Live Chat With Tulane University President Scott Cowen
April 8, 2008
President Cowen: Good Evening. Right now, we're in the middle of "Destination Tulane" a program for admitted students to introduce them to campus. We've had a strong turnout and it's been a real pleasure meeting the students who may very well wind up as the Class of 2012. I answered a lot of questions personally and am glad to have this opportunity to answer more, as you make your final decision as to where to attend college. I hope you choose Tulane.
President Cowen: First question?
Carol H: How many faculty did Tulane lose after its Katrina reorganization? Tell me about the quality of the faculty that you have today. How is morale? Who is new on the Board?
President Cowen: The university lost about 200 faculty after Katrina. It's been very successful hiring replacement faculty and additional faculty since the storm itself. The quality of these faculty are equivalent to those that left the institution. Morale at the university is fine and people are very grateful for the pace of our recovery and the bright future that we now have. If you would like to see a list of the board members, you can go to tulane.edu/administration/board.cfm. The board is comprised of outstanding people from around the country.
hockey: I am interested in the Creative Scholars Program for Medical School. Would I be able to major in neuroscience and still be accepted into medical school?
President Cowen: Yes, you could major in neuroscience and be accepted into medical school and also quality for the Creative Scholars Program. If you complete your basic pre-med requirements in the first two years (biology, chemistry, physics, math, English), and your grade point average is sufficiently high you can apply for this program.
Sharon G: If our daughter attended the Honors Weekend in March and set her schedule for the Fall, does she still need to attend summer orientation? Does language placement testing or other placement testing occur during orientation?
President Cowen: Your daughter should attend one of the summer orientation sessions. The language placement testing occurs in the fall, the day before classes begin.
visit to NOLA: What about the crime statistics in New Orleans? Friends of mine think I am crazy to send my child to New Orleans for college.
President Cowen: If you go on the web, you can review the crime statistics for Tulane University and the neighboring area. What you will discover is that crime in and around our campus is not very high when you compare it to other urban institutions. The violent crime that does occur in New Orleans tends to be criminal on criminal in parts of the city that are not inhabited.
Ben: I am a bit confused about the honors program. Do students ever take more than one honors course a semester??
President Cowen: Students ordinarily would take one; they are permitted to take more than one. There's no restriction on the number that they can take.
Mariana Silva: Should I make corrections to my personal information before making a deposit?
President Cowen: Yes. I hope you are who you claim to be. :-)
Michael: If you can only visit on the weekend, what do you recommend doing/seeing?
President Cowen: You certainly want to take a tour of campus, visit with students, see the neighborhoods that surround the university, and if there are any special activities going on on campus and in New Orleans - which there often are - attend one or more of them. Finally, you should be prepared to go to lots of restaurants and eat very well.
Beth: How do students get from the airport to the school?
President Cowen: We have regular shuttle service which goes from campus to the airport and likewise takes students from the airport to campus. We actually have a contract with a taxi service that provides the transportation.
The Brasilian sensation: I would like to know how new the science facilities available to the Neuroscience majors are?
President Cowen: We have several buildings that compromise the Science & Engineering complex. Virtually all of those buildings have either been renovated in the last decade, and there are at least two of them are new facilities.
S Simon: My son received an admission letter, but it didn't indicate he was accepted as a business major.
President Cowen: That does not matter because they are a student in the new Tulane College who will be allowed to pursue a major in the Newcomb-Tulane College.
TML: What is the average amount of credit hours do students carry a semester?
President Cowen: 15.
Rex: As parents we've heard that Tulane is a difficult school to graduate from because of all the distractions. I'm guessing the party atmosphere of New Orleans' French Quarter is what is meant by "distractions."
President Cowen: The average time of graduation for someone is 4.2 years. And if they do not graduate because of those distractions, they probably shouldn't have been here in the first place.
Shiying_Ju: I want to ask about how to chose housing on campus...
President Cowen: If you go online to the Housing website, there are pictures of each of the residence halls that you can review and make your choice for which residence hall you want to live in. Each residence hall has its own unique characteristic and individual identity to meet the many needs of our students.
TML: How does most students attack dual majors, do one then the other, or together?
