Questions and Comments We've Received April 24, 2003 Just came home from a meeting in Lake Charles with the Tulane coaches. Wish the Board could have been there to see the great ambassadors they are for Tulane. Top, top quality people; all eloquent and so very proud of Tulane. They captivated all of us--they were Rick, Chris, Shawn, I.DO., Betsy,Danielle,Lacy and Kelly. Of course, they were all very concerned about what is going on, but so are we. They have produced for Tulane the type of program and type of student athlete we want--the type that will do wonderful things for Tulane and their communities now and for ages to come. Sorry to bug you again about this, but the more I think about it, the more important it gets to me. ***** Dear President Cowen; I received an E-mail from a student indicating you are considering dropping Tulane to D III status? Our daughter is a student there now and I wish to express my displeasure that the school would consider dropping down after the league has now come to the heights that it has. Our local school USF is a member and i look forward to Tulane coming to town for sports as do many local alumni. Please reconsider the options. ***** Please keep Tulane athletics strong, proud and as high-profile as possible. Our gloriously undefeated Green Wave football team a few years back raised both the self-esteem and national recognition of Tulane to a higher level than I can ever remember. (For every Hot Rod Williams, there's a Shaun King). And accordingly, the value of my degree has increased tenfold. Ironic though it may seem, sometimes it takes strong and respected athletics programs to further raise a school's profile, academic and otherwise. If the goal is to forge a well-rounded graduate, Tulane must remain a well-rounded institution. Respectfully, ***** Dear President Cowen: I send this e-mail in response to your request for input on the issue of the role of athletics at Tulane. First, I think you should have some background on where my opinions come from. I grew up in Southern California and graduated high school in 1984, Tulane (A&S) 1988, and University of California law school in 1991. When I was 17 years old, the only reason I knew of Tulane was because it had a Division I athletic program. My wife and I played tennis at Tulane. Both of us were walk-ons. My wife came from Florida and started at Tulane in 1987. We met at Tulane and were married in 1996. My wife was the captain of the women's team. My thoughts and memories of Tulane have always been pleasant. I return to campus on a regular basis, usually to see a football, basketball or baseball game of interest. My comments and experience at Tulane led to my sister applying for a job in the athletic department. The recognition and respect my degree commands is enhanced whenever the school gets national exposure. I have also noticed that my degree gets more recognition when Tulane is in the national spot light, such as the football teams undefeated season, the women's basketball teams multiple appearances in the NCAA tournament, and the baseball teams appearance in the College World Series. My circle of business acquaintances as I believe is true for the majority of alumni, know of and hear about Tulane because of the athletic program. That initial recognition then begins an inquiry in to what the school really represents and why it is such a reputable institution. Unfortunately, unless you are in academics athletics is usually how an institution gets recognition. A perfect example of this is Stanford University. I believe Stanford University's athletic program enhances its educational pursuits. A college education, particularly at Tulane, is much more than just the learning and experiences in the classroom. In determining what school best suited me and the education I wanted, the athletic program as a whole played an important role in my decision to attend Tulane. For example, I remember looking into Emory University but I wanted a complete college experience. To me, and I believe many students, that meant attending a school that played Division I athletics. In our society, for better or worse, you are considered second trier unless you attempt to compete at the highest level. I think that goes for academics as well as athletics. I believe that is why even the Ivy league plays Division I in some sports (i.e., basketball). It provides name recognition and national awareness. Simply, I cannot stress enough how important I believe keeping an athletic program is to an institution like Tulane. I also believe it is important to the community of New Orleans. A private University in a town where a significant portion of the population is below or just at the poverty line should not be perceived as elitist. These are just a few of my thoughts set out in a somewhat unorganized manner. As most people I am too busy for my own good. However, if you want further comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time, ***** As a student at Tulane University, a University recognized for many accomplishments, including athletic, I strongly oppose any and all proposals which would result in the change of all teams to Division III. Our athletes work too hard and have achieved too many victories to simply let their efforts go by the wayside. Quoting a flyer I received today, with "16 Division I sports, 15 conference titles, two bowls, 47 NCAA Tournament Appearances, record setting attendance for baseball," and much more, I do not see the advantage of any monetary leverage this proposal would bring. Tulane would fail to be recognized as a highly favorable university for potential applicants, because athletics does play an important role in the college decision-making process. Take that advice to heart from a person who recently experienced such a life-changing process. As students, not only do we support our athletes, but we are the future alumni who will contribute to this University, a University that we can only hope will support our wishes. ***** Mr.Cowen, I do not believe that Tulane athletics' has been more successfully than in the last 5 years under your leadership. When you consider all of the different programs I consider the program moving in a very positive direction. Please not consider this move to division 3 in any sports. The exposure the university receives through the bowl games and NCAA tournaments is priceless. ***** Dear President Cowen: I strongly believe that Tulane sports should remain in Division I. I have a decent idea of the monetary savings that could be had from dropping in classification, but the recent successes of the football and baseball programs give positive publicity that money can't buy. Tulane was in the only football game on television last Christmas night, when a few hundred million football-loving Americans were digesting in front of their televisions. That game was played around the time of the release of the widely publicized study that put Tulane and Notre Dame in the fictitious "national championship" game where schools were ranked based on athletes' graduation rates. Tulane's production of NFL-quality student-athletes of high moral caliber, like Patrick Ramsey, Shaun King and Seth Marler to name a few, results in more positive publicity than can be had through abstract academic reputation. These athletes put a face on the university, and it is a face worth preserving. An undefeated Division III Tulane football team might not draw mention in the New York press (despite the potential excitement of whipping the Banana Slugs of U.C. Santa Cruz), but a respectable 8-5 Division I team with a bowl appearance will make Tulane's dispersed alumni sit and watch for three hours. Yet just when things are finally getting better, news of this committee gets out and instantly undermines years of improvement in the public eye, just when we're starting to get grudging respect from our historical rivals around the state and in the local press. I am especially concerned by the terrible recent publicity from notorious Wave-hater John DeShazier at the Times-Picayune and Juan Kincaid at WWL. DeShazier suggests today that Division III is the logical choice for Tulane; Kincaid speculated at the top of a WWL TV 10 p.m. broadcast this week that Tulane sports might be eliminated entirely. This is the type of garbage I expect from other schools' mouth-breathing fans during football recruiting season, but the lack of an effective response from Tulane officials only makes the speculation seem credible. (Oddly enough, the Baton Rouge Advocate's coverage has been surprisingly positive.) The damage done to the recruiting of new athletes, not to mention