<p>My daughter has been interested in Tulane for some time. It seems like the parents and students who post here are absolutely amazing in terms of helpfulness and dedication to the school. My I please address an issue with anyone who would care to respond? Namely, we visited Tulane last week and were very impressed with the kindness of the admissions staff, the beauty of the campus, and friendliness of the city. My daughter received a very generous merit aid package that, coupled with Tulane's outstanding academic reputation, makes Tulane a very desirable choice all around. On the way out of what I believe was the Bruff Commons, I scooped up a copy of The Hullabulloo, the Tulane student newspaper. In the second section, there was a Sex column that addressed an issue that is unmentionable here. You can google Tulane Hullabulloo, and go to "Arcade" then "Recent Headlines" to see it for yourselves. This is the March 16 issue. I would appreciate knowing, is this representative of the generally accepted code of conduct at Tulane, or was this printed for shock value? How in the world can the administration allow this content to be published (please, no free speech lectures - some things must be off limits in a publicly circulated campus paper) when they know it would turn many a parent and student in another direction, particularly during a college search? I have not seen anything like it on any other campus that we have toured, public or private. Your thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank you...</p>
<p>I am also not a big fan of that column in at least one sense that you mention, which is that I find it to be overly graphic for a publication that is representing the university at some level. Having said that, I have seen similar items in publications at schools like Yale, Northwestern and others. Perhaps not in the main publication, but whatever it was I read was being distributed on campus. In fact, behavior on the campus at the former school, at least, has been far more reprehensible in this regard than anything I have heard about at Tulane, and at some other schools there have been class demonstrations that just make me wonder what has happened to our society.</p>
<p>More to the point and off the soapbox, I do not think that this kind of column represents Tulane culture in any significant fashion. Sexual activity at Tulane is no doubt very similar to what goes on at nearly every other university. It is not the House of Caligula by any means. But the Hullabaloo is an independent publication, self-funded and student run. And just like the media in general often doesn’t represent the views of the majority of people, the same may be true here. Bottom line, on a day-to-day basis this kind of thing has no real impact on anything, at least IMO.</p>
<p>Fallenchemist, your opinion means a great deal to me with regard to this or any issue pertaining to Tulane. I had a feeling that I could count on your response, as I’ve seen how helpful you’ve been to many on this board. Thank you so much for your time.</p>
<p>As far as the Sex column in the Hullaballoo, as parents we have to recognize that sexual experimentation is a big part of the college experience. I am happy that students are able to ask questions about sex and more concerned about how informative the responses are! As a parent I am much more concerned about the “hook-up culture” in today’s colleges and the apparent lack of interest in forming real relationships. I wonder if anyone can comment on the ability to form stable relationships at Tulane, or if it is discounted or even frowned upon?</p>
<p>From what students say, it is pretty much of a “hook-up” culture among about 1/3 to 1/2 of the students, the rest opting for more traditional relationships (or none). FWIW, it seems to be the same at all the schools similar to Tulane. Miami, WUSTL, Vandy, Duke, etc. Listening to students that have attended all those schools would seem to indicate that this is just the way this generation does relationships. Same with the “group dating” rather than the traditional 1-1 dates we all used to go out on.</p>
<p>I guess I just think that the column in the Hullabaloo is a bit crude, but then again I am old.</p>
<p>It is sad that the hook-up culture is so accepted nowadays because is certainly does not allow these students to develop the skills needed for “real relationships” later in their lives. And they will never be around as many potentially compatible people of the opposite (or same) sex as when in college! Or maybe I am just old. Okay, I know I am old.</p>
<p>So DKJAMEI - I went to the paper, exactly where you described, and I must say that I was really taken a back! You were not kidding when you said it was too graphic to write about online (I’m blushing). As I try (really hard) to see the purpose of this article, the only positive I can come up with is that kids might “learn” from this column (perhaps) who might be afraid to ask the difficult questions…of course they need to take what they read with a grain of salt! I also realize that this a college campus and, like other colleges, ultra liberal views are expressed - and I am sure there must be a “counter” to this too where ultra conservative views are expressed (maybe we just didn’t see or hear it yet). </p>
<p>I agree w/FC - you would see this on many campuses…I guess I am also old - and I don’t have to like it - but some people look to find answers or just use it for plan old entertainment value…(scary). I bet if my husband read this he would have laughed instead of blushed like his wife!</p>
