<p>What would we do? What everyone else would do, pick up the pieces and move on. I respect anyone's decision to avoid trauma, but where does it end? Rule out California or west coast schools because of earthquake possibilities. All the Texas, Guld Coast, and mid-Atlantic coast schools are at risk too.</p>
<p>"But, the basic question that each student must ask of any school still remains: what is there at ___ U. for me. "</p>
<p>And it would behoove each student to ask if what they see in the school will still be there in four years. When you make an investment that could total well past $160,000 the ability of the school to fulfill its promises becomes critical and there is seldom a better yardstick to measure future performance than past performance. There are no ironclad guarantees in life and change is as inevitable as the relentless march of time or the surge of storm driven tides, but one would hope that an institution one is investing huge sums of money, time, and effort in would have the ability to manage change in a manner to minimize its impact on those to whom it has made a commitment.</p>
<p>In my neck of the woods, some of us worry about the next terrorist attack. We live our lives normally, but that doesn't mean we don't worry about it. </p>
<p>My d watched the towers fall from her 8th grade classroom. I wasn't looking up, but I heard the impact of the first plane. My goal? To get her as far away from here as possible. Is it rational? Of course not. I'm sane enough to know I'm insane! But, the risks of another devastating hurricane seem tame in comparison ... at least in my irrational mother's mind. It's all relative.</p>
<p>My worry isn't another hurricane; I'm worried abour Tulane being able to stay in New Orleans as the school our children were first interested in.</p>
<p>Call me a coward, but I'm not moving my child to a 4 year school only to have the school not be able to make a go of it. I wish nothing but the best for Tulane. My son will be a member of the 2006 graduating class and I want him to be proud of the fact that his school will make a huge comeback. I just don't feel comfortable having my next child attend.</p>
<p>I fully understand Pokey -- you've paid your dues. But, my d loves the city, loves the university ... and thinks it will be exciting/rewarding to be part of the revival. Am I without fears? Not at all. But, I've always been one to route for the underdog and I just don't have the heart to discourage her.</p>
<p>Edited to add: She's not quite ready to make a final decision. But, as of now, Tulane is definitely in her top 3.</p>
<p>cato, and prey tell exactly how Tulane has not tried to minimize the impact of its decision? How would you have handled this crisis? What changes would you have rather seen?</p>
<p>I have no answer, nor do I have any reason to disbelieve those that had to make the tough choices that followed Katrina that what it did was in their view the best course of action to take for Tulane's long-term survival. It is easy to be critcal; much harder to solve the problems.</p>
<p>"tell exactly how Tulane has not tried to minimize the impact of its decision?"</p>
<p>When it decided to put off the announcement of the closing of the School of Engineering until Dec 8 in order to forestall students and faculty from transferring out. When it decided to close the school in May 2007 effectively meaning freshmen and sophomores could not graduate. When it took the money of parents and students for the Fall when it knew they would not be able to graduate. When it forced new freshmen to attend three schools in three semesters just so they could collect two semesters of tuition money.</p>
<p>That is one thing I would have done differently.</p>
<p>I might add, that if Tulane would open its financial records in a public forum and prove exigency, it might answer many questions. The feeling among many is that Katrina provided the opportunity for Cowen to achieve goals he otherwise might not have been able to accomplish. Goals that did not require all of the cuts that were made. A frank and open discussion with financials open to scrutiny could quiet the critics if in fact he and the board can back their actions with facts and figures.</p>
<p>Perhaps he or the board will.</p>
<p>I am just courious. End of August hurricane hits; early-December decision announced. 90 days of confusion and mobilzation; the first 30 taking care of the students and faculty needing options for the Fall. And, in that time also making sure the campus is ready for Spring arrivals.</p>
<p>I understand that eliminating the Eng. program gored your oxes, I am am really sorry for that-- truly. It is not like my son has not lost many freinds to the decisions that were made. </p>
<p>But, I wonder how much sooner a rationale decision could have been made given all that had to be accomplished in 90 days?</p>
<p>Well just for the record I don't recall Tulane taking care of anything for my family. Hell I didn't even get a letter from them until well into November. Mike Brown ran a tighter ship at FEMA than they did. If Cowen had Roosevelt's job on Pearl Harbor we'd all be speaking Japanese by now.</p>
<p>Thanks to Cowen the school now has a reputation for being untrustworthy. That is the kiss of death for any business, and as near as I can tell the only way the school can go about restoring its reputation is to can the administration.</p>
<p>Believe me I understand how a parent with a kid who loves the school would be loathe to to criticize the place. You don't need the famly strife and you don't want to see the kids illusions shattered. But we are adults and we have seen the way the world works. Can you honestly tell me that you would let your kid apply to Tulane in the present circumstances? People don't make 4 year $160,000 commitments to businesses that have shown they cannot be trusted to fulfill their end of the contract. Or at least they don't in my neighborhood.</p>
<p>Yes, I can honestly state as a parent that I did allow my child to apply and will permit her to attend if it's her first choice come late April. I'm willing to give Scott Cowen the benefit of the doubt. He made an unpopular decision that he believed was in the best long-term interest of the University. Only time will tell if it was a good decision or not (and I would never expect there to be 100% consensus either way).</p>
<p>Thank you, jersey44. I, too, would allow my son to do the same thing this year that he did last year. The negative perspective is NOT the only one out there. I have never known my son to be happier than he is right now, at Tulane. </p>
<p>I do NOT see Tulane or its admin. as untrustworthy. I see them as having taken great care of my son in extraordinary circumstances. I have contacted three different members of the upper administration at different times for small matters, and in every case, I have had my e-mails returned within the hour with personal, useful responses. that never would have happened at Enormous U, where I attended, even as long ago as I was there.</p>