the retention of existing athletes, might be irreversible. Tulane needs to say or do something official to show its support for athletics. It would be powerful and effective to have the university president make a statement in support of athletics, at least for the major sports. I understand you shouldn't usurp the board's role, but some I'm sure you can make some reasonable statement of support for Division I athletics. Tulane can't wait until the end of May to try to repair the growing hole in the levee. Despite the mounting public relations problem, I am comfortable that Tulane will retain its Division I status for the time being. After attending Tulane in the hostile Eamon Kelly years, it is a joy to see a face-painted university president at Tulane football games. Our football and baseball teams are consistently good, building programs instead of one-hit wonders. I remember the big crowds football used to draw as recently as the mid-80's. When I was a student at Tulane just 10 years ago, students were sleeping in "tent cities" outside of Fogelman to get tickets for televised basketball games. With a few years of consistently good play, I truly believe Tulane can draw similar crowds again for football and basketball. It's already happening for baseball. Homecoming at Tad Gormley was a breakthrough moment. The last thing we need to do now is quit. The second-to-last thing we need to do is make people think we're going to quit. ***** I am a proud graduate of both Vanderbilt (B.A. 1986) and Tulane (J.D. 1989) Universities. I selected both schools because I desired a complete undergraduate and graduate school experience--specifically, excellent academics, vibrant social and cultural environments and sports programs competing at the highest collegiate level. I was offered admission at other schools equally or higher ranked, but selected Vanderbilt and Tulane because they offered what I considered to be "complete packages." As an alumnus, I delight in following the sport programs of both schools. I do not always expect Vanderbilt and Tulane to win in every instance, but I do expect them to compete, and to do so at the highest levels, whether in the realms of academics or sports. To settle for participation in something less than the highest level of collegiate sport will diminish my memories, enjoyment and vision of Tulane. I hope that you do not choose to go down that path. ***** To All Concerned & Involved: My thoughts are with you. I attended & graduated from Tulane in the Mid-60's. I had a partial baseball scholarship & played on sub .500 teams. However, I carry those great memories with me to this very day. We must think of Tulane Univ. as an over-all entity. Div. 1A teams are the most successful form of Advertising the "Brand Name" of Tulane imaginable. Just look at Rice, Vanderbilt, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, etc.---all private schools that support college athletics in a very strong & focused manner. The upgrades at Vandy, Northwestern, etc. in facilities are amazing. YOU FOLKS ARE NOT EVEN TARGETING OWN OWN ALUMNI BASE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS, ETC. It has to be focused & persistent. We have so much to sell---good solid teams, CUSA membership(could change), great academics, & in New Orleans. SELL SELL SELL!!!There are Millions of untapped dollars out there. I took an early retirement from sales & marketing research. I hearby volunteer to move to N.O. & volunteer in fund raising. You need dedicated Tulane people trying to bring in the money. Don't drop down & break hearts & lose revenues. Get some guts & do the right thing. Thankyou, P.S. I'm serious re: the fundraising. I will come down & volunteer my talents to getting you the money. I live in Milwaukee(Marquette is pounding the streets & phone lines for the new Al Mcguire center). They are raising money the old - fashioned way(BY ASKING FOR IT). ***** Dear president Cowen. I am a double alum and am very distressed about the hemorraging newspaper articles regarding athletics. Damage is being done as these articles go unchallenged. They appear to have "the sky is falling" tone and yet we are told that it is only an "examination" of the dept. You must speak out and set the record straight or severe damage will be done to staff moral, recruiting, fan anxiety, etc. Otherwise, the articles will be deemed the facts and could cause irreparable damage whatever the studies outcome. ***** Mr Cowen, I am currently a freshman at Tulane and I am very concerned about the possibility of the school becoming Division III. One of the reasons i came here was the fact that our school is in Conference USA and plays an exciting schedule. I am from Rochester,NY and I may have heard of Tulane had it not been for the baseball team's recent success. I am proud of our sports teams and woulf consider it an insult if we dropped down to division III. Our baseball team is consistently one of the best in the nation, our womens basketball team finished in the top 25 this year, we have one of the best tennis programs in the nation and our footbal team won a nationally televised Bowl Game. I would seriously consider transfering if we dropped, and know many other students who would do the same. I work in the ticket office and know that we have great fans and many alumni who would feel like they had wasted their time and money throughout the years if we became a D-III school. This seems like a step in the wrong direction, and will turn out to make you, as the President, look bad. With the additions of the new buisiness school and the new University Center it seems like a lot of money is being put into improving our school, but if we lower our athletic standing, I will wonder if Tulane is really headed in the right direction. Thank you for your time. Hopefully I will see you next semester. ***** Moving Tulane down to Div-III would be a HUGE mistake. Who ever is considering this plan obviously has no idea how important athletics are to a university. I never would have attended Tulane if we were Div-III. I probably never even would have heard of Tulane if it were Div-III. The Green Wave give us all of our school pride and spirit, and are a great way to keep in touch with alumni. I can GAURANTEE you that if Tulane dropped out of Division 1, Alumni donations, support and involvement will decrease significantly. I certainly know I will give a lot less if Tulane is not a Div-I school. Homecoming this year was a huge success, and if you want to change anything, consider moving more games out to Tad Gormley or building a new football stadium. If we drop out of Division 1, you will have hurt this school beyond repair. Please do not ruin Tulane athletics. The most pride I have ever felt for Tulane was when I was at home over Christmas, and got to watch the Green Wave win a Bowl game surrounded by my friends and family. Everyone there gained a new sense of respect for Tulane, and made me proud to go there. PLEASE DON'T RUIN TULANE! STAY DIVISION 1!!! Roll Wave! ***** What is going on is absolutely sickening. Supporters of athletics and the University are given the finger by this regime - secret meetings, non-disclosure. Millions of endowment money were lost under Scott Cowen's regime as CEO of Tulane University. He has stacked the Board with people who have no love of Tulane - the chairman of the Board, spends time promoting the Hornets while doing nothing for Tulane athletics Is it any wonder that people in New Orleans don't care? ***** Dear President Cowen, Growing up with Tulane Division I athletics is ideal for a kid. The athletic history of the university can be traced back all the way to the first Sugar Bowl win. I've attended Tulane Green Wave baseball camp and even remember when the first Super Bowl was played on campus. The baseball team now is stellar (should be top ten this year). The basketball program has righted the ship and are fun again to watch. As an alum along with many Green Wave supporters monetarily and as a fan I would like to see Tulane remain division one, ***** Since leaving the SEC, Football has gone to 7 Bowl Games in 36 seasons. A lot of schools would be excited ! More recently, the past 6 seasons have produced 4 winning seasons and 2 Bowl victories with an overall record of 39-31. Great foundation for the future. It takes a competitive team, solid marketing, and a strong schedule to make the program financially successful. Parts 2 and 3 of this mix rest mostly with TU Athletic Administration, and over the last 20 years, these 2 areas have fallen short. Don't penalize the Athletes and Fans. ***** i wish i could have some other reaction than