TULANE TALK

September 26, 2003

Good Morning:

In 1999 Tulane University received a significant bequest from the estate of Lallage Feazel Wall. We dedicated a portion of this gift to a competitive grant process that would fund efforts vital to our Strategic Plan. Here are the latest winners of the Wall Fund grants:

The Tulane Center for River-Ocean Studies will receive $250,000 over two years to further its river-related research. This will improve the visibility of the center, thus increasing the likelihood of it being named a National Science Foundation center and receiving federal funding. The proposal for this funding was submitted by Brent McKee, Doug Meffert, and Tom Bianchi.

Neurosciences undergraduate education will receive $200,000 over three years. This will enhance teaching in an area that is of critical importance to Tulane. The proposal for this funding was submitted by Richard Harlan, Gary Dohanich, and David Hurley.

The College of Human and Urban Ecology, a proposed program at Tulane, will receive an initial planning grant of $50,000 with additional funds up to $489,806 available over three years, contingent on its meeting established benchmarks. The proposal for this funding was submitted by Ana Lopez, Ron Marks, Don Gatzke and others.

The Biosafety Level-3 Facilities at the Health Sciences Center will receive $500,000 for upgrades to strengthen Tulane’s research competitiveness in bioterrorism, infectious diseases, vaccine research, and the study of pathogens of medical and public health importance. The proposal for this funding was submitted by Scott Michael and Robert Garry.

I, along with 11 of my fellow university presidents, attended a seminar at Wake Forest University this week on presidential leadership. Sponsored by the Center for Creative Leadership, the seminar’s subjects ranged from leadership in times of crises to the various roles presidents play on campus. The seminar gave me the time to reflect and write on the topic of leadership. I will find a way to share my thoughts on this subject with you for your feedback in the near future. The seminar was a vivid reminder that it is a privilege to serve in a leadership capacity at a great institution like Tulane.

Have a great weekend,

TULANE TALK

September 12, 2003

Good Morning:

I am pleased to announce that Yunfeng Lu, assistant professor of chemical engineering, is the first recipient of the Presidential Early Career Development Award. This award honors outstanding Tulane scientists and engineers who show exceptional potential in the early stages of their careers. As part of this honor Yunfeng will receive $20,000 per year for the next three years to further his work.

Since he arrived at Tulane in 2001, Yunfeng has secured more than $1 million in research grants and won several major awards. He has published widely in scientific journals and has applied for 17 patents, almost half of which have already been issued. Yunfeng also represents the very best of Tulane in the dedication and care he shows for his students. He is well-deserving of this honor, which is provided through the Lallage Feazel Wall Fund, an $18 million bequest Tulane received in 1999.

Maybe one day, some years from now, Yunfeng will teach some of the young students from Audubon Montessori we are currently hosting. About 40 pre-kindergarten students are attending classes at our Uptown Square facilities as they await the arrival of new classrooms at their school. We are delighted to host these little learners.

This week I spent several days in Chicago and Washington on national issues impacting higher education. These ranged from the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act to intercollegiate athletics. The reauthorization issue is particularly important to our universities and is a high priority of the ACE. I will give you an update on these issues when I meet with the various university groups this fall.

Have a good weekend,

TULANE TALK

August 29, 2003

Good Morning:

After two years of hard work the President’s Special Task Force on Diversity has issued its report on the state of diversity and equity at Tulane University. Besides assessing our current status in this vital area, the report also makes recommendations for creating a more open, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff.

The full report is now available for viewing at the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, the Rudolph Matas Medical School Library and in my office. We will also have a copy in the Primate Center next week. A summary of the report and its recommendations is also available at http://www2.tulane.edu/diversity_survey.cfm

I will begin discussing the report and ways to implement its recommendations with the Administrative Council and other key university leadership groups this week. The whole university owes a debt of gratitude to the 12 members of the task force, its co-chairs Wendy Scott and Mary Anderson and all the support staff who made the task force a success.

