TULANE TALK

March 1, 2013

Good Morning:

It is Friday, March 1, and an event that was unthinkable one year ago – federal budget sequestration – is likely to occur at 11:59 EST this evening. Congress designed sequestration to be so draconian – involving an automatic $85 billion slashing of both defense and domestic programs – that it would force our elected representatives to agree on a sensible, alternative deal to address the federal deficit. That will probably not happen and the “blunt” instrument of sequestration will deliver a significant body blow to a broad spectrum of federally funded programs, including student financial aid, university-based research and scholarship, and Medicare reimbursements to healthcare providers.

Right now, because of a lack of clear guidance from Washington, most institutions are still struggling to understand what sequestration means for their respective organizations. We have, for some time, been assessing the likely impact on Tulane for this fiscal year and the next if the budget impasse continues.

Fortunately, for the time being, we believe these cuts will not have a significant impact on the financial aid we provide for students. The cuts may, however, have a more profound impact on programs which rely heavily on funding from federal agencies targeted for cuts, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Provost Michael Bernstein and Dr. Laura Levy, Tulane’s vice president for research, are working with the deans of affected schools to develop action steps to mitigate any adverse impact of sequestration. I will keep you posted as we learn more working with the deans and following how Congress will deal with sequestration.

It is unfortunate that our elected officials in Washington have not yet come to terms with the critical financial issues facing the country. The inability to find common ground thus far has created unnecessary instability in the economy and made it much more difficult for organizations to plan for the future. I hope Congress and the president come together today or as quickly as possible in a spirit of bipartisanship to develop a long-term deficit reduction plan that is balanced – one that preserves critical investments in student aid, research and education that allow our country to prosper through continued innovation and economic growth. This is what university presidents from around the country have been urging our leaders to do for quite some time. Here is a link to a http 153 university presidents, including me, sent to President Obama and congressional leaders back in July. And I wrote this http-ed for The Huffington Post on the same subject in December. And here is a page of http Asked Questions regarding sequestration.

I will discuss the impact of sequestration and other national and Tulane-specific issues in a live chat at http on Monday, March 4.

Hope you can join me,

TULANE TALK

February 8, 2013

Good Morning:

The good times just keep rolling. Last weekend we hosted the Super Bowl. This weekend we welcome the world back to town to celebrate Mardi Gras. Tulane is heavily involved in the fun ó with faculty, students and staff riding in parades throughout the city and our marching band performing in the Krewe d’Etat, Bacchus and Rex parades.

After Mardi Gras, we will keep the good times rolling and good deeds doing. From 4 to 6 p.m. on Ash Wednesday, the Tulane Interfraternity Council will host the First Annual Bead Tree Bonanza at the famous http Tree on the Gibson Quad. Everyone is encouraged to bring their bags of beads to the tree. Once there, you can add your own contribution to the Bead Tree and donate the rest to Arc Enterprises, which offers employment opportunities and independence to people with intellectual and related developmental disabilities.

Finally, to ensure our good time is a safe time for ourselves and others, please review these Mardi Gras http tips. They are designed specifically for our students but include good advice for everyone.

Have a great Mardi Gras weekend,

TULANE TALK

January 25, 2013

Good Morning:

Just before Thanksgiving we announced the exciting news that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters and deliver the keynote address to graduates at Tulane University’s 2013 Commencement. This might be news enough for most schools, but at Tulane we want to make sure that our Commencement memories last a lifetime. So, in addition to the Dalai Lama, we will award honorary degrees to three other remarkable people who have made lasting contributions to New Orleans and the world. These include:

• Dr. John, the Grammy Award-winning musician, whose one-of-a-kind blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm and blues, psychedelic rock and Creole roots music has gained him worldwide acclaim. The creator of hits such as “Right Place Wrong Time” and “Such a Night,” Dr. John has also been a tireless advocate for New Orleans recovery, through fundraising concerts and recordings. We will show our gratitude by awarding the good doctor an honorary doctor of fine arts.

• Allen Toussaint, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of contemporary music’s most influential songwriters, composers and producers. “Southern Nights,” “Working in a Coal Mine,” “Mother-in-Law” and “Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley,” are just a few of the hit songs authored by this New Orleans native. His collaboration with Elvis Costello, “The River in Reverse,” was the first major album recorded in New Orleans after Katrina. Toussaint has been helping to keep New Orleans music alive and thriving for decades, and we will be honored to award him an honorary doctor of fine arts.

• Natasha Trethewey, the United States poet laureate and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Her first book of poems, Domestic Work, was selected by former Poet Laureate Rita Dove as winner of the inaugural 1999 Cave Canem Poetry Prize. Other works include Bellocq’s Ophelia, Native Guard and Thrall. Trethewey, a native of Gulfport, Miss., also published Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which details the struggles of her Mississippi family in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In recognition of her poetry that has helped a nation and a region make sense of their experiences, we will award Trethewey a doctor of humane letters.

With our speaker, honorary degree recipients and outstanding graduates, this is certainly shaping up to be a truly memorable Commencement.

Have a great weekend,

TULANE TALK

December 21, 2012

Before you head home for the break, Marjorie and I wanted to send you our best wishes for a happy and peaceful holiday and a prosperous and joyful New Year.

We also wanted to share with you some moments and memories that remind us of how blessed we are to share in the warmth and friendship of the Tulane community during this special season and throughout the year.