hmmmmm.... TU football may very well deserve to be in the Class III, is that a financial decision or competitive decision and is that a bad thing? better to be a big fish in a small pond... as an alumni living in TX, SMU struggles greatly with keeping its football team vaguely competitive (to think of a parallel situation). if it was $$, i'd consider dropping the team. is that bad? is the team a profitable venture and what is the overall cost / benefit of the team? concentrate on our strengths in other athletics - basketball, etc. my 2 pennies ***** Dear Dr. Cowen- I am starting a new Alumni Chapter in Nebraska. As most people know, Nebraska and main state University has an extremely loyal commitment to Athletics. Although the University of Nebraska doesn't have the academic recognition that Tulane has, the division 1A athletic programs help promote the university throughout the country. Competing in Division 1A sports helps to attract students throughout the country by the recognition created by sports competition. Tulane has a great academic product. But if prospective students outside the Southern states never hear much about Tulane, they are less likely to be interested in attending the university. Further, competing in the highest level of collegiate sports, create further recognition in job searches. Tulane is can more easily be recognized by employers. When Tulane made it to the College World Series in June 2001, this was the first opportunity since I graduated in 1990 to really connect with Tulane. This opportunity wouldn't exist if they didn't compete at the Division 1A level. It's puts Tulane on the Map in so many ways. A good example of for Tulane is Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They have competed in a limited number of sports successfully including basketball, soccer, baseball and few other minor sports. They don't compete in a major conference like Conference USA, but they create a good solid image that enhances the stature of the university in the local community and around the country. Creighton focuses on providing solid sports programs for the limited sports they compete in. ***** Dear Dr. Cowen: I want to add my voice to those strongly in favor of maintaining Tulane's participation in Division I athletics. Tulane athletics were a big part of my college experience, as well as an important consideration in my decision to select Tulane in the first place. Tulane athletics also provide one of the best opportunities for me to show my school pride and maintain relationships with other alumni. I added a similar note to this one in an online donation I made to the Athletic Department fund to show my support for maintaining our Division I programs. Please understand that I and the alumni that I remain close to feel very strongly about this issue! I have confidence in you and the others involved in the decision-making process to make the right choice and keep Tulane in Division I athletics, with a renewed commitment to the programs. ***** To whom it may concern: I'm a recent graduate of Tulane (Tulane College '00) who has given money to the school every year since I graduated. While I have not been able to give too much money since I'm still a student (at NYU law school), I just want to let you know that I will not give Tulane one red cent, and I will sever any and all ties that I've had with the university, if they drop football down a divison. ***** I think Tulane should stay a Division I sports team; 1999 was the greatest year ever at Tulane University and Tulane should pride itself on making its sports teams as highly regarded as its academics. There is no sense in taking a step backwards in athletics when instead, we can strive to make our teams great, like Tulane Football 1999. ***** Dear Board Members, As a recent Tulane graduate (May 2002) I am disheartened to hear that we are considering a move to a lower athletic division. I appreciate all that has been done to improve Tulane on the academic front over the past few years but don't think we should be working EXCLUSIVELY on academics. Tulane is a unique school, with many draws, including, but CLEARLY not limited to, it's academic prestige. In my opinion, it was, and is, the "full package". Looking back on the basic criteria I used to narrow my search when applying to college, a few things come to mind: ‡ I was a straight A student intent on "making it" in the business world so I needed a school with a good name that would give me a strong academic foundation. -- I was an athlete, followed sports and enjoyed being around them. As a result, I ONLY considered Division 1 schools. This is not because I planned on playing anything at the D1 level, simply because I wanted high caliber athletics to play a role in my "college experience" -- I was social and wanted a new, interesting experience. I also wanted a Greek Life. Again, I ONLY considered schools that fit these criteria. Tulane draws an exciting group of people that are ready for all it has to offer. I think most of my peers would agree that academic excellence is important to Tulane student but, so is everything else. Tulane students have an ability to balance all the school has to offer. To achieve in the classroom while maintaining an active social life, enjoying athletics, and taking advantage of everything both Tulane and New Orleans have to offer. Tulane students are a dynamic group that I think enjoy having D1 sports as part of their experience. I hope this letter is considered and that you will elect to keep your young alumni happy and engaged. Lets continue to provide Tulane students with the "FULL PACKAGE". ***** I hope that current discussions regarding Tulane athletics are truly standard operating procedure and there is no move afoot to disband Tulane football or lower Tulane athletics to a lower division of compettion. I am a 1991 Graduate of Tulane School of Law and while at Tulane I attended no sporting events. In 1998, I bought football season tickets because of the promise of a winning season and I have been a season ticket holder since. I have also become a member of TAF and regularly attend other sporting events. I live in Mississippi, but travel to New Orleans regularly with my family and other friends who are now Tulane fans. I am living testament that if Tulane puts competitive teams on the field, fans will come. Please support Tulane athletics as they now stand and rebuild a connection with lost fans by helping rebuild programs that were destroyed by previous periods of de-emphasis. Anything less will lose the fans that are just now starting to come back and that are rebuilding bonds with Tulane. Help keep Tulane in the spotlight. Help keep Tulane in the sports section. Resisit efforts to look at numbers alone and consider the good will that will be lost...the intangibles that will be lost. ***** Although not a member of the Tulane community, I am a resident of Uptown New Orleans and have several friends who are proud graduates and loyal supporters of Tulane. They understand the financial burdens at issue but are still dismayed and saddened by the possibility that Tulane could drop all the way to D-III athletics. I just hope that Tulane does not overlook the sometimes hard to quantify benefits that D-I sports provide by giving the university national exposure. Plus, sports give alums a way to stay in touch with each other in a way that renews their bond with their university. I know my friends do just that, even when Tulane's programs have struggled. Now, with winning teams in football, men's and women's basketball, and a first-rate baseball program, it seems that now is the time to let the A.D. and his staff continue their work to reduce the red ink while achieving even more success on the field. It would be a shame to cut such efforts short when they are really just beginning to pay dividends. ***** As a Tulane graduate ('92) I am deeply disturbed that Dr. Scott Cowen would even consider a move to D3. As an avid Tulane athletic supporter, many of my fondest memories have come at Tulane athletic events. Dr. Cowen, the vast majority of D1-A programs in the country lose money year in and year out. Tulane is no different. If Tulane goes to D3 you will lose a significant amount of contributions, and the applications to the University will decrease. The University will be hurt in the long run. I for one will cut all ties I have to the University, nor will I give Tulane a penny after that point. AND DR. COWEN AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED YOU WILL BE THE DEVIL HIMSELF. ***** President Cowen, Recently it has come to my attention that the University is considering