Tulane Talk May 16, 2012
TULANE TALK
May 16, 2012
Dear Tulanians:
Today Tulane University filed suit in Civil District Court against the City of New Orleans. The suit seeks to prevent the creation of the proposed Interim Zoning District (IZD), which the New Orleans City Council approved in a 4-2 vote at its May 3 meeting.
The IZD would place a moratorium on issuing building permits for Tulane’s new stadium, as well as other possible university projects. The IZD could also impose similar restrictions on projects planned by other local universities and colleges in the proposed IZD (e.g. Xavier, Loyola and Delgado).
City law provides a 15-day window to file a suit appealing a final decision by the city council. Since May 3 could be considered the date of final decision by the council, Tulane had to file this suit now to protect its rights.
However, this filing will in no way impede the http conversations we are having with our neighbors, the Mayor and other appropriate city officials to resolve the issues over the construction of the new stadium.
We are committed to finding common ground and looking forward to the day when all parties are enjoying games at Tulane stadium, cheering for the same side. Here is a http release we issued today on this issue.
Tulane Talk May 11, 2012
TULANE TALK
While we are gearing up to celebrate the class of 2012’s achievements at next week’s Commencement, we are also keeping an eye on the new undergraduate class that will arrive in August. So far, we like what we see. In fact, we are bowled over.
This year’s incoming class will be one of the largest, most diverse and academically qualified in Tulane’s history. Its test scores are the highest of any incoming class in Tulane’s history and more than 16 percent of its 1,650 members come from underrepresented minority groups. In fact, 10 of the new students will come from the New Orleans http chapter Tulane recently helped establish. We have made sure that we will have ample on-campus housing, course sections and programming for these newest Tulanians.
After Katrina, many thought Tulane might be so desperate for students it would lower its admission standards. The exact opposite is happening. Since Katrina, we have accepted about 25 percent of the students who apply to Tulane. In 2003, two years before Katrina, our acceptance rate was 55 percent; in 2000, it was 73 percent. Our yield rate — the percentage of accepted students who actually enroll at Tulane — has also risen 10 points since 2006.
Students are willing to come a long way for a Tulane education. The typical member of the class of 2016 will travel an average of 890 miles to attend Tulane. A third of our first-year students come from the Northeast and another 13 percent hail from the Pacific West. Thirty percent of the incoming class is from New York, Illinois or California.
Many businesses timed their re-opening after Katrina to coincide with the return of Tulane students. Six years later, Tulane students are making an economic impact even before they officially join the Tulane community. Spending by prospective students and their parents who visit Tulane is the equivalent of a major convention returning every year to New Orleans.
So the class of 2016 is great news for Tulane and for the city in which these students will live, eat, study and volunteer for the next four years and beyond. I can’t wait to meet them.
Have a good weekend,
Tulane Talk May 04, 2012
TULANE TALK
May 4, 2012
Good Morning:
As you may know, the City Council voted 4-2 yesterday to approve Councilmember Susan Guidry’s motion to create an Interim Zoning District (IZD), which could have an adverse impact on specific universities and certain projects. This motion, no matter how packaged, was really about Tulane Stadium.
As I and others stated at the meeting, the approved motion is unfair, discriminatory and inconsistent with sound public policy because we believe it is tantamount to “spot zoning.” We are fighting both for the stadium project and the principle of good public policy. We are supportive of substantive interaction with our neighbors throughout the process but do not feel the vehicle being proposed by the City Council is the correct one.
Tulane and other universities are concerned about the motion’s impact on our campuses and the signal it may send to others interested in coming to or expanding their operations in New Orleans. What happened to Tulane and other universities yesterday could happen to anyone tomorrow. Gratefully, Mayor Landrieu came out strongly in opposition of the City Council’s position and has threatened to veto an IZD ordinance.
Despite this temporary setback, I want to thank all of you who heeded our Call to Action. I also want to assure you that we are moving ahead with the planning for the stadium and its opening in Fall 2014.
The overwhelming public support for Tulane University also helped to ensure that the Howard-Tilton Library project did not fall prey to the restrictions of the approved motion. Its demise or delay almost became one of the unintended consequences of this motion but at the last minute Councilmember Guidry, at our request, amended her motion in such a way that it removed the library from further scrutiny.
I also want you to know that despite any differences we have with our neighbors we are committed to continue working with them to find common ground on issues of disagreement. We are proud to be located in this part of New Orleans and I believe our neighbors are pleased we are here as well. We may periodically have disagreements but there is absolutely no animosity; instead, there is mutual respect.
I mention all of this because of our commitment to community engagement and building partnerships. Nothing that happened yesterday deters us from this goal. In fact, immediately following the City Council hearing, I had an informal conversation with a few people who spoke in favor of the motion and we readily agreed we did not want yesterday’s hearing to cause a rift between us. We agreed to continue discussions regarding the stadium project, regardless of the City Council action.
