Save Tulane Engineering

wckirby · Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 355 Location: New Orleans

I hope I'm wrong, but I just got word that the future of Newcomb has been decided and it's not going to be a 2 college system. It's going to be something along the lines of an institute (the plan Cowen has pushed for behind the scenes). They've already got everything written up. I'll bet the blood of the Newcomb grads will really boil when they realize the future of Newcomb was decided by a rich, white man. It technically hasn't been passed yet, but it will be, I fear. You've got the scoop a couple of days early. That's the end of the oldest degree granting college for women in the US. All because of someone's "strategic" decision.

Dr. Riess is looking down from heaven at his university and he's crying. I know he is. I know his heart is breakinng over what's happenning at Tulane. The faculty, the students, the alumni. They've all been horribly wronged. Tulane is hemorraging faculty. The students are disgusted. The alumni are just throwing their hands up and abandoning Tulane.

I'm just stunned at how callous and stupid they are. The future of Newcomb (and Tulane, for that matter) decided by people who know nothing about what the university is really about. Well over 100 years of tradition thrown out the window. It's pathetic. It really is.
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

wckirby · Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 355 Location: New Orleans

Unfortunately, I have it now on very good authority that the institute thing is it and Newcomb, as the oldest degree granting college for women, is dead. They're going to try to keep it a secret until later this week, but oh well for them.
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

paleoboy · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 21

I can't believe this.

wclarkson · Site Admin Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 38

This is ridiculous. I can't believe the disrespect we are receiving from this administraiton. STE has fired off an e-mail to all board members. Here's what it said:

Dear Tulane Board of Administrators,

We are writing you to show our continued disappointment in the current administration. Newcomb College has been one of the most defining characteristics of Tulane University during our entire history. The decision by the administration to diminish the effect and meaning of Newcomb’s legacy is insulting. Newcomb College was the first degree granting women’s college in the United States. We're going to repeat that again: Newcomb College was the FIRST degree granting women’s college in the United States. Newcomb is an icon of Tulane, New Orleans, Louisiana and the United States. Not to mention a catalyst for women’s rights in the 20th century. Save Newcomb College. It has earned its place in history and needs to remain a degree granting women’s college. It should not be some ‘institute’.

Are we prepared to sacrifice over a century of history? No. Do we even have the right to do so? The purpose of J.L Newcomb’s endowment is ongoing. Tulane owes it to the Sophie Newcomb and countless women around the United States who have had the opportunity to advance in ways never before possible. We strongly urge you to reconsider. Take a vote on the Dual-College plan proposed by the Newcomb in New York Committee at your board meeting (See attatched). You owe it to Sophie, J.L and every woman in the United States.

Sincerely,

Save Tulane Engineering

Chris · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 15

You guys are *awesome*, but don't count us out just yet, okay? If the TF recommendations are perhaps not what we'd hope for, that hardly means we will turn belly-up ;-) I think there are few who've been involved in the Task Force process who've had any doubt about who would write their recommendations and what would *not* be presented to the board.

Thank you for the wonderful letter and consistent support. We are all only asking for what's reasonable: appropriate due process, open communication, and strategies that strengthen, rather than weaken, the University.

As others have said, it may be that things will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction on Thursday, or it may take more time and more effort, but it's not over til we say it's over. Right?
_________________
3rd gen Newcomb girl
NC'91

cenla alum · Joined: 25 Dec 2005 Posts: 36

Just returned from the Gov's Conf where a Board member was a speaker - he said if we can't find a solution we'll just start over - doesn't sound like the plan was written in stone to me. btw - he's related to 3 Newcomb grads.

perturbed1 · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 87

Well when Cowen spok last week he was absolutely emphatic that there would bo no Newcomb College. In fact he was more emphatic on that than he was on engineering. I believe that whatever the reasons he gives for insisting that Newcomb go away the real reason is he wants to flatten the organizational structure at Tulane and remove individual sources of bureaucratic opposition or potential bureaucratic opposition. He gives every indication of being a man with a very busy plan for the next year who is not going to be able to spend much time minding the farm and who wants to know there will not be any potential organized opposition back home while he is doing whatever it is he is going to be doing.

Anybody besides me think it would be fair to ask the board members who vote for this abortion of a plan to pony up out of their own pockets any shortfall in donations from offended Newcomb and Engineering alumni? I mean if it is such a good plan they ought to be willing to put their money where their votes are.

wckirby · Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 355 Location: New Orleans

http://renewal.tulane.edu/traditions_031606_board.shtml

Well, the Board approved something, but it's not clear exactly what they approved. Is Newcomb still a degree granting institution? I'm not clear on it. What's happening with the Newcomb and Tulane alumni associations?
_________________
Clay Kirby
11th generation New Orleanian
4th generation Tulanian
Mechanical Engineering Class of '06

gwlaw88 · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 12

newcomb04 · Guest

Newcomb is no longer a seperate institution... this years graduates must "request" a Newcomb diploma. The Newcomb-Tulane Undergraduate College is the official replacement. Alum organizations are "encouraged" to open their membership to ALL students of Newcomb-Tulane College.

http://renewal.tulane.edu/traditions_031606_name.shtml

http://renewal.tulane.edu/traditions_031606_board.shtml

newcomb04 · Guest

the meeting was closed to Board members only, then was "open" by invetation only to a few people as far as I can gather. TUPD wouldn't let anyone else even close to the door.