<p>socamom - We are old, but I have the same gut reaction about dating skills. But I think once they are out of school and in the workplace, a more traditional relationship model tends to take hold, despite what is portrayed on TV. The lament always used to be it was harder to meet people once you were out of school, but maybe with the social networks people are so into now it isn’t as bad as it used to be. I don’t mean internet dating, although certainly that is increasingly popular. I mean that Facebook and similar sites seem to be leading to more social events where people can meet in person. So it might not be as dire as we think. In the end, the inherent desire of the vast majority of people is to find someone to partner with.</p>
<p>As a mother of a daughter I am concerned about this hook-up culture and agree with socamom…
On a related issue when we were at Tulane at the end of February I also picked up copy of the paper and it had an article that Tulane girls are increasingly having “sugar daddies” to finance their life styles and/or reduce loans…I guess that exists at a bunch of universities but it surely made me sick to my stomach. The Hullabaloo reported on it pretty casually and even quoted a Tulane girl if I remember correctly who stated it as a preferred alternative to the hook-up culture. I tossed the paper …this is a sad state of affairs indeed.</p>
<p>Well it truly is everywhere. As you say CalmMom, a sad state of affairs. My kids are constantly telling me that their world is very different than the one I grew up in and my response is always, “Yes, I can see that, but I don’t have to like it.” We can only hope that we have instilled in them the values that we would like to see them live by. There are still plenty of other kids out there that were raised with those same values. This might be the hardest part of watching them go off to college. Some will test the boundaries. Not everyone is into the “hook up culture” at Tulane. I know of plenty of kids who prefer to be “in a relationship.” Sadly, it doesn’t seem to draw the same interest for young writers because there is nothing to sensationalize with a traditional relationship. Let’s face it, it got the attention they were seeking from the readers which is always the goal of the writer. It doesn’t make it any more palatable, but it is the sad reality. The most important thing to remember is that what you read is not necessarily representative of the student body. If it was, there would be nothing to write about - it would be old news. Are there some who live like that? Sure. But there are plenty who don’t. College is supposed to be about meeting new people and being exposed to new ideas, but in my experience, they eventually find “their people.” Don’t let these writers send you over the edge! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the opinions everyone. I guess the more I think about it, for me it comes down to the entire issue being sort of (sadly) manipulative of the campus environment. The publication purports to be the “eyes and ears of the Tulane community” but then posts these ludicrous questions and responses in an effort to sell newspapers (or actually, sell ads to advertisers). I would think that this could steer students (especially new students who are trying to “fit in” to the campus culture, as it is perceived by them) in a negative, or even dangerous, direction. Sure, parents have to believe that they have raised their sons/daughters well and instilled enough confidence in them that they will recognize this for what it is - an attempt to sell more newspaper ads - but some students are of course more suggestive than others. Further, the purported “questions” being asked are being answered by a STUDENT named Diana Frank, and I trust that she is no expert professional in this field. She is simply a fellow student giving advice to other students to sell newspaper ads. Her motivation is not a statement of female rights or sexual liberation as I’m sure she’d like to convince herself, but in my opinion, an attempt to sell ads by manipulating the campus environment. </p>
<p>I did a little more research just to get a better sense of things on other campuses, and found that Yale (FC correct again), Dartmouth, UC Berkeley, Swarthmore and Vassar have particularly shocking and similar columns. On the contrary, I could not find anything of this variety in papers such as Vanderbilt’s “Inside Vandy”, BC’s “The Heights”, or even Univ of Texas’s “Daily Texan” (which is surprising because of UT’s party/hook-up reputation noted in many review sources). </p>
<p>Again, thanks very much for all of the input.</p>
<p>I won’t guess at Diana Frank’s motives, but I certainly agree with your skepticism at what exactly her credentials are for being in charge of this column. There are naturally a lot of legitimate questions people this age will have about sexuality (although being as internet savvy as they all are, one wonders at the need to go to a similarly aged newspaper columnist about these issues), but it still seems rather inappropriate for a campus publication, or at the very least inappropriately graphic. I know young people are rolling their eyes at us for being so “conservative”, but without standards and some semblance of social decorum… well let’s just leave it at my hope that I am right in that this kind of thing really only impacts a very small percentage of the students. I think most are just going about their lives doing what they would have anyway.</p>