Have a good weekend,
Tulane Talk April 27, 2012
TULANE TALK
April 27, 2012
Good Morning:
Monday found me in New York City for “Beads on Broadway,” an annual gathering of Tulane’s many alumni, parents and friends in the New York area. Now in its fourth year, this event continues to grow in popularity, along with the burgeoning enrollment of Tulane students from New York.
This year’s gala, dubbed “…And All Dat Jazz,” celebrated the legendary jazz recordings that have come out of New Orleans and New York. Nearly 700 Tulanians attended this special evening, which gave us the opportunity to present the http’s Medal to Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin for the support the foundation has given both Tulane and New Orleans. I was also honored to present the President’s Medal to TremÈ star Wendell Pierce in recognition of his commitment to restore the historic New Orleans neighborhood of Pontchartrain Park.
The evening was hosted by Tulane alumnus and Mad Men star Bryan Batt and included performances by Tony award-winning actress Nikki M. James from Broadway’s The Book of Mormon and Daniel Reichard, a leading member of the original cast of Broadway’s Jersey Boys.
Most importantly, the evening was a reminder of the ties that bind two great American cities. New Orleans and New York are truly kindred spirits, from the resilience of their people in the face of tragedy to their love of great music, food and all things Tulane. Natives of both New Orleans and New York even share a similar accent. And dat’s the truth.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk April 20, 2012
TULANE TALK
April 20, 2012
Good Morning:
I have often written about the commitment of Tulane students to the larger New Orleans community. Tomorrow’s http will highlight yet another increasingly popular dimension of this commitment.
What began as a small, student-centered event in 2007 has grown into a community celebration that recently topped a list, published in The Huffington Post, of the country’s best college music festivals.
Crawfest will take place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 21 on the LBC Quad. It will feature 12 bands, numerous local food and art vendors, 17,000 pounds of crawfish and between 10,000 and 12,000 students, faculty, staff and neighbors.
I am proud of our students for organizing and promoting this popular and fun event completely on their own and for ensuring that the good times are available to all. That is the New Orleans and Tulane spirit.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk April 13, 2012
TULANE TALK
April 13, 2012
Good Morning:
While most of New Orleans may be gearing up for French Quarter Festival this weekend and Jazz Fest around the corner, I think there’s another celebration that’s even more momentous.
Of course, I may be a little biased because it involves an initiative Tulane is deeply committed to providing high quality, neighborhood-based health care. Next week, residents of TremÈ, Mid-City and nearby neighborhoods will get their first look at the newly opened Ruth U. Fertel/Tulane Community Health Center and Brinton Family Health & Healing Center. The clinic recently moved from Covenant House into a newly renovated 11,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility on Broad Street that used to be Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
What originally started as an emergency health station in the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina?” little more than a sidewalk card table and ice chest has blossomed into one of the city’s finest community health clinics. While the center’s size and address may have changed since its humble beginnings, its mission has not. It is still dedicated to delivering high quality, cost-effective health care to all, whether they have insurance or not, with the goal of creating a healthier New Orleans.
The open house, which will include tours of the center, is from 3 to 5 p.m., Friday, April 20, at 711 N. Broad St.
Please join me in welcoming them to the neighborhood.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk March 30, 2012
TULANE TALK
March 30, 2012
Good Morning:
This will be an unusually brief Tulane Talk because we are up to our ears with all the community events that are part of Final Four weekend, which officially started last night. We are so pleased that the national spotlight is again shining on New Orleans. I doubt there are many cities that can pull off an event of this magnitude with so much excitement and fun for everyone. You will be hearing about this for the next four days in all the national and local http.
In addition to preparing for the Final Four, several members of the senior leadership team, including me, met with student leaders this week to discuss topics of mutual interest. The topics ranged from crime and safety to tuition policies to the proposed new stadium. It was an extremely productive meeting and one I will write about in subsequent Tulane Talks this semester. These luncheons with student leaders occur every year and are an excellent forum for discussion of issues on the minds of students.
Next week there will be no Tulane Talk because of the holiday break, which begins on Friday. I wish you a peaceful and relaxing few days off.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk March 23, 2012
TULANE TALK
March 23, 2012
Good Morning:
By this time next week New Orleans will be caught up in the excitement surrounding the 2012 NCAAÆ Men’s Final FourÆ. As the local host institution, Tulane, along with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the city of New Orleans and others, is helping to support numerous community events in the week leading up to the games that will crown college basketball’s national champion.