President Cowen: Most students are working on two majors together, other students select one because their interests develop later on. Approximately one-third of our students complete two majors.
Jacob D: I signed up for Monroe or Sharp residence halls this Fall...is there a major difference between them?
President Cowen: I do not believe there's a major difference. As a matter of fact, they are adjacent to each other. Monroe is a high rise, and has been renovated in the last five years, whereas Sharp is scheduled for renovation in the next two years.
Ben Harris: How have contributions to the University endowment been vs. goal for the last year?
President Cowen: They've been excellent. The university's just completing a $700 million capital campaign, which has been very successful despite what happened during Katrina itself. We have exceeded our goals for fund raising in each of the last 10 years.
Ken: How many incoming freshmen will be at Tulane? Is there enough housing for all who are admitted? Do you have 24-hour security for the students?
President Cowen: We have 24-hour security for the students. We have ample residence hall rooms for everybody. And we are expecting somewhere between 1,400 and 1,600 students.
TML: Can you give an example of creativity of one of the winners to the Dean's Scholarship?
President Cowen: The projects varied from original musical performances provided on disk, calligraphy, puzzles which were created to form a message, and even a cooking demonstration on video.
Debbie: What is your philosophy regarding the Study Abroad programming, and what changes are currently being made? Is it competitive to get to go to certain countries?
President Cowen: We encourage our students to study abroad and a good percentage of them do. We are always enhancing the program by either offering additional sites or improving the quality of the current sites. There are minimum grade point average requirements for certain programs for studying abroad.
Jon12345: I have heard that 30% of Tulane is Greek. Have you had issues with hazing in the fraternities?
President Cowen: You are correct that about a third of the students here belong to the Greek system. We have a very stringent hazing policy and I don't recall any incidents in recent years.
tal: Can you be invited to join the honors program after Freshman year, providing that you do well and if so, would is required for admittance?
President Cowen: You can join the honors program at the end of a semester if your grade point average and number of credits is sufficiently high. 3.4 at the end of either semester in the first year. The grade point standards increase after the second year.
Nguyen: Can my financial aid be reduced if I submit my financial aid response late?
President Cowen: No, your aid is not reduced if you submit your response late. However, crediting of scholarships sometimes has to wait for the acceptance of your award.
Sarah: I noticed that the School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science and Engineering are separate. Is it possible to double major across the two schools?
President Cowen: Yes.
Nguyen: Is it mandatory to live in the dorms in my freshmen year since I live in New Orleans?
President Cowen: It's preferable for you to live in the residence halls for you to get the full collegial experience. However, if you live in the New Orleans vicinity, it is possible for you to live at home. The request needs to be sent to the Housing & Residence Life office.
Sharon G: What are the activities that take place during summer orientation?
President Cowen: For June orientation, there are a number of different activities that take place, such as being able to register for classes, being able to talk with staff from Residential Life regarding housing options, and having access to a number of students and staff to review and confirm services to help you be succeessful at Tulane.
Catherine: Did the faclty changes that you cited at the beginning affect programs across the curriculum, or mainly engineering and the medical school as I believe we heard during our visit?
President Cowen: Most of the reductions that were made after the storm affected engineering and the medical school. There were some faculty that left voluntarily in other areas, but they have been replaced.
Caroline: What kind of things does Tulane do to help adjust freshman when they first arrive?
President Cowen: There are a number of things that Tulane does. First and foremost is starting with June orientation, followed by hometown parties that occur across the country, and welcoming week activities in August on your arrival on campus. These ativities include move-in assistance, President's Convocation and picnic, and there are resident advisors who are peer professionals who assist students, as well as their academic advisors, in making a successful transition to Tulane.
S Simon: Does Tulane have an intramural athletic program and how does it work?
President Cowen: We have a very robust intramural athletic program that meets the needs of just about any interest that you would have.
James: What percentage of students living in Butler are actually in the honors program?
President Cowen: Almost all of Butler is comprised of honors students. We also have honors students who choose to live in other residence halls as well.
Mary: What are your thoughts on last week's New York Times Article re: New Orleans and its slower-than-expected reconstruction, and the article's comments about the programs that were cut at Tulane in response to Katrina and its aftermath?
