Whether conducting a meeting on university finances or joining students to cheer the Green Wave on to victory, Dr. Scott S. Cowen approaches life as Tulane's 14th President with an energetic, open and engaging style.

In addition to his position as president, Dr. Cowen also holds a joint appointment as the Seymour S Goodman Memorial Professor of Business in Tulane's A.B. Freeman School of Business and Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Cowen came to Tulane in 1998 from Case Western Reserve University where he was a member of the faculty for 23 years and Dean and Albert J. Weatherhead, III Professor of Management of its Weatherhead School of Management for 14 years.

At Tulane Dr. Cowen has initiated a strategic plan that encompasses every aspect of the University but has as its single purpose the goal of enhancing Tulane's position as one of the most distinguished research institutions in the country.

The plan focuses on building a distinctive undergraduate experience; strengthening the University's research and graduate programs, especially in the sciences and engineering; expanding the University's community, regional and international partnerships and further developing its technology infrastructure, including its distance learning capabilities and library system.

Since Dr. Cowen's arrival in 1998, the university has realized a 50 percent increase in undergraduate applications, all time highs in student enrollment and quality, a doubling of total private giving to the university and a record level of research awards. The university has implemented a number of innovative academic and research program initiatives and significantly increased its community outreach. In recognition of these efforts, Newsweek magazine listed Tulane University as one of the "hottest" schools in the U.S. in 2001.

Dr. Cowen holds several leadership positions in national academic and professional associations. He is currently a board member of the American Council on Education, a member of its Nominating Committee, Executive Committee and Chair of the Planning Committee for its annual meeting in 2003. He is also a board member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and past president of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. Dr. Cowen is the co-author of four books and has published more than 60 articles in academic and professional journals on issues dealing with corporate governance, strategic planning and the development of financial management systems.

Besides his achievements in the academic world, Dr. Cowen also has extensive experience in business as a corporate director and consultant. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., American Greetings Corporation, Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. and Forest City Enterprises Inc. He has also consulted with dozens of companies, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, during his professional career. In addition, he sits on several community boards, including the New Orleans Business Council, Committee For A Better New Orleans, New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Greater New Orleans.

A recipient of several honors and awards, including the Torch of Learning from Hebrew University and the Torch of Liberty from the Anti-Defamation League, Dr. Cowen is also the only academic inductee into the School of Business Hall of Fame at the University of Connecticut. He was also named The George Washington University Distinguished Alumni Scholar for 1998-99.

Dr. Cowen received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut and his master's and doctoral degrees in business administration from The George Washington University. He and his wife, Marjorie, are the parents of four adult children.

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