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| Page 2 of 2 AND NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS
Despite smaller-than-anticipated numbers of incoming students this fall, we had more than 93 percent of our full-time undergraduates return to Tulane this past spring, and we expect a high percentage of those who did not graduate to return this fall. We anticipate our fulltime undergraduate population to be just more than 5,100 students. While this represents a 23 percent reduction from our pre-Katrina undergraduate population, it is consistent with the Renewal Plan. We remain committed to making Tulane smaller and stronger, with the same level of high-quality students in our entering classes. I’m pleased to say we have been able to adhere to these goals. Moving beyond fiscal matters, we continue to work to ensure that our students, faculty and staff have the best possible conditions in which to spend their time at Tulane University. The turnover of faculty for this academic year is less than anticipated and we have been successful in recruiting full-time faculty in needed areas. Our goal of enhancing undergraduate education will benefit from our smaller size in terms of the percentage of full-time faculty teaching undergraduates, and the increased number of opportunities for undergraduates to participate in academic and community-based programming. Finally, enrollments in our professional and graduate schools are consistent with our original projections.
In the meantime, exciting things are going on at the university as phases of the Renewal Plan went into effect on July 1. I’m pleased to say that the new Center for Public Service is up and running at full speed. An outgrowth of our already successful Service Learning program, the center is coordinating academic and public service opportunities throughout the university and providing support to faculty members as they work public service components into their courses. Our faculty, staff and students are all excited about the possibilities this center offers, particularly given the great needs of New Orleans as rebuilding takes place. Other Renewal Plan changes that went into effect on July 1 include: the formation of the single Newcomb-Tulane College, which will allow all incoming students, regardless of gender or major, to enjoy a common undergraduate experience and basic curriculum; the name change of University College to the School of Continuing Studies, which better reflects its mission and integration within the university; the transfer of master’s- and doctoral-level program administration into their academic departments rather than a separate Graduate School; and the creation of an Academic Advising Center. The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute also began its new role of enhancing the education of all women students, carrying forward the legacy of Newcomb College.
Our capital projects continue to progress as well. The renovated Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life (formerly known as the University Center) is scheduled for dedication on Dec. 6, and we have resumed the major renovation and expansion of Turchin Stadium, home of our outstanding Green Wave baseball program. With Tulane’s acquisition of the Papillon Apartments early last spring, we now have the housing flexibility to proceed with plans to tear down Rosen House to provide much-needed parking space on campus and an improved “front door” on Claiborne Avenue. At our Health Sciences Center campus in downtown New Orleans, the School of Medicine completed its move to the 1555 Poydras building, where a state-of-the-art student center has been completed and renovation work continues on a new clinical skills facility and small group classrooms. There is also exciting news on the research front. We recently announced that Tulane will open a Good Manufacturing Practice facility in partnership with the Louisiana Gene Therapy Research Consortium. The GMP facility is the first of its kind in the state dedicated to producing adult stem cells for clinical trials. It is an example of the kind of forward-focused work being done at all levels and in all academic areas of the university. A POSITIVE FUTURE
Despite the challenges, I am very optimistic about the future of Tulane University. This year, I will focus our attention on a number of objectives, a few of which are outlined below. Read them in full at http://www2.tulane.edu/president_objectives_2007.cfm. A sampling of our 2007 goals includes:
IN CONCLUSION Tulane University has been blessed with a talented core of faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends who have stuck with us during the challenges of the past year. Personally, I am very committed to the recovery of New Orleans and the university and will continue to guide us through this process. There is no challenge too difficult to overcome and anything other than success is not an option. As always, I welcome your thoughts and reactions. Sincerely,
Scott S. Cowen |