a drop from the Division I athletics we have been a part of for decades and moving all the way down to Division III. In my mind, this is totally unacceptable and there are several reasons I see it so. School Recognition My first time to ever see or hear of Tulane came in 1998 when the football team went undefeated led by Shaun King. After that, as only a high school freshman, I became very interested in this University and began to see the high caliber of academics the school possesses and the care for its students. I am not the only one, many of the people I have met here were introduced to Tulane through sports. Sports is definitely NOT what makes this school, the excellent student body and faculty are what makes it great, but if you want to continue to attract students here, it will take more than Divison III athletics. The Athletics Program is Doing Well This previous year, the Green Wave football team won the Hawaii(Aloha) Bowl, the basketball team was competitive, and the baseball team attended and showed strongly in yet another C-USA tournament. The tennis teams are both very strong. I understand that the finances of the football team are what is under fire here, and although I support the team and attend games, I understand that the team does have a lack of showing at most of its games. This in turn leads the University to lose money. The baseball team is a year in year out top 25 team led by one of the best coaches in the country. It would be an injustice to remove them from Division I baseball and force them to play at a level that Tulane's Club Team of which I am a part is competitive. The school would also lose the excellent athletes who are also strong students. Other Schools we are on par with are Still D-1. Rice, Stanford, Vanderbilt, the Ivy League schools, these all have athletic programs that compete in Division I. Rice is less than 30 minutes from my residence in Houston and their student body is much smaller than Tulane's and their tuition is also cheaper. They still manage to compete well in Division I athletics, including baseball where they are the current #1 in the COUNTRY. The point I am trying to make is that athletics are a big part of this school and I love our Division I status as do most of the students here. Please don't take that away from us as I know there are other alternatives that can be explored, especially in the case of football. Thank you. ***** In your analysis, please do consider the replacement cost of advertising. 3 hours on national cable audience-Hawaii Bowl, Multiple national "impressions" during Monday Night Football "Pat Ramsey - of Tulane". ( If Tulane were to purchase even a 15 second advert which just said Tulane is a great school in New Orleans, The costs would be prohibitive.) National and regional coverage. Advertising leads to higher number of applicants which leads to higher SAT scores of entering classes. Further, instead of taking an "either or approach", the emphasis should be to piggyback academics with Tulane's national exposure, instead of shutting it off. Imagine Al Michaels (or other sportscasters) saying " I understand has a very high academic rating, in addition to it's athletics." 30 million viewers. You do the math. respectfully submitted Class of '80 ***** I hope the rumor of dropping Tulane Athletics down to Div II or even III is just a ploy to raise money for the departments effort to build on its existing momentum. I can't imagine that is a serious consideration. If there is some truth to it, please wake up and reconsider before something foolish is done. ***** Dear Dr. Cowen: As president of an unofficial three member(but we are totally devoted to Tulane and travel to football games within 500 miles of our home base)Tulane Alumni Club I have been designated to respond to the latest headline about downsizing Tulane athletics(mainly because I am liberal arts and the other members are engineers/lawyers!). We urge you Not to do this for the following reasons:1.) Downsizing implies academic acceleration which means instead of being classified as a broad based national/super regional university judged with peers like Wake Forest or Vanderbilt you will, because of the changed perception of Tulane, be forced to compete for students not only at that level but with liberal arts colleges like William and Mary, Davidson,and Washington and Lee.They have operated in this niche for years. Your student applications will shrink. It will take years to accomplish the task of finding the new niche. That is, are we like Emory or Davidson?2.) If you downsize, immediately review the faculty. To attract the research dollars you will need, if you want to be like Emory(major research school), personally tell every professor to publish now or perish.You will need millions to get the top professors from other major universities.3.) Tulane's athletic teams are winning right now-it appears people are taking notice of our success 4.) Downsizing means that the free national advertising that you get with athletics at Division 1 will be gone-you better hope that you move up in the US News and World Report rankings quickly to keep applications at the current pace(nice increase the last few years!)5.) Sooner or later, Tulane is going to get even more publicity about our high graduation rate among athletes-it does attract smarter players. 6.) The current NCAA playing field may change with the ex-president of Indiana University now running that organization-he has said he would like to tone it(division 1 athletics) down somewhat. Given the current economical situation of many states, I suspect many public universities will welcome relief-even if the boosters object and the taxpayers rejoice! What is the solution? This Club offers these suggestions: 1. As soon as possible, attempt to get out of the Dome lease, move back to Gormley Stadium, upgrade the capacity to around 35,000 to maybe 40,000, and create a Fenway Park/Camden Yards(Orioles) like atmosphere. The fans will come back including the students.Use the heat and humidity of New Orleans as part of the home field advantage.2.) Tell the alumni that they have to step up and send money-it is as simple as that-BUT make a concerted effort to get them involved in their local areas! 3.) The ACC is courting Miami of Florida right now but Syracuse and Boston College are dragging their feet-seize this opportunity to make our case of coming in with Miami to balance out a big time program like theirs with a respectable academic name like ours. Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia Tech, UNC, and UVA will welcome this plus feel more comfortable about the overall balance of their conference.In turn, we must promise to build the basketball arena.Additionally, we have New Orleans which will become a travel destination for all of those schools. Remember, Vanderbilt is using Nashville as part of their package in attracting SEC fans to their home games.4.) You will have to pick up the phone or travel to make this presentation, not Dickson 5.) If we stay in the CUSA, try to attract Rice to join or form a new conference out of the deep south/Texas CUSA schools as it will save money on travel. Thank you! ***** Dear President Cowen, A local sportswriter has just sent me an item saying that Tulane is considering a move to Div IAA. Consider moving to Div III. The financial savings are immense -- you don't save that much by dropping to Div IAA -- and the adoption of a "participation model" of athletics helps the school's academic reputation enormously. In your region, Emory does this: a very good school. Elsewhere, Washington University in St. Louis does it. In my area, NYU does it. All have selective admissions and terrific academic/intellectual reputations. Tulane could, within a few years, be numbered in their company. ***** Dear Sirs, I have heard of recent talks of switching Tulane's athletics program from Division I down to another division. I do not believe this solution, which seems to be based greatly on monetary concerns, would reflect the true spirit of Tulane, and it is not a decision I would support. I believe the committee can and should search for novel solutions to these concerns that would allow the recently reinvigorated baseball and football teams to play at the level they should. ***** Please accept this e/mail as one former student's opinion against dropping the athletic programs stature. I appreciate that you have access to information and opinion that I do not, so I will make this very brief. To this end I will focus on an issue that may be unique to my circumstance. I applied to Tulane as an international student and one of the significant