Starting next week, the NCAA, Tulane and their other partners will refurbish basketball courts and make other improvements at local schools and gyms. We will bring local schoolchildren to the http Dat Youth Farm to plant citrus trees with Tulane’s student-athletes and learn about future educational and job opportunities.
Tulane is also helping to promote the LG Electronics “Do March Right” recycling program, by encouraging everyone to bring their old computers, televisions and other electronics to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Parking Lot 4, on Sunday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for recycling and safe disposal.
We are also promoting the efforts of the NCAA and the National Association of Basketball Coaches to help Samaritan’s Feet and Feed the Hungry distribute 2,012 pairs of shoes and food boxes to kids and families in need in the New Orleans community. In addition we hosted the NCAA’s Career in Sports Forum for our young residents and are hosting the NCAA Hoops Clinics for New Orleans-area youth. We are also promoting the Final Four Friday Youth Day that will include lessons on health, personal responsibility and community engagement and the Final Four Dribble, in which thousands of kids will dribble basketballs from Champions Square to the Convention Center. And, finally, we will have volunteers at all the Final Four’s http events.
The Final Four is an iconic sports event and an important moment for New Orleans. We are so proud to serve as the host institutionóboth for the good of the community and the love of the game.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk March 16, 2012
TULANE TALK
March 16, 2012
Good Morning:
Last week I had the great pleasure of announcing this year’s graduation speaker – New Orleanian, Tulane alumnus and EPA Administrator, http Jackson. This week I am proud to announce the names of those who will receive honorary doctorate degrees and the President’s Medal at Commencement 2012. This year’s honorary doctorate degree recipients are Ruby Bridges, Lisa Jackson and Peter Lax, whose personal stories and historic contributions are truly remarkable. I will also present the President’s Medal to musician Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews for his work on behalf of the children of New Orleans.
Ruby Bridges’ name is synonymous with the civil rights movement. In 1960 when she was 6 years old, Ruby became the first African-American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South. When Ruby, accompanied by four federal marshals, arrived at William Frantz School in New Orleans on Nov. 14, 1960, and saw the barricades, the crowds and the police cars, she thought there was going to be a Mardi Gras parade. What she didn’t realize is that once she walked through the school’s front doors, she had changed our nation forever. Ruby’s brave act helped pave the way for women like Lisa Jackson.
Peter Lax is one of the greatest mathematicians of our time and one of the founders of modern computational mathematics. His theories laid the groundwork for many important developments from weather prediction to airplane design. A longtime professor in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at NYU, Peter has mentored, taught and influenced numerous students, including members of our Math Department faculty. Other faculty throughout our School of Science and Engineering, especially those who work in computational science, have also been influenced by Lax’s pioneering work.
Since entertaining crowds as a 4-year-old in TremÈ, Trombone Shorty has taken his music and his message that New Orleans’ glory days are far from over to the world. He has performed with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Lenny Kravitz and appeared on The Late Show, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the HBO series TremÈ. He also donates instruments to local schoolchildren through his Troy “Trombone Shorty” Horns For Schools Project and speaks to kids about the importance of education. He is a longtime supporter of the city’s Roots of Music program and, at 26, will be the youngest recipient of the President’s Medal.
I hope all of you can attend this year’s commencement and witness our tribute to these wonderful honorees. I am fairly certain I can convince one of them to play a song or two.
Have a great weekend,
Tulane Talk March 09, 2012
TULANE TALK
March 9, 2012
Good Morning:
Each year our commencement celebrates the power of a Tulane education to transform lives. This notion is exemplified by Lisa Jackson, who will be the first Tulane graduate to serve as keynote speaker at our Unified Commencement.
Newsweek named Lisa one of the “Most Important People in 2010.” TIME magazine featured her on its list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” and she was included in Essence magazine’s “40 Women Who Have Influenced the World” issue.
But Lisa’s life began far away from the halls of power. She grew up in the Ninth Ward, a studious and talented young woman. She was first in her class at St. Mary’s Dominican High School. She was also the top student in her class when she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Tulane. She went on to earn her master’s in chemical engineering from Princeton before joining the EPA as a staff-level scientist in 1987. She was appointed EPA Administrator by President Barack Obama in 2008.
Lisa’s career has taken her from the Ninth Ward to the White House, but New Orleans remains her inspiration. She learned about public service from her father, a New Orleans mailman. She learned the consequence of environmental degradation when the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina destroyed her childhood home just days after she had evacuated her mother from it. And she returned home again when the BP oil spill threatened Louisiana. In the aftermath of that disaster, she co-chaired the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which has developed a long-term strategy for saving our coast.
Lisa is using her New Orleans experience to make a lasting difference on the world stage. That is a great message for our graduates, and indeed all of us, to hear. Mark your calendars for http 2012, 9 a.m. May 19 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. I’ll save you a seat.
Have a great weekend,