<p>Thanks for the research on those other publications, DKJAMEI. I wonder if there is a correlation between papers that get/don’t get school funding and the presence of these columns. I have no idea, maybe none of them get money from the school. I have never looked into that. Texas doesn’t surprise me though. Conservative state, and the Board of Regents, their governing body, exerts a lot of influence over these kinds of things. And BC is Catholic, so it would be really shocking if they had a column such as this, independent newspaper or not.</p>
<p>Yes FC, it’s because of the reassuring comments that you and others here have made - that rather than being reflective of the culture, this column is geared towards a smaller sub-set of the campus population (which really answers my original question) - that I did question Ms. Frank’s motives, when the paper purports to be the “ears of eyes of the Tulane community” under the Hullabulloo title, on every issue. Does that make sense? I’m not trying to be unjust in questioning motives, just saying that there is an unfair representation of the community here if you are correct, and Ms. Frank and others should be held accountable for this and called out on it. It really is a turn off to many, and is not helping promote a stellar rep for Tulane, to say the least. </p>
<p>In fact, I see lack of accountability (moral and otherwise), entitlement mentalities, and the huge debt that this generation will face as being ingredients for a disastrous recipe in terms of what the future holds for this Generation Y-Z. But that’s another topic in and of itself. Again, you’ve all been very helpful and I am somewhat reassured. Thank you!</p>
<p>You are most welcome. You bring up a point I never considered. Naturally as an independent publication the Hullabaloo has First Amendment rights, but do they have the unfettered right to use the Tulane name that way? I rather doubt it, but I am not a lawyer. If not, I think Tulane should object to them using that particular description of themselves. I think it comes down to phrasing. For example, I think they could say something like “Covering Tulane and the Uptown Area” without challenge, but the phrasing they use could make them seem like an official publication of Tulane. Close call. Oh well, another discussion entirely.</p>
<p>True FC - would be interesting to look into this from that angle. Further, keeping in mind that “hullabulloo” is synonymous with cacophony, blather and ballyhoo, here’s to hoping that nobody takes the garbage in that column seriously!</p>
<p>That’s pretty funny. But I feel obligated to point out as a Tulane alum the word, in this case, was chosen because there is an old Tulane cheer, going back to the 1800’s.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Although when we said the cheer it was always “Varsa Varsa Tee Ay”, which maintained the 3 syllable syncopation. Just a small quibble.</p>
<p>And the origin story is given here by Patrick Michael, a successful sports writer (currently with Yahoo Sports) that is a Tulane alum.</p>
<p>
[Bizarre</a> traditions from Tulane football games - College Football - Rivals.com](<a href=“http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ac-6655024]Bizarre”>http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ac-6655024)</p>
<p>So there you have it. More than you wanted to know I am sure.</p>
<p>Well there you have it – and this is why we were excited to finally see Tulane. Talk about school spirit! Love it, thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>Wow! I agree the headline and article are unnecessarily graphic and seemingly intended to shock through choice of verbiage.</p>
<p>Unfortunate, because I think the somewhat obscured underlying message/advice is extremely important: a person in a relationship should not feel pressure to engage in ANY activity (be it hand holding, kissing or anything beyond that) unless he or she wants to and is ready to. </p>
<p>The wording of the question leaves one with a notion that there’s an assumption/expectation one will be going all the way with a boyfriend or girlfriend, when that need not be the case.</p>
<p>I saw the article mentioned above, and while the situation gave me pause (as the parent of a DD), I was impressed with the measured tone of the columnist’s response. TU is not-affiliated with a particular religion and I think it’s important for a university to support first amendment rights for adult students. If I’m not mistaken (or my memory fails) I remember when the BC admin. prevented the school paper from running ads from Planned Parenthood. </p>
<p>This IS an issue that our children are dealing with and to stick our heads in the sand doesn’t help anyone. I don’t think this particular column reflects poorly on the community, university or students–as FC noted, similar columns exist in numerous college newspapers. Did anyone happen to catch the story reported in the NYTimes about the club that Harvard student government will be funding devoted to the “50 shades of gray” …um…experience We, as parents, have to remember that a college freshman is considered an adult–except when consuming alcohol. </p>
<p>And actually, the front-page story about the “frat” made me more nervous…</p>
<p>I saw the article in question and didn’t think it was so horrible. Frankly, discussions about consensual sex between adults (and these kids are over 18, right?) are not very concerning to me. </p>
<p>What I’m more concerned about is rape (date or otherwise) on college campuses, and in light of the Steubenville case, education about what to do if you witness a crime in progress. I had that conversation with my son right away and he didn’t hesitate for a second about calling 911 and intervening to protect the girl. </p>
<p>Some schools focus too much on telling girls how not to get raped. I think that’s the tail wagging the dog.</p>