issues that attracted me to the school was the idea that I could have the 'full' American university experience. This certainly included the feeling of institutional pride that collegiate sports can enhance and focus. This, in my experience, is unique to US university system. I now live in Atlanta and am drawn to the obvious comparison between Emory and Tulane. It is hard to ignore the higher level of national recognition that Tulane enjoys despite Emory's exceptional academics. I believe that it is fair to acknowledge that this is in part due to Tulane's higher profile athletic department. In conclusion, I find it hard to believe that a high quality education and high quality athletics are in contradiction. I believe that the function of further education is to promote individual excellence and ambition - this message is both enhanced and reinforced by an institution that has the same goals for itself. PS I was in the UK for Christmas last year and watched the football team playing in Hawaii on TV. The feed was on a station that broadcasts across Europe. ***** President Cowen: I'm sure the issue is more complicated than I believe it to be, but I cannot envision any scenario where such a decision would be in the long-term best interests of the University. Generally, I would never suggest that an athletic program be maintained if it were overly burdensome and unduly detrimental to other, more important, programs - e.g. academics, scholarships & professorships, student services, etc. However, I also think there is a real benefit, though perhaps intangible in the short term, to maintaining our D-I status. Ivy League universities are effectively bottom-feeders in the world of major college athletics, yet they remain in Division I. I don't expect that they would ever withdraw for a couple of reasons. First, I think they would view such a move as an admission of failure or at least non-competitiveness, which they would be loathe to do, and rightly so. Second, I believe they would appear less attractive, even if only slightly, to prospective students who want their college experiences to include D-I athletic competition and who might otherwise start making their first choices schools like Stanford, Northwestern, and Duke, or even UVA, Michigan, and Cal-Berkeley. I know the analogy is an imperfect one. Ivy League schools have significantly greater financial resources than Tulane. Fine, but the philosophy should be the same. Unless you could convince me that the school as a whole would be better for the students by taking the athletic program out of D-I, I think it would be a foolish and short-sighted decision. There has to be some sort of compromise. To conclude, I want to relay my own college application experience. I had a handful of requirements of the schools that I would consider. They were: urban/semi-urban, private, mid-sized, architecture program, away from home (I'm from VA), and D-I athletics. Although I finished Tulane with a degree in economics and not an architecture degree, at the time Tulane fit all of those criteria. I would submit that aside from the architecture requirement, the desire of prospective students for these qualities is not esoteric. The biggest draw to the school is the uniqueness of the city of New Orleans, but all of the other characteristics play their parts. I currently live in Washington, where fellow Tulane alum Patrick Ramsey is expected to be the starting QB for the Redskins next season. This instills in me a sense of school spirit and community, along with seeing Gerald Sowell score a touchdown in the playoffs and Shaun King and Jajuan Dawson flash a little potential. Use whatever power you have to affect the minds of the trustees to cause the withdrawal from D-I athletics not to happen. It will be more devastating than you might imagine. ***** Dear Dr. Cowen: With all due respect to those individuals speaking in favor of Tulane's continuation in Division I athletics, I must strenuously voice my opposition. Although the loyalty and commitment these individuals have shown to Tulane athletics is commendable, the data simply do not support the position that Div I athletics are in the long-term interests of the University. The attendance figures published by the Times-Picayune alone argue that the support base is not large enough to justify the significant money spent on student academic scholarships, coach salaries, travel expenses, etc. These costs are enormous and they come at the expense of attracting and retaining the best and brightest faculty. Faculty salaries and department budgets continue to be slashed while athletics rolls along immune to these forces. Over time, the loss of quality faculty will result in an unrecoverable drop in the university's academic reputation. While some students may indeed choose Tulane over schools such as Cornell or Emory because we have Division I athletic programs, the relevant question is, "At the end of the day, is the reputation of Cornell or Emory hurt by this?" I would submit the answer is a resounding "No." As you rightfully suggested, the landscape of Division I athletics is changing. I for one would be happy to see Tulane divorce itself from this situation and plow the money back into the part of the university that needs it most: academics. You have my best wishes in making what is sure to be a difficult decision. ***** Stay in Division I - my interest in Tulane as an alumnus would drop dramatically otherwise. I am an avid TU baseball fan and love us having one sport we can compete with the "big guys" in. Please do not leave Division I. Us alumni outside of NO would lose a way to "stay in touch" with the Wave. Thanks. ***** Dr. Cowen, Let me begin by saying that I have supported you as President since your appointment and have been very proud of your tenure at Tulane. I was an upperclassman during the transition into your administration and I can assure you that every Tulane student felt an immediate improvement not only in services provided but in the personal care and attention you give the student body. You were, and are, an inspiration. I remember walking through the Gibson quad one day and seeing you sit down on a bench to ask a Freshman what she was studying, about the subject, and offering help. That was amazing and something that would have never happened under Kelly. Unfortunately, the first time I have chosen to write you and express this is after reading about the universities review of the athletic program. Something I believe I would not have found out about if not for the Times-Picayune. I could not be more upset at this very moment than at any moment since I began my Tulane career. It has been my impression since you came on board, that you were devoted to improving the athletic system and hiring people who would do the same. Obviously the first mistake was letting Tommy Bowden get away from us, but I along with my fellow alumni blamed that on the poor excuse for an athletic director at the time and not on the front office. But the thought of dropping from Tulane from Division 1-A or at the very least scaling back our school 's devotion to athletics is outrageous and insulting. Since complaints alone will not improve the system, these are my suggestions: · Commit large regional football school to 'annual' games as opposed to semi-annual. We should play LSU every year, hands down. There are other schools in the SEC or Big 12 that would be more than willing to send their teams to New Orleans for an easily winnable game. Will we beat these teams? Not right away, but an improved schedule will produce recruiting. Notre Dame made it through hard times, not by dropping Michigan from its schedule but by hiring talented personnel and improving recruiting. Tulane left the SEC before television commitments so we could mirror Notre Dame's independent success. To abandon that idea now, is to admitting total failure and sending Tulane plummeting in regional respect. · Continue to play Tulane basketball in Fogelman Arena, including the "big games". New Orleans Arena is not Tulane. The Superdome is not Tulane. My biggest wish is that we would not have to play football in the Superdome. Tulane is one of the largest landowners in Louisiana. I suggest using some of that land to build a new Tulane Stadium. Give us back the Sugar Bowl. Will this cost money and put the athletic program deeper in the red? Yes. But students will come to games they can walk to and hear from their dorm rooms and more fans mean more revenue, and better recruiting. I wouldn't want to play for a team that gets 5,000 attendees at the Superdome. Neither would you. As for basketball, my greatest