While diversity is a crucial part of Tulane’s strategic plan, I’m hoping that we will all look the same this Labor Day as the Green Wave kicks off its regular season against last year’s Conference USA co-champions TCU. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. We hope that all Tulane fans will wear green at the game. This will offer viewers across the nation a great image of Tulane unity as they see a literal Green Wave of support for our team. I can’t wait to see you at the game.

Have a great Labor Day weekend,

TULANE TALK

July 16, 2003

Good Morning:

Hope you are enjoying your summer. I wanted to share with you the exciting news that former CNN chairman Walter Isaacson, renowned cardiovascular surgeon Elias Hanna, international utilities executive Richard Schmidt and pioneering neurosurgeon Charles B. Wilson have joined the Board of Tulane, the university’s main governing body.

Walter Isaacson, a native of New Orleans, began his journalism career as a reporter for The Sunday Times of London before joining the staff of the New Orleans States-Item. In 1978 he was hired by Time magazine where he became the magazine’s national affairs editor, assistant managing editor and, in 1995, its managing editor. In 1993, he was named the editor of New Media for Time Inc. and helped launch the Internet service Pathfinder and the cable online service RoadRunner. He also oversaw Time for Kids, Time online and other franchises. From July 2001 to January 2003, Walter served as the chairman and CEO of CNN. He was appointed president and CEO of the Washington-based Aspen Institute in January 2003. Walter is a graduate of Harvard College and of Pembroke College of Oxford University. He is the author of several books, including the newly-released “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.” Before joining the Board of Tulane, Walter was a member of the Tulane President’s Council.

Elias S. Hanna, an alumnus of the University of Texas and a graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine, has been an active cardiac surgeon since 1971 both in the U.S. and abroad. He is the founder and president of the Elias S. Hanna, M.D. Cardiovascular Foundation, a charitable organization that assists countries that do not have the capabilities to perform open-heart surgery. He is also the owner of the Hanna Winery, located in Santa Rosa California, which he founded in 1985. In addition to his membership on the Board of Tulane, Elias is a member of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center 170th Anniversary Committee and a member of the Tulane Medical Alumni Association.

Richard K. Schmidt, of Fairfield, CT, is president and CEO of Kelda Inc, the North American division of the England-based Kelda plc, one of the largest water and wastewater companies in the world. He is also president and CEO of Aquarion, one the largest water and wastewater utilities in the United States. Prior to joining Aquarion, Richard was president and chief operating officer of Mechanical Technology, Inc., a supplier of automated test equipment and contract engineering services to the aerospace and electronics industries. Before that, he co-founded Gundle, the largest worldwide manufacturer and installer of synthetic membrane liners used for environmental protection. Richard started his career in 1971 at Ecodyne Corporation. He received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s in environmental engineering from Tulane. He earned a doctorate in environmental engineering from the University of Texas, and completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. In addition to serving on the Kelda plc Board, Richard serves on the Board of the United Way. He is also chairman of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, a board member of St. Vincent’s Medical Center, past president of the Tulane Alumni Association and a a member of the Tulane Engineering Board of Advisors.

Charles Wilson, of San Francisco, graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University’s College of Arts and Sciences (now Tulane College). He received his medical and neurosurgical training at Tulane Medical School before obtaining faculty appointments at Tulane, LSU and the University of Kentucky. A pioneer in the surgery of pituitary tumors, Charles served as Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and Director of the Brain Tumor Research Center at the University of California at San Francisco beginning in 1968. He retired as Chairman of the Department in 1994 to pursue new interests. While continuing an active practice, Charles obtained a Master’s degree in Health Administration and became a Senior Fellow at the Institute for the Future, a long-range forecasting organization in Menlo Park, CA. More recently he joined the staff of the Health Technology Center, also a long-range forecasting think tank, in San Francisco. His current research involves emerging medical technologies, particularly those related to molecular genetics. He is the author of more than 600 scientific publications. Among other appointments, Charles recently completed a term on the National Cancer Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine. At Tulane, he is a member of the President’s Council, the Leadership Committee, the Health Sciences Center Board of Governors and the Health Sciences Center 170th Anniversary Committee.