President Cowen: I am personally involved in several of the major recovery efforts in New Orleans, including serving as the commissioner of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. I thought the New York Times article was an overwhelmingly negative and unfair portrayal of the pace of recovery in our city. Whereas we still have challenges here, we've been seeing tangible progress of recovery for well over a year now. And if you visit the city, especially where Tulane University is, it would almost be hard to believe that anything happened because of Katrina.
Courtney: What percent of students who enroll graduate?
President Cowen: Within 6 years about three quarters graduate.
Jayne: Why did Tulane decide to have a separate college for undergraduates? Is it just for freshman or all undergraduates?
President Cowen: We have a single undergraduate college for all undergraduates. This allows for more consistency in our policies and procedures and creates a better identity for Tulane University.
Keith: Are there any negative consequences of not submitting a deposit until the deadline, such as housing limitations?
President Cowen: Other than making the President unhappy, there are no other discernible limitations. :-)
Arlette Smith: Will the students be able to tour the different residence halls at the June orientation?
President Cowen: Yes.
Kyle Kulbarsh: Are most undergraduates able to participate in research (specifically neuroscience majors) and if so, are the students given credit (recognition, not unit credit)?
President Cowen: Virtually all the students who are interested in doing research projects can avail themselves of appropriate opportunities. If students have contributed significantly to the research there are multiple ways they might get recognition.
Paula: What does Tulane do to help grads and undergrads get jobs? Do they set up internships?
President Cowen: We have a very effective career service department, which is very helpful to students for getting internships and permanent jobs after graduation. Our students are often given opportunities in all the major cities in the United States. Currently, we have 1600 students doing internships.
Brasilian sensation: What are some of the cool attractions to see surrounding the New Orleans and Louisiana area?
President Cowen: It's a treasure! New Orleans and the surrounding area has numerous interesting and unique activities and places to go. Starting with Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, parades virtually every week, cemeteries which are unusual, swamp tours, and anything else you can possibly think of.
sskmj: When a student graduates from Tulane do you have an ongoing base of recruiting companies that encompass the whole country rather than just the south?
President Cowen: We have a network of companies throughout the country and, therefore, our students have information and opportunities in virtually every major city.
Two: When does Tulane plan to mail the financial aid package?
President Cowen: Financial aid package mail packages have been going out over the last two weeks. You may want to check with your financial aid counselor to see if your package has been mailed. If not, the number for the financial aid office is 1-800-335-3210.
Kyle Kulbarsh: How many years is the housing guarantee? How available is off-campus housing? Does the school help in anyway to arrange off-campus housing?
President Cowen: Students are required to live on-campus for two years. And normally there's ample housing if they want to live on-campus their last two years even though there's no guarantee. Students who live off-campus typically live in a 5-6 block area, where there's ample housing. There is a student run website for off-campus housing.
w00kiekrisp: Has all the merit scholarship been given out already? Is it possible to appeal a financial aid statement if you can't afford it?
President Cowen: Merit scholarships is announced at the time of admission with new acceptance. Need-based scholarships are given out based on financial aid information. In some cases, if the financial needs change or there's a need for clarification, families can appeal a financial aid decision.
TML: Do parents have access to students' grades and the ability to check on how their child is doing? I understand there is a waiver that can be signed?
President Cowen: Normally, no. However, there can be a waiver, which you can pick up at the June orientation.
Ken: What are the dates of orientation?
President Cowen: June 4 & 5, June 8 & 9, 11 & 12, 15 & 16, 22 & 23, 25 & 26, and the final is 29 & 30. We only want you to come to one of those 7 sessions.
Jacob D: Is there a way to support the University through a Parents Association?
President Cowen: Yes, we have a Parents Council and a Parents Group. We have many parents across the country who support the university financially and in many other ways. For all parents of new students they will receive a monthly parent newsletter and ongoing chat rooms for parents to ask questions from other parents.
Sharon G: Our daughter had a great visit during Honors weekend...everyone could not have been more helpful, the host student that she stayed with was an excellent match for her potential major and interests and I just wanted to thank you for providing this opportunity.
President Cowen: You're welcome! I hope your daughter is actually coming to Tulane since she had such a wonderful experience.
Marlin: Is it important to come to freshman orientation early in order to get the classes you wish to register for? Do classes seem to fill up as the summer goes on?