memories are in Fogelman Arena and much like Duke or Kansas, that arena gives us a distinct home-court advantage. · Without disparaging our current football or basketball coaches, those positions make programs. When you have a good program, you can afford to take chances on coaches. We do not have that luxury. Tulane should and can attract big names to its program. In basketball, coaches like Mark Few from Gonzaga, or in football, well?..Tommy Bowden. Remember the excitement on campus in '98? That can be recreated and we can make ourselves BCS eligible by making the scheduling changes above. · I am honestly not a women's basketball fan. Unfortunately, many alumni will probably agree with me. With that, I say the Lady Wave should sink or swim. A few years ago they were on the cusp of being a program that could rival UConn (your alma mater) and produce television revenue and regional stature. They currently are not. Federal law currently mandates through Title IX that they have equal opportunity to succeed in the program. I understand this and I believe in the Lady Wave. I do not believe the revenue earning men's programs should suffer because of this however. When we were nickel-diming Tommy Bowden we were giving the women's basketball coach a raise. This will not make an athletic program more successful. · My last suggestion is to drop the Pelican. This seems silly I know, but we are not the Pelicans, we are the Green Wave. I applaud your effort to unify Tulane under one masthead this year. Now, restore the dignity and history of Tulane and bring back the T-Wave emblem. Direct a marketing campaign around it ? "Restore the Pride" or "Gumby is back!" This is up to the people in marketing, but it has been pretty apparent to me since Day One of the Pelican era that people don't like or respect the Pelican and frankly, it has given plenty of ammunition to our rivals. The Green Wave is historical and dignified nickname that the Pelican as a mascot mocks. I am sure you have heard all of this before and I apologize for the length of my comments but I feel remiss that I have not spoken up sooner on these topics. At this point in my career, I am not the financial donor that I would like to be. But my plan all along has been to commit large sums of time and money in the future to the honor of my alma mater. I want to be that donor that earns a right to sit at the table discussing Tulane's future. That will not happen, nor will it happen for many other distinguished alumni, if we abandon a chunk of school's pride in the name of revenue. I will not give one dollar to the school. I will personally discourage, far and wide, alumni contributions if we fail our mission here. Above all of that, I will not encourage my children to follow in my Tulane footsteps, which is disappointing. This idea will not earn Tulane academic respect; it will only weaken Tulane's reputation. You have been outstanding in your pursuit to raise the academic bar at Tulane. You have the chance to be greater, to be legendary. Bring us all the way back, don't sell us short at the finish line. ***** I am shocked and appalled as a graduating senior that the board would even think of lowering Tulane to a Division III school. This is a prime example of the University looking for a short-term solution for a long term problem. Apparently football is where we're hurting the most. I'll admit that the Superdome looks rather empty at football games, but the Dome holds 80,000 people! The Saints have trouble filling the Dome, what makes you think that our University can draw a sell-out crowd every week? One of my fondest experiences of this year was watching our homecoming game at Tad Ghormley stadium. That's the type of solution that this University needs. The problem isn't the money we're losing to athletics, but that the current administration is doing everything in their power to squash any sense of pride that students have at Tulane. Our attempts to diminish our image as a "party school," the reckless destruction of the Observatory, the us vs. them mentality that the administration has with the Greek system, and the under-funding of LAS programs are all OBVIOUS signs that the administration cares little to nothing about what the students think about our campus. If you want students who are eager to attend football games, and a higher percentage of alumni who give back to Tulane, the administration needs to stop treating us like children and start respecting us adults. ***** I am a long time Tulane athletic supporter and I am praying every night that instead of de-emphasis we actually start emphasizing athletics. I have always said that we have never connected with this community because we have never showed a commitment to the people of New Orleans and Louisiana. We play in an off-campus facility that does not fit college football. We play basketball in a WWII facility. A baseball stadium was promised two years ago and as of today, nothing. One other note, we are the only Division 1-A school without a band. Without infrastructure, without committing some money, there will be no commitment from the community. Athletics could work with the right people in charge and donations would go out the roof. What better way to stay in touch with an out of town alumni base. Last time I looked, I didn't see the Math, Engineering, English, etc., department on T.V. In conclusion, I have been in shock that this subject was even brought up. With all the knowledge that is gathered in the halls of Tulane University, it doesn't take a genius to see the potential moneymaker (and that is what we are talking about - MONEY) that athletics could bring provided there is a REAL COMMITMENT. Please, and I repeat, PLEASE don't take athletics away. Thank you and regards. ***** I strongly support keeping the Tulane Green Wave a Division I athletic program. When looking at colleges to attend, I chose Tulane for a few reasons: (a) New Orleans, (b) size of the school, (c) Division I athletics. Tulane is one of the few schools in the country that is of a medium size, in the top tiers academically, and has a Division I athletics program. This should be a selling point-how we are different than Emory or Wash U, for instance. If Tulane did not have a Division I athletics program, I am quite confident I would not have gone there. If Tulane were to lose its Division I teams, I am quite confident that I would stop supporting Tulane, both financially and in terms of time. Tulane athletics are a source of pride for alumni, especially those of us who went to every home game we could at Fogelman Arena and the Superdome. It is a great opportunity when we get to see Tulane play across the country, including when I saw the football team play at Navy in 2002. These are great times for alumni and a way for us to feel attached to our experiences in New Orleans. Sports teams at college mean more than just dollars and sense. They are a major source of pride for all of us. Please keep Tulane Division I. ***** Terrible idea. Please don't drop our national reputation to a regional one. Onward and upward...make the decision to get better in athletics, don't hide from the challenge. ***** This is such unfortunate timing. I can remember no time in the past 20 years when I have been more enthusiastic about our sports teams and C-USA league affiliation. Our coaches and student athletes are doing their part! The administration needs to focusing on the MARKETING of our athletics programs. You can build on the momentum generated by our recent success on the playing fields. Thank you for your time. ***** Quality of Tulane Students- While Tulane is an outstanding academic school, my opinion is that the school's greatest asset is attracting well-rounded students. Attending Tulane in the "Big Easy" city of New Orleans requires potential students to be both academically and socially gifted. In the spirit of recruiting well rounded students, we must maintain a first class athletic program. Had Tulane not had a D-1 program, I (and many of my peers) would not have attended. I strongly suggest it continues in Division 1 and committed to its athletic program. Tulane will lose many quality applicants looking for a complete college experience, if it sacrifices the athletic program. The domino effect will occur - Less Applicants - Higher Acceptance Rate - Lower Standards - Lower School Spirit - Degraded Reputation. Let's keep Tulane a "Top Notch" University. ***** I strongly urge those reviewing the status of Tulane football to avoid making a big mistake. Tulane football is a wonderful tradition and part of a great history of a great university. If football is