the reduction of violent crime in New Orleans is also the top priority of our community leaders and action plans are now being implemented to address this issue. Tulane and I are committed to and involved in these discussions.
While the headlines of the last two weeks have been grim, this situation must and will change. Many other communities throughout our country have faced and overcome similar situations and become model cities. There is no reason that we, through increased police presence, attention to personal safety, diligence in reporting crime and commitment to our community’s children cannot do the same.
Have a safe weekend,
Tulane Talk January 05, 2007
TULANE TALK
January 5, 2007
Good Morning:
I hope your New Year is going well. Just before the holidays I had the opportunity to carry out one of my favorite presidential duties: the presentation of the Staff Excellence Award to 10 outstanding Tulane University employees.
These individuals were nominated and selected by you, their peers. To me, this makes the honor all the more special and meaningful. Each of this yearís winners will receive a cash prize of $1000 and a commemorative plaque. Marjorie and I will also have the pleasure of hosting the recipients at a special dinner in their honor at Two Audubon Place.
ìExceptional individual.î ìHas the university at heart in everything he does.î ìShe holds the department together.î ìSomeone special.î ìTop notch.î ìPerforms with grace and diplomacy.î ìOutstanding work ethic.î ìGoes above and beyond the call of duty.î ìExcellence before and after the hurricane.î These were just a few of the comments that accompanied the nominations forms of this yearís winners. What a testament to the quality and character of these individuals.
And this year’s winners are: Rhonda Barre, administrative coordinator, School of Medicine; Michael Batt, production manager, Department of Music; Paula Burch-Celentano, university photographer; Claudia St. Marie, executive secretary, Department of Spanish and Portugese; Jeanny Keck, executive secretary, Department of French and Italian; Larry Smith, director of Facilities Services’ Architecture and Engineering Division; Carol Pizer, assistant director, Academic Advising Center; Natalie Barranco, senior program manager, Community Health Sciences; Crystal ìJoanieî Vicknair, assistant director of Study Abroad; and Kirsten Breckinridge, assistant director, Center for Public Service.
Please congratulate and thank these wonderful colleagues when you see them around campus.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk January 04, 2007
TULANE TALK
January 4, 2007
Good Morning:
After consultation with the School of Medicine and Health Sciences Center leadership, I am pleased to announce the appointments of Lee Hamm as interim dean of the School of Medicine and Alan Miller as interim senior vice president for the Health Sciences Center. Both appointments are effective February 1, 2007.
Lee and Alan are both trusted colleagues who have made many contributions to Tulane. Lee came to Tulane in 1992. He is currently chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and co-director of the Tulane Hypertension and Renal Center of Excellence. His research in cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, the genetic causes of acid-based disorders and other areas has been funded by the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration. As a member of the medical school faculty, Lee has served as a university senator and as chair of the General Medical Faculty.
In recent months Lee has been heavily involved in helping to re-establish medical care in New Orleans in the wake of Katrina. He led a clinical strategic planning committee that proposed new directions for Tulane’s clinical mission and he recently became the chair of the Tulane University Medical Group board, which oversees the Tulane faculty clinical practice.
Alan, who is currently the associate senior vice president for the Health Sciences Center, came to Tulane in 1993 to establish a bone marrow and stem cell transplant program and to assist in establishing the Tulane Cancer Center. He is also the principal investigator of Tulane’s Southwest Oncology Group, which conducts cutting-edge cancer research. In addition, Alan is principal investigator of several trials dealing with bone marrow and stem cell transplant for leukemia, bone marrow failure and lymphoma. Alan also had a leading role in re-establishing our health sciences operations after Katrina.
Alan’s leadership in health care goes beyond his responsibilities within the university. He is vice chairman of both the Louisiana Health Care Commission and the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, which is developing a downtown biotechnology center that will produce adult stem cells and other medical marvels to fight disease. Alan also serves as a primary liaison in Tulane’s partnerships with LSU in the areas of gene therapy and cancer.
In his role as interim senior vice president, Alan will have responsibility for all areas currently ascribed to the senior vice president for the Health Sciences Center, with the exception of the School of Medicine (including the Tulane University Medical Group and HCA partnership), which will report directly to me during this interim period.
I hope you will join me in congratulating and thanking Lee and Alan for assuming these interim positions. Their continued dedication and commitment to the university are greatly valued and appreciated.
Tulane Talk December 22, 2006
TULANE TALK
December 22, 2006
Good morning,
I want to thank each and every one of you for a wonderful year. Next year will be even better as we hit our stride in recovery and renewal.
