Ray in New Orleans

what complete, asinine morons.

SAVE TULANE ENGINEERING
come join and sign the petition!
www.SaveTulaneEngineering.org

To whom it may concern,

The official position New Orleans companies with membership in the Society of Tulane Engineers on Tulane's recent cuts follows:

Last Thursday’s sudden announcement of the elimination of the three basic engineering departments– civil, mechanical and electrical – by Tulane administration came asa shock to the students and the faculty who were looking forward to returningto the campus in the spring. It must have been as great a shock to you asit was to us. While we were all expecting a leaner Tulane after Katrina,there was absolutely no indication that the School of Engineering would bedecimated by the administration. The remaining two engineeringdepartments – biomedical and chemical -- will have to struggle to attracthigh quality students who generally tend not to gravitate to engineeringschools that have only a couple of departments. The action taken by theadministration is tantamount to gutting engineering.

The entire Blue Ribbon Panel,which was selected by the President, endorsed the Renewal Plan. It’s very unfortunate that the Panel unanimously endorsed a survival planthat totally disregards the critical need and relevance of the school ofengineering in post-Katrina New Orleans and the key roleTulane engineers have played in the growth of the City and the State for over acentury. Tulane is jettisoning departments that are critical forthe revival and revitalization of the Crescent City, which hassuffered the greatest infrastructure damage in the nation’shistory. Was there anyone on this Panel that is sensitive to the 100+year history and the unique role of Tulane Engineering in NewOrleans and the State?

President Cowen has repeatedly stated that the New Tulane would be a key player in the Rebuilding of NewOrleans. His statements led us to believe that the school of engineeringwill be safe – albeit, with fewer degree programs and leaner departments– since engineering is so critical for the recovery. How thedecision to decimate engineering is consistent with the needs of the city orhis declared goal is unfathomable and we believe illogical.

It was obvious that Tulane had to makecuts to survive after the wrath of Katrina. However, it doesn’tappear that these cuts were made either fairly or judiciously in light of therole Tulane Engineering can and should play in the recover. Theinconsistent explanations given for the cuts are very disturbing.

Ø ThePresident told the faculty that the departments eliminated were too small to benationally competitive. Does this mean that all the standing departmentsin the university are large enough to be nationally competitive? Theeliminated engineering departments, though small, have an outstandingreputation and attract some of the nation’s brightest students bycompeting head on with the top schools in the country. Most engineeringdepartments at private universities are small but attract a great student bodywith their reputation.

Ø Theadministration’s press releases are telling the public that thedepartments eliminated were underperforming academic programs and that theywere jettisoning them since they were not as highly rated. Prior toKatrina these departments were good enough to recruit some of ournation’s brightest students into them and post-Katrina they have suddenlybecome pariahs. Was the administration not candid with our students aboutthe stature of the eliminated departments in the pre-Katrina era?

Ø Someparents were told that the departments were cut because engineering is toocostly and engineering students need too much scholarship money. If thisis the true reason for the cut, it is truly an incredible shame, and we willinsist on seeing the comparative analysis of the programs for the wholeuniversity which demonstrated this.

The administration’s methodologyof operating in utmost secrecy and shutting out the chairs of the eliminateddepartments and the engineering advisory board in the strategic planningprocess invites suspicion. By making the cuts more equitable across thevarious schools, the school of engineering could have been saved and a jewel inthe city would be preserved. It’s beyond belief that theadministration feels that civil, mechanical, electrical engineering andcomputer science departments are not significant to the revival of the city andto enhancing Tulane’s prestige as a comprehensive university. Thealumni of the eliminated engineering departments have contributed tens ofmillions of dollars to the President’s campaign of “Pride andDistinction” and millions earlier. If given an opportunity, mechanismscould have been developed to sustain the eliminated departments for thenecessary recovery period with earnings from these substantial alumniendowments. The administration’s stated plan to the faculty toredirect the endowment funds provided by the alumni of these departments toenhance other departments and schools is a violation of the trust of thedonors.

Reinventing Tulane into a university forthe future is laudable, but destroying one of the bedrock schools that touchthe very fabric of our great city’s built environment isunforgivable. Tulane needs to remain a jewel of the South. UntilThursday, December 8, Tulane had the most prestigious engineering schoolbetween Houston (Rice) and Atlanta (GeorgiaTech). It makes no sense to destroy this standing. Theadministration’s statements that these eliminated departments may broughtback to life are disingenuous.

The fallout from this catastrophicdecision is yet to be felt. Faculty flight, reaction from irate parentsdeeply disturbed by this sudden announcement will damage the lives of thefaculty and students, and hurt the reputation and finances of thisuniversity. It would be difficult to find engineering alumni willing tosupport the university’s causes in the future. Was this given anyconsideration?

While the alumni can watch theuniversity eliminate faculty and administrators, it should never sit on thesidelines watching the gutting of the departments that they treasure. Katrina sunk the city and the Tulane administration – either with goodintentions or deep biases – has sunk the school of engineering. Itis unfortunate that the road to this disastrous decision was paved with goodintentions. Our departments are not even on life support – the plugwas pulled last Thursday. They need immediate resuscitation. Weappeal for your support at this critical time.

Best wishes.

Dave Kanger, STE President

Dennis Lambert, STE Vice-President

John Shires, STE Treasurer

John O’Brien, STE Secretary

Dr. Cowen has scheduled a meeting January 2nd to discuss the possibilities of reviving the eliminated departments. Some of the largest companies in New Orleans have representation in STE. For example, Entergy, The core of engineers, WInk Engineering, WH Linder, Bollinger Shipyards, L.L.C, William Boelte and Associates, as well as other leaders in oil/gas, offshore, and the maritime industry.

David O'Reilly
504-782-2010
504-835-2593
1012 Cambronne street
New Orleans, LA 70118