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the silver lining is that a lot of schools with engineering departments are going to bend over backwards to help the displaced students, with or without Tulane's help.
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interesteddad, I hope you are prescient in this.</p>
<p>I also agree totally that we must assume we will do the work ourselves. And I totally agree with your suggested approach. The part that makes it seem burdensome to me is in, as you put it, "identifying a new school." Direct overtures to Admissions, Engineering, Dean of Students, Provost whatever is the way to go, I agree. But, just as with regular old college admissions, I don't see how we can focus on "a" school. We could do it serially - try first choice and if that doesn't pan out, move to second choice, etc.; hoping not to have to approach more than a couple. The problem is you run out of time, don't you? So, in assuming the need to do the process with no Tulane support, I see a full-fledged "reach/match/safety" approach. Yuk. We'll Just Do It. But I am hoping that what you foresee takes place to take a little of the burden off.</p>
<p>I certainly don't expect the DSA $$ to follow with my son. Icing on the cake if someone takes legal action to make that happen. But it is just as you say, price discounting to attract a coveted student to Tulane. Chances that we would see that at a transfer institution are zero to slim, depending on the chosen transfer school.</p>
<p>BTW, I forgot to add that, if the decision is that the student would like to stay at his visiting college and if finances are viable for that, I would recommend demanding an immediate letter of release from Tulane on the non-poaching issue. This is really one action that Tulane could take tomorrow, with a public announcement releasing engineering students from these agreements. At least then you could start talking to the visiting institutions.</p>
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So, in assuming the need to do the process with no Tulane support, I see a full-fledged "reach/match/safety" approach. Yuk.
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<p>Yeah. You are right. It will take a parallel effort with several schools. But, the immediate task is to simply start brainstorming the potential options and weighing them versus staying at Tulane.</p>
<p>Realistically, I think the vast majority of students who had planned to return to Tulane will have to return for the spring semester or take the semester off. Short of a quickie tranfer to the existing visiting college, I can't see much likelihood of settling things in the next month.</p>
<p>jmmom-I would not waste time waiting for Tulane to come up with a plan.
I would think that firstly I would ask Bates if son could stay on for the spring. And have him start the transfer apps for next fall. That would at least make it 2 schools in a yr versus 3. Since I would assume that Bates is not where he wants to spend 4 yrs.
The other option is to go to Tulane for the spring and work on a transfer for fall. That puts him again in the position of making another transition that he knows is not permanent. My kid could not handle that emotionally.
The best would be if you could fast track a transfer to an engineering program for the spring. If your son could identify some schools quickly it might be worth a few phone calls. In light of the events of the past week you might get lucky. With the holidays coming up I would act quickly. The answers might be no but if you don't ask the answer will e for sure no.
I think your son was admitted EA but did he have other schools on his list that he liked?</p>
<p>Well, we just got the official Fed Ex letter from Tulane. Just a basic rewording of their announcement and a phone number to call. They point out that all students who are juniors or seniors should be able to complete their program and graduate on time. I wonder what they're going to say in the Freshman and Sophomore letters. </p>
<p>Ironically, S decided to sit out this academic semester and work instead so he could complete his entire coursework at Tulane. He is beside himself right now with remorse over this decision and can't even talk about it. Don't know what we are going to do. Even if he is able to squeeze enough courses to cover his major, what will the quality be with profs who are preoccupied with finding other jobs if they stay. Forget about internships, research opportunities, etc. that he was aiming for during his last two years. Also, loss of merit scholarship. Younger son is a high school senior who is having a difficult year and himself applying to colleges. Now we may have to do this for two sons? </p>
<p>The letter ends with "Please know that we stand ready to help you complete your course of study here". Let's hope they really mean that and have concrete options for the students.</p>
<p>I think working out an individual plan is going to be the way to go. I am just thinking that as dd was returning from Tulane on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the hurricane she was asking me to call other schools and Thursday she made a series of her own calls. I was really surprised -- I thought she would be so overcome that she would just want to stay home and volunteer and maybe get a job for the semester. She could have certainly had her summer animal shelter job back. But no way -- she was going to college, and she was going AWAY to college, and she had her entire life rearranged by Friday night. I think it was at least mid-October before she had anything directed to her personally from Tulane, and that was just a quick call from an advisor to see if she was ok. And I am guessing from what I am reading for the last 24 hours that Tulane still remains too overwhelmed to deal with 12,000 individual realities. I think people are going to have to make their own plans.</p>
<p>Yes, but it also seems like it is only this year's freshmen in the affected Eng. prgrams that will not be able to complete their degrees -- if they want to.</p>
<p>My husband is an engineer. An engineering degree must have two components. It must be from an ABET accredited school and it must be from a respected school who's curriculum and professors are considered solid. To my husband's and son's way of thinking, there will be two kinds of degrees from Tulane Engineering - pre and post Katrina. Those earned before will be beyond question. Those after will fall into a grey area and will be open to question. The students that can finish by May will probably be fine, but after that, who knows. If a mass exodus of the professors occurs and classes are taught by adjuncts, degrees won't be worth much. Scuttle has it among the students blogging that juniors are being encouraged to spend the extra year and find another school. Perhaps the staff members are already planning their exits.</p>
<p>Also, the cuts have occured in the business college as well. Read a blog from a marketing major who received the same FedEx letter. He major will be gone as well.</p>
<p>My son almost decided on Tulane, really 11th hour, just loved the school. He would have been a freshman EE or CS student on a DSL scholarship. I am heartbroken about this. I did sign the petition and forwarded it to my son. I also emailed Dr. Cowen yesterday, and I was surprised that he responded today. It sounds like it is a done deal and will happen. I sincerely hope the school provides well for those of you who will need to transfer and gives the assistance you will need.</p>
<p>The only thing I have heard for sophomores is that they will be allowed to finish up somewhere else, (not sure where) and their degree will say Tulane. No other details. I wish they would help them break free and head out like the freshmen, as that is truly what is best for them. Perhaps they will.</p>
<p>I am paraphrasing what my son told me after Dean Altieri's first email. It was very sketchy at best. I will ask him if he's heard anything further, or at best try to clarify the source.</p>
<p>kraemer - have you seen the two emails from Dean Altiero? One was to all Eng. students (I think); one was for freshmen specifically. If not, I will email you or I can post here. I think you can find them at the links I posted in #109.</p>
<p>Many thanks to everyone for the helpful information and links. Best of luck to all of you who have difficult decisions ahead. I hope there will be good news soon. This board has been a great help and comfort to have a place to vent. Thanks for listening and sharing.</p>
<p>kraemer, I had that problem for most of it, but got about the last 20 minutes or so. If you have any specific qx, let me know and I'll see if I remember.</p>