dropped to Division III, it will never come back, and we alumni will look back with sadness about what might have been and what could have been. Administrators who look at issues from a narrow and short term point of view can make bad decisions whose impact is felt long after they are gone. For alumni, we will always have Tulane in our hearts, and we will always be big Green Wave fans. If we let this administration take away this great tradition, we will be the ones who regret it long after this president has gone on to some other university. Division I sports are a big draw for prospective students, are great PR for the university, and are a unifying force for students and alumni. Being an elite university that can also compete in Division I football also sets us apart and make us a unique institution. Do we really want to become just another Emory University or Carnegie Mellon? Perhaps only people who have gone to Tulane can understand this. An increased commitment to alumni affairs and fundraising that goes hand in hand with a commitment to excellence in athletics WILL pay off in the long run. Just because these areas may have been neglected in the past does not mean that we should just give up and retreat. Dropping football to Division III is a defeatist move that is particularly surprising when it comes at a time of renewed prestige and academic standards for the university. If we put as much effort into bolstering athletics as we do to some other initiatives we can be successful. Please don't make a short term decision that will be an irreversible mistake. ***** Dr. Cowen, Please do not let a move to div. 3 happen to our beloved Green Wave. Keep the Greenies in Div. 1, the fans will help you if you ask for their support! sincerely, ***** Dr. Cowen- I do not think anyone on this "board" set to "review" athletics at Tulane realizes what a grave mistake dropping down in divisions or cutting programs will be. This move, if it were to happen, would hurt the university as a whole as much as it would hurt the athletic programs. I know I do not speak only for myself when I say I would not give another dime to Tulane if this happened. I attended and graduated from Tulane as did my Fiancee and Parents. None of us would donate any more money if this happened. Incoming students might not have listed athletics as a top reason why they came to Tulane and to tell you honestly I wouldn't listed it high up either. With that being said, I would not have gone to Tulane if the athletics were not in I-A. I could have gone to Emory but chose not to for many reasons, one being my love for Tulane athletics. Thanks and Roll Wave in I-A!!! ***** Many students don't care about sports on campus. They held no interest to me, didn't feel like they were part of the Tulane culture, seemed like they wasted a lot of money, and since we always seemed to be "also rans" in Div. 1 anyway, what was the payoff? Get out of Div. 1 and you'll see our sports program become accessible to a lot more student. ***** As a member of the Tulane Collage Dean's Advisotry Counsel, I strngly encourage the School to remain in Division I. GOing to a lower Division will only lower the School's profile, making it more challenging to recruit. We don't mind if the teams get whooped by State schools...it is a recent tradition that I am actually proud of. WHen you do have a year where the School is strong it makes it all the more fun. Please don't make this move. The School seems to have a chance to really break into the top 30 or 40 institutions in the country and this move could risk the benefits of that higher ranking. ***** I am in favor of dropping out of Division 1. The notion that a university cannot be truly great without a Division 1 Athletics Program is absurd. Dropping out of Division 1 seems likely to result in athletics becoming a valuable adjunct to the primary purpose of the university -- to educate its students -- rather than an end to itself. ***** Dear Tulane Decision-makers, I was recently forwarded an article appearing in the Times-Picayune regarding the board's consideration to downgrade Tulane Athletics from Division 1. When I was a senior at Tulane (1996), this became a hot issue on campus when then-President Kelly pushed a giant spending package aimed at the football team to the detriment of graduate programs. It seemed to many students that the package was aimed at pleasing alumni who wish to hang on to their college years by tail-gating at Tulane-Navy games, as opposed to providing a strong education to the students who were currently enrolled. I feel the same way today that I did then. I chose to attend Tulane because of it's strong academic reputation and open-minded campus life. I enjoyed my time at Tulane precisely because it isn't an athletic school. I had scholarship money to both University of Texas and University of Alabama, and no money from Tulane. Despite these incentives, I believed that my academic interests were better served by going to Tulane instead of these traditional 'football' schools. I'm pleased to report that despite our stagnant economy, I owe it to my Tulane education that I continue to be employed and well-paid in a competitive field. I am a bit uncomfortable expressing my opinion on this issue because I am an alumna and not a current student. I feel that the spirit of a university should reflect the character of the current student body, and that it's their time to influence university life - NOT alumni. However, since many alumni will likely write in, decrying any decision to downgrade Athletics, I feel that it's important to speak up in favor of a decision to move Tulane Athletics from Division 1. While I was at Tulane, the university's reputation around the country dropped as demonstrated in lower ratings in US News & Annual Report's survey of schools. Tulane's standing hasn't appeared to rebound since then. I think de-emphasizing athletics is a strong step in the right direction towards reviving Tulane's academic reputation. Tulane's athletic teams are never going to rise up to the level of other Division 1 schools. Even when the football team managed to have a winning season, it only served as a career vehicle for the coach. I think putting our athletic programs into a division where they can actually win a few games, will do more to improve lasting spirit in the institution as opposed to watching loosing teams year after year. I'm strongly opposed to funneling money into the program in an effort to strengthen and maintain a solid footing in Division 1. It's a waste of money, and doesn't stack up to the priorities of an academic school. To sum up, not all alumni care about Tulane's athletic success, and many of us would be thrilled if athletics is removed from Division 1 ***** Dropping down from Division I would be a mistake. The football and basketball teams help to attract non-athletic students. Even if the University must cover monetary losses of the Athletic Department, the cost is worth it. Doesn't anyone remember the euphoric feelings among students and alumni when the basketball team made the NCAA tournament or when the football team went undefeated? Don't you think those events helped attract non-athletes to campus? ***** Dr. Cowen, I am an alumnus (Business School BSM '82), and an annual donor to both the University and its Athletic Department. I have developed a tremendous amount of respect for the viewpoint you have consistently espoused up to now, that Division 1A athletics is clearly a significant benefit to Tulane, to its university life and sense of community. Higher education is a multi-year comprehensive campus experience, not merely a classroom experience. Additionally, Division 1A athletics is a primary means of connecting with the community around Tulane, and to gain invaluable exposure in the local and national media that we otherwise would not get. You have stated these things yourself directly, as you well know. Also, you need not be reminded that our athletic programs have achieved success not matched in modern times. This success spans across virtually every sport we compete in. We are competing in bowl games again, winning championships, advancing to NCAA playoffs and tournaments all year long. All the while, mind you, we are ranked at the top nationwide in the percentage of our athletes who graduate; this percentage achieved, mind you, is better than the general student population. I couldn't be prouder of our student-athletes, our coaches, and our athletic department. They are doing everything asked of them and more. There have never been better times in Tulane athletics, never in our history. Given all of this, it