The spirit of New Orleans is strong, and every day we find inspiration in all it has to offer. This holiday greeting, prepared especially for you, says it best: http://www.tulane.edu/beauty.html
Tulane Talk December 15, 2006
TULANE TALK
December 15, 2006
By now you have probably heard or read quite a bit about our new head football coach, Bob Toledo. The local and national media have had much to say about Bobís success during his nearly 40-year career, his head coaching jobs at Cal Riverside, University of the Pacific and UCLA and the 13 bowl games he has coached in during his career, including seven of the traditional New Year’s Day games.
But the media did not focus on the things that impressed me the most in my interviews with Bob. As one of his colleagues, former Texas A&M Head Coach R.C. Slocum said, “First of all and most importantly Bob Toledo is one heck of a man. He is a quality person.î
Among his qualities, I would say, is Bobís unyielding insistence on recruiting and coaching players who are true student-athletes, who win championships and earn degrees, who are model athletes and model citizens.
As Bob said at the news conference announcing his hiring, ìBecause you’re smart doesn’t mean you can’t be a good football player. Because your academic standards are tough doesn’t mean you can’t recruit good football players. We’re going to recruit good student-athletes to Tulane and we will win football games. Iím not going to expect anything less than great effort and great intensity on the football field, in the classroom and in the community.î
This is a commitment that I think everyone in our university community can rally behind. Coach Toledo represents in word and deed the values and philosophy I believe should characterize intercollegiate athletics at Tulane and around the country. I ask you to welcome Coach Toledo and wish him much success in fulfilling his commitment to Tulane and our community.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk December 13, 2006
TULANE TALK
December 13, 2006
Good Morning:
Paul Whelton, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine, has informed me that he will leave Tulane University January 31 to assume the presidency of Loyola University Health System in Chicago.
An internationally recognized epidemiologist, Paul began his tenure at Tulane in January 1997 as dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He advanced to the position of interim and then permanent senior vice president for health sciences in 2000 and assumed the role of dean of the School of Medicine in December 2005.
During his nearly ten years at Tulane, Paul expanded and strengthened the educational programs of the School of Medicine and the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, championing support of the MD/MPH program and initiating the MD/PhD track in the School of Medicine and the bachelor’s program in public health in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Paul was instrumental in more than doubling research awards to the Health Sciences Center, which has significantly improved the university’s NIH award rankings. Paul also encouraged expansion, repositioning and strengthening of Tulaneís clinical mission with the opening of new clinic sites as well as the addition of Lakeside Hospital in Metairie as a component of Tulane University Hospital and Clinic.
In addition Paul played a role in creating a new home for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in the Tidewater Building and acquiring a new space for the School of Medicine in the 1555 Poydras Building. His leadership was instrumental in the recovery of the Health Sciences Center (HSC), especially the School of Medicine, following Hurricane Katrina. Finally, Paul was responsible for championing several partnerships with LSU in areas of mutual interest.
Please join me in thanking Paul for the many contributions he has made to our university and wishing him and his family the best in this new endeavor.
It is my plan, after consultation with the School’s leadership, to appoint an interim dean of the School of Medicine as soon as possible. I also plan to begin immediately a national search for a permanent dean and to consult with the Health Sciences Center leadership about the future structure of the HSC.
Tulane Talk December 08, 2006
TULANE TALK
December 8, 2006
Good Morning:
I am glad so many of you were able to attend Wednesdayís dedication of the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life. As I said at the dedication, it was great to see a celebration taking place at a spot I can remember floating past in a rescue boat a little more than 15 months ago.
How things have changed. If you have not been inside this beautifully designed, state-of-the art building yet, prepare to be dazzled. Completely new and yet also familiar, this captivating space is ready to be filled up with new memories. The Lavin and Bernick families’ generosity made this dream a reality. The entire Tulane community will forever be grateful to them.
This weekís dedication served as a perfect opportunity to re-launch ìPromise and Distinction: The Campaign for Tulane.î Publicly announced just months before Katrina, ìPromise and Distinction,î like everything else, was put on hold after the storm so we could focus on Tulane’s recovery.
Now is the time to move forward toward the campaignís goal of a Tulane that is universally recognized as one of the truly pre-eminent research institutions in America. That potential is within our sight and grasp. We have already raised over $600 million toward our goal of $700 million by June 30, 2008. Every day more and more people are joining us in creating out of the tragedy of Katrina a stronger and more purposeful Tulane. This campaign will allow us to attract and retain the very best people who are the heart of a great university. Through gifts to the endowment, and for facilities and program support, we can provide an environment for the best and brightest to thrive.
