TULANE TALK

September 20, 2004

Good Morning:

Hurricane Ivan has come and gone and our campuses and people appear to have weathered the storm very well. We were prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. Our prayers were thankfully answered.

This threat did allow us to fully test our hurricane plan for a category 4 or 5 storm. I am very pleased with how our plan and people performed. We learned valuable lessons that will serve us well if, and when, the next weather emergency arises. As always, we will do a thorough debriefing of the storm experience and incorporate lessons learned into our emergency plan.

There are many people to thank for their dedication and hard work during this threat. Please know how much I appreciate your commitment and dedication to the safety and security of the Tulane community. A president could not ask for a more accomplished team with which to work.

I do want to send a special word of thanks to President Ron Mason (a former senior administrator at Tulane University) and his staff at Jackson State University for their outstanding cooperation in housing and hosting our evacuated students during the storm. Their assistance is greatly appreciated by everyone associated with Tulane. On behalf of the Tulane community, I send several “Hullabaloos” to Jackson State University for their hospitality and friendship.

TULANE TALK

September 3, 2004

Good Morning,

This fall I will be spending a great deal of my time traveling around our state and country to discuss Tulane University’s past achievements and plans for the future with our alumni and friends. Last week I was in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and I plan to visit Shreveport soon before heading to D.C., Chicago, Memphis, Cleveland, etc. These visits will set the stage for the March 2005 kickoff of “Promise and Distinction: The Campaign for Tulane University.”

Tulane is already a highly regarded institution. However, to reach our full potential we must have the resources to attract and retain the best students, faculty and staff; operate the most effective educational and research programs and build and maintain the finest facilities. Realizing our potential for greatness is what “Promise and Distinction: The Campaign for Tulane University” is all about.

You’ll be hearing a lot more about the campaign in the months ahead. In the meantime mark your calendars for March 17 and 18, 2005. These two days will feature great New Orleans music and food, glass-blowing demonstrations, lectures and other special events all aimed at highlighting the best of Tulane and officially launching “Promise and Distinction: The Campaign for Tulane University.”

Have a great Labor Day weekend and don’t forget to cheer on the Green Wave as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs tomorrow at 5 p.m. on ESPN-2.

TULANE TALK

August 20, 2004

Good Morning,

Tulane Talk is back for another season!

I hope you all had an opportunity to relax and enjoy the summer. Margie, Gibson and I finally spent some time together at our home on the eastern end of Long Island. I did a lot of reading (Tour of Duty by Douglas Brinkley, Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward and a re-read of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged), writing (speeches and opinion pieces), boating and fishing (I actually caught my largest striped bass ever – 31 lbs), and exercising (a never ending task). Mentally and physically, I am definitely ready for another fast-paced, exciting year.

This week we welcome another group of talented undergraduate, graduate and professional students to the university. The academic profiles of these students are exceptional and a testimony to the increasing reputation of the university, resulting from the work of all of you. More on these students in next week’s Tulane Talk.

As always, I look forward to seeing you at various functions this fall. In the meantime, enjoy the weekend.

TULANE TALK

June 1, 2004

Good Morning:

I am writing you this morning to acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of Green Wave Tennis standout Michael Kogan, the first Tulane player to advance to the NCAA singles championship match since 1955.

While Michael fell just short of winning the title yesterday, anyone who knows him on or off the court will attest to the fact that he is a true champion. A native of the Soviet Union who emigrated with his family to Israel at the age of 12, Michael was a four-time Conference USA Player of the Year and a five-time All-American. With his help the Green Wave won three C-USA titles, hosted an NCAA regional and established itself as one of the premier tennis programs in the country.

Michael, an accounting and finance double major who graduated two weeks ago, was also named Tulane’s 2004 Male Student-Athlete of the Year for his outstanding achievements in the classroom. Whatever the future holds for Michael we are certain he will be a success and will continue to make all of us proud.

Michael’s accomplishments are among the highlights of a great year for our athletics program. Our men’s and women’s tennis teams and women’s golf team all won C-USA Championships this season and our nationally-ranked baseball team is the No. 3 seed at this week’s NCAA Regional in Oxford, Miss. Moreover, our student-athletes continue to post some of the highest graduation rates in the country.

Congratulations to Athletics Director Rick Dickson, his coaches, staff, and, most importantly, our student-athletes for continuing to represent the very best of Tulane University.