<p>My son missed no school because we paid attention to what was going on, and he will come out ahead because of the tuition-free short semester. And, again, the bottom line is that he was well cared for and is now very happy and is doing what he wants to do. I can't ask for more, personally. In the larger context, NOLA needs Tulane, so there's every reason to want the institution to get back on its feet in as thorough a way as possible. I don't understand the goals behind putting the worst possible face on harsh events when your own child attends the school, myself.</p>
<p>"My son missed no school because we paid attention to what was going on..."</p>
<p>Please don't insinuate that the blind sided parents and students had any way to know ahead what was happening. My husband and I were at his long service banquet touting our son's education at Tulane and his eagerness to return. I left for a few minutes to phone home and check on D and see how things were when S dropped the bombshell. He was beside himself. Fast work on his part got him in at his host school. As a sophomore, he wasn't offered the $2,000 and help - only finishing up at UNO which doesn't even offer his major. He's playing in the band at his new school and has been asked by the dean to serve on the engineering advisory board, so life is going on and rebuilding. He still misses WTUL and TECHS as well as his profs. I'm not saying he ended up worse off, but he would have loved to graduate from Tulane. Now that won't happen, and many questions remain unanswered.</p>
<p>I'm sorry you feel insulted. I was referring to last September.</p>
<p>Cato: If you have not seen what the adminstration has done for the students, then resepctfully, you have had your eyes closed. First, Tulane had a disaster plan in effect that safely removed and relocated all of those on campus to Jackson, MS. After the storm hit and passed Jackson, they had buses ready to move those evacuated students to either Dallas or Atlanta for flights home. There are parents on this board who's kids benefitted from this planning and action -- me included. Perhaps you are not aware that my son is a member of TEMS and was one of those 20 Tulane kids who made sure that kids like yours were safe in Jackson.</p>
<p>Arranging for visiting student status, removing the med school to Houston, getting Balfour on campus ASAP, were all things designed to benefit students.</p>
<p>And, to answer your direct question, yes I have one college-bound child at home (my second choose to go to Whitman), who is not only thinking about applying to Tulane, but is being encouraged by her parents to do so.</p>
<p>Perhaps it all comes down to YMMV (your mileage may vary). I see an adminstration forced to make tough choices, and I fully acknowledge that if those tough choices included eliminating my son's program I would probably feel differently. But, unless I missed something in your post, I did not see where your child's program was cut in the same manner that so affected Along's family.</p>
<p>Finally, I still have not heard how you would have done anything differently had you been in charge.</p>
<p>So essentially what you are telling me concerneddad is "If it is not a problem for me it is not a problem."</p>
<p>But the problem is you will eventually find that it IS a problem for you too. Right now you are very happy because Cowen screwed the other guy and passed the savings on to you. But the thing is the sort of person who will screw the other guy without a qualm will screw you without one too given the chance or the need. The harm comes to the institution when its potential clients and benefactors realize their vulnerability and avoid the place.</p>
<p>What some see as disloyalty and petulance when I criticize the administration should not be misinterpreted as hatred of the school anymore then a persons strong dislike of a given administration in Washington or city hall should be taken as hatred of ones country or home town. In fact my strong feelings against what is happening are directly proportional to my love of Tulane the school. It seems that for some their loyalty to the administration exceeds their loyalty to the school and I am not sure what the basis of that loyalty is.</p>
<p>I simply don't believe you, Cato. You say you love the school, yet you post statements about the SCHOOL's having a reputation of being untrustworthy (you're the only one here saying so), the SCHOOL having had the kiss of death (again, only to you), and "nobody" wanting their kid to apply there (again, speak for yourself!). These statements are not directed at the administration; they are clearly intended to denigrate the institution you say your child attends. </p>
<p>I don't even understand why you are on this forum , given your obvious intent and under those circumstances. To make other people unhappy? To vent your spleen at having been so silly for allowing your kid to return to an institution you so clearly despise? Or simply to try to undermine that institution's reputation?</p>
<p>cato: I cite facts; you cite opinion. Fine, but unless you have some facts to discuss, this conversation is over.</p>
<p>You remind me of my son when the fateful day came around to discuss the existence of Santa Claus. When we gave him the explanation that he represents the spirit of the season and the brotherhood of man etc etc he looked up with big brown eyes and, "OK lets never talk about it again."</p>
<p>Sorry but your hero is tearing apart a great institution and I have hardly been alone on this board criticizing him. This school has been around for more than 170 years. It has survived river floods, fires, hurricanes, plagues, a civil war, reconstruction, carpetbaggers, two world wars, and more depressions than you can shake a stick at. It will survive Cowen too but thw quicker he is gone the better shape we will be in and if his sychophant followers want to go with him they won't really be missed either - after all they are the ones who want to screw fellow Tulanians so their programs will not be cut.</p>
<p>Once again, and abudance of opinion with no facts behind it. You really do not wish to examine what anyone has to say, you are having your little rant and just want to hear the sound of your own voice.</p>
<p>Fine, I think we have heard you loud and clear. Now I think is it time you either say something relevant, of move on to another place to speard your message of doom and gloom.</p>
<p>Oh, and if you really want to voice your displeaure with the Tulane adminstration in a meaningful way, transfer your child out.</p>
<p>And, for the umpteenth time, I have the greatest sympathy for those kids and parents who have seen their programs cut. You are just so blinded by your own rage that you cannot, or will not, read what is on the page in front of you.</p>