President Cowen: We do reserve seats for each of the orientations throughout the summer and even those who cannot make the orientations for whatever reason. So, it is not essential for you to come early.
Marc: How would a degree from Tulane be advantageous in terms of admission to professional school versus a degree from UCLA or Berkeley?
President Cowen: Tulane University is one of the most respected and revered institutions in the United States. Our graduates go to the finest professional graduate schools in America. And a Tulane degree would be equal to if not better than either of the schools you mentioned.
Jan H: My son is a vocalist and loves musical theatre. What are the opportunities for him both on and off campus?
President Cowen: There are many opportunities both on and off campus in musical theatre. We have students who perform with local groups. There are also musical performances on campus that students can be involved in. It is easy to participate in the arts off campus.
Rik Zardo: Are there counselors trained in the area of GLBT issues? Can GLBT students feel safe in a Southern, Bible-belt state? As a mother of a GLBT child, and being from the North, I'm worried for my child's safety.
President Cowen: Yes, your student would feel very safe down here. And I would not characterize New Orleans as a Bible-belt city, nor would I characterize the state that way. We have a very diverse community at Tulane that's extremely inclusive of all people. In fact, we have GLBT office and advisor.
Kyle Kulbarsh: Does the campus have a student health center? Is some sort of health insurance given to enrolled students? How far is the nearest hospital from the campus?
President Cowen: We have an excellent student health center that is operated by our own medical school. There are several hospitals within a 4 mile radius of the university, including Tulane University's hospital. Health insurance is available to all of our students.
Shelby: Will there be a transcript of this chat tonight so we can find answers to questions if we came late to the chat?
President Cowen: Yes there will, it will be posted within the next two days.
Jan H: Is there any way to find and talk to a Tulane student or recent graduate, who is from our city, prior to the May 1 deadline?
President Cowen: Absolutely. Give us a call or email the undergraduate admission office. We have student interns who answer the phones every day and can find a great student to talk with from your area.
Ken: Do you have buses for students to take them to the Superdome for football games?
President Cowen: Yes, we provide transportation to and from campus to the Superdome for games.
Trevor: How easy it is to switch into a different undergraduate school? For instance, from Science and Engineering to Business.
President Cowen: Normally, it is very easy to do it because we try to minimize the barriers into the various majors. The only thing you have to be sensitive to are the requirements of each major and the sequencing of courses. The only program that would be difficult to transfer to at a later time would be architecture.
John Clemow: How would you say that New Orleans compares to other cities like New York and Boston in terms of diversity?
President Cowen: New Orleans is a very diverse city. We compare favorably to the two cities you mentioned. However, I would give the nod to New Orleans because New Orleans is the only city that can lay claim to its own music, architecture, food, and language. This in itself makes us the most unique city in the United States.
Krista: I am a student who also visited during Honors Weekend and LOVED IT!! I was just wondering, do you feel like there is a sense of school unity, even thought I know not everybody lives on campus all four years.
President Cowen: Absolutely! Students who come to Tulane are passionate about it and closely identify with the university and the city.
David: Are all scholarship awards finalized at this point?
President Cowen: Merit scholarships are finalized. Need-based scholarships are being continually awarded as financial information is assessed. To apply for a need-based scholarship a student and family should submit a FAFSA and college board profile before April 15.
Nguyen: What are some of the work study jobs?
President Cowen: We have work study jobs in just about every department on campus. You can find work at front desks, in athletics, in the library, laboratories, even in admission and the President's office.
Paula: We're attending Destination Tulane. Where should we go for the best meal in New Orleans?
President Cowen: This is an impossible question to answer because there are so many great restaurants. It all depends on what you like, but we are going to give you several different options: Brigtsen, NOLA, Upperline, Bayona, Jacques-imo's. Those are just for starters.
Tulane: Dr. Cowen, we're almost out of time for this chat. Is there anything you'd like to add, before we have to close?
President Cowen: Thank you all for being with us tonight on this live chat. If you've been accepted to the university, I offer you my congratulations and encourage you to visit if you have not done so already. I also would like to thank LiveWorld for hosting this chat and being such a marvelous friend of Tulane University. My next chat will be April 17.
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