Please visit the website http://distinction.tulane.edu/ to re-acquaint yourself with our priorities and goals and see how far we, with your help, have come in realizing our promise and distinction.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk December 01, 2006
TULANE TALK
December 1, 2006
Good Morning:
Next week we will celebrate a landmark event in the history of Tulane with the dedication of the new Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life. This beautiful building will serve as the hub of university life, providing approximately 142,000 square feet (nearly 50 percent more than the original University Center) of meeting spaces, dining options, banking, bookstore services, a barbershop and more.
The building’s open design includes environmentally-friendly features such as four water walls which will help cool the building when air coming through the doors is blown across them by fans. The building’s many windows will maximize natural illumination and electric lights within the building will automatically adjust depending on the amount of outside light.
Construction of the new building was funded by donations from alumni and other members of the Tulane community, most notably the Lavin and Bernick families, for whom the center is named and to whom we are all indebted.
While the buildingís progressive design is captivating, its most important feature is the opportunity it will give us to gather, meet, dine, live and learn together as a community. With that in mind, please attend the dedication ceremony Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. on McAlister Drive. This event will include a reception and tours of the Lavin-Bernick Center, along with individual room dedications.
In addition to the dedication ceremony we are also hosting a free concert for students by the New Orleans-based alternative rock trio ìBetter than Ezraî Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium.
Soon after these opening celebrations, the former tenants of the old UC will begin to move back where they belong. I know you will be as excited as I am to welcome them home.
Our dedication ceremonies had originally included an address by Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News, scheduled for Dec. 5. Unfortunately, Ms. Mitchell was forced to cancel her appearance due to the coverage required of the upcoming release of the Iraq Study Groupís report. Ms. Mitchell has indicated that she would like to reschedule a Tulane appearance at a later date. Iíll keep you informed about that.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk November 17, 2006
TULANE TALK
November 17, 2006
Good Morning:
Since this is the last Tulane Talk before the holiday, I want to take this opportunity to wish all you a Happy Thanksgiving. I think what we have to be grateful for this Thanksgiving can be summed up in one word: home.
Home is more than a place, of course. It is a spirit of community, of belonging, of deep-rooted bonds and history that, for all of us, have been strengthened by the incredible challenges of these past 15 months.
So as we gather with our family and friends this Thanksgiving letís be mindful of our many neighbors who are still struggling to return home and be thankful for those who already have. Letís also re-dedicate ourselves to doing whatever we can to help those who have not returned from their journey so that next year we can all give thanks together, at home.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving,
Tulane Talk November 10, 2006
TULANE TALK
November 10, 2006
Good Morning:
Recently I have received a few e-mails regarding crime in New Orleans, especially near our campus. This increased awareness and concern can be attributed to several factors, including our new policy of directly e-mailing every student as soon as a crime that poses a continued threat is reported near campus.
While resulting in the positive outcome of increasing crime awareness and reporting, this new policy has given the impression that off-campus crime is on the rise. Actually, data collected by our Office of Public Safety reveals that this is not the case.
Still, crime prevention is, and always has been, a pressing concern for us. There is no single issue more important than the safety of our students, faculty and staff. Thatís why our university police department patrols campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and also coordinates with the New Orleans police department to patrol the streets around campus.
We have taken a number of other actions to increase safety awareness and crime prevention. For example, we provide free shuttle service for all Tulane community members and on Nov. 16 we will begin a Safe Ride program that will transport students from off-campus locations to their on- or off-campus residence. The Safe Ride program will operate Thursday through Sunday evenings from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. The boundaries of the Safe Ride program are between Claiborne Avenue and the river and between Leonidas Street and Napoleon Avenue.
In addition to these services, campus sidewalks are lined with 36 blue-light emergency phones and officers are available 24 hours a day to escort students, faculty or staff to their cars and to offer on-campus minor road service such as assisting with locked keys in the car or a dead battery.
Our student orientation includes crime prevention sessions and the distribution of the ìKeeping Tulane Secureî newsletter and the ìSafe Spaceî guidebook that offers tips on personal security. These orientation efforts are supplemented by programs throughout the year on basic self-defense, areas in the city to avoid, Rape Aggression Defense classes, ìGet Carded Dayî in which thousands of cards with emergency numbers are distributed and other outreach efforts that reinforce the information students receive at orientation.
We make crime alerts available to all students, faculty and staff via e-mail and the http site of our Office of Public Safety provides information on crime statistics and crime-fighting measures such as the Silent Witness program.
The safety of our community is our highest priority. Like every university located in an urban area, Tulane must deal with the realities of crime. However, if we dedicate ourselves to vigilance, awareness and open communication with one another and law enforcement officials, I know we can all keep safe while enjoying one of the worldís greatest cities. Tulane will continue to do whatever is in its power to create a safe environment for every member of its community.
Have a great and safe weekend,