is difficult to understand how Tulane's senior administration and its board could undertake to review and question anew the level at which we operate in athletics, for the short-sighted reason of current finances. One has to assume when something is significant is conducted that it will become public knowledge, and therefore before undertaking it one should consider the downside risk of resulting damage. It has in fact become public knowledge, and the damage is growing daily. The people who work for you in athletics, who have excelled as described above and who have remained loyal because of the perceived commitment from the top of the university, have to feel betrayed, regardless of what they might feel comfortable saying. The athletes and prospective athletes who plan to attend or are thinking about attending Tulane have to be shaken to the core. The fact that you and the board are not categorically assuring the public that Tulane is committed to Division 1A athletics is sufficient for all interested parties to deduce that the truth must be otherwise. I find it hard to believe that the longest Tulane can unequivocally commit to Division 1A athletics is four or five years; that is what I would conclude if I am to believe that this type of question is actually raised and addressed by the board every four or five years. How can any athletic department be expected to succeed in such an environment, with a possible sunset provision in place every four or five years? How are we to attract the best, brightest talent to run our program? Would you consider such an opportunity? This is not a best practice to say the least; why on earth would we comprehensively re-evaluate the existence of the entire program every four to five years? Regarding my remark on current finances above, I would ask the board and administration to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that Tulane would not suffer more financially from any such theoretical de-emphasis through lost donations and reduced applications to Tulane. My understanding is that some of the athletic deficit figures being quoted include a full "retail" charge for athletic scholarships to the athletic department. How much is the actual incremental cost of educating approximately 250 young people to the university? What do we get in return for this incremental cost? This is how we make business decisions, and I would hope it is how the university does so. If only true operating cash deficits are taken into account, then how do these compare to the fundraising benefits and increased enrollment opportunity to the university? Finally, I would ask the board to consider whether they have EVER properly funded our athletic program in a first class fashion, based on what peer institutions have done, at a level to ensure consistent success. I remember a legitimate complaint registered in private by a former Tulane football head coach: "I don't mind solving a difficult problem, but don't tell me I have to do it without any of the tools required. Don't tell me that money is a problem, academics are a problem and winning is a problem." How right he was. I am reminded of the demand placed on the Israelites by the ancient Egyptians, "make bricks with no straw." We have been telling our athletic department to do this for 50 years, and look at the result. I am amazed they are doing as well as they are. We have never matched the commitment of peer institutions. One more thing; it is a fact that more than half of today's existing Division 1A programs operate at a deficit. I do not see what is so different about Tulane than all of these schools. Finally, I must respectfully ask where the current board has developed the opinion that they are to be the arbitors of such a fundamental change in the fabric of Tulane University. They are serving terms which will expire. The administration, faculty, all are here for only temporarily. They have no right to impose their viewpoint on the entire Tulane community. I don't see how this group has convinced themselves that they may consider such a fundamental change without consulting the true Tulane community, its alumni, contributors and current students. These are your only "customers", so to speak. They, and only they, are the enduring, permanent Tulane community whose opinion should be the only one that matters on such an issue. You are, after all, considering the possibility of disturbing well over 100 years of tradition, nearly as old as Tulane itself. In summary, I call upon you as the leader of this institution to stay the course you set when you arrived. You proclaimed that your support for Division 1A athletics was unwavering, that any dissident faculty would have to accept this and "get in line". I don't know why this support might have wavered; but I ask that you respect the wishes of Tulane's alumni and students in this matter and immediately, unequivocally end this speculation, without further delay. It is fine for the board to study how they might better assist the athletic department in achieving its goals. It is unacceptable for them to consider another de-emphasis. We have long had enough of that type of intervention, its effect on our athletics program has consistently been devastating. I cannot see myself continuing to support Tulane University without Division 1A athletics; I will not respect any such decision by the university board for the reasons outlined above. I am sure you are getting many other such communications; please avoid any further firestorm on this issue and lay these concerns to immediate rest. ***** To Whom It May Concern: I was informed by the president of the Tulane-Washington DC alumni chapter of the issue with the future of Tulane Athletics through the following article: http://nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1050992740175600.xml I am not writing to give feedback on the issue, but rather the discussion of the issue in the media, if this is indeed something that the administration hopes will engage disparate groups of Tulane alumni. I had a very hard time from the article above deciphering what exactly the problem is, and what the administration's position on the issue is. Dickson's comments were extremely hard to follow. I guess my feedback would simply be to further articulate the issue to Tulane alumni, if their feedback on the issue is important. ***** Dear President Cowen: My name is Riley Kennedy, and I am a junior BSM student. I am extremely discouraged to hear that our Division 1 athletic program is being threatened... and not by NCAA sanctions, but by our own. I have always been an active supporter of Green Wave athletics and attended every home football game this season, as well as the game in Memphis and the bowl game in Hawaii (where I had the pleasure of meeting you outside the hotel). I also actively support all of the other athletic programs, particularly baseball, men's tennis and basketball, and women's basketball, a team that I was to join, but decided that it was not in my best interest before coming to Tulane. I have been working some with Kari Dickson during the past year to help gain student support for our athletic programs and student athletes. I believe that the organization she formed has been successful and could continue to gain support if given more time. Our programs have enjoyed many successes this year in many sports and many of our athletes are or will be pursuing post-collegiate athletic careers. Now is the time to further our D1 program, not discontinue it! I would be more than willing to personally recruit and organize groups of students to support keeping the athletic program competing at the Division 1 level. I believe it is important, not only for our athletics, but also for the posterity of our school. If you have any suggestions on actions we as students may be able to take to help our school remain a Division 1 competitor, please let us know through e-mail (even though the server is down) or through published campus information. Please support Green Wave athletics!!! Thank you for your time. I think you are doing a wonderful job as president of our university. ***** Dr Cowen Are you not aware of the irrevocable damage already caused (and, no I'm not talking about the severe damage to the endowment that occured under YOUR watch) by your covert threats to Tulane athletics? Can you not at least state that Tulane remains firmly committed to Division I athletics? Are you seriously considering changing this for the sake of a $5 million or so deficit (more than overcome by donations, publicity, etc, and just a pittance of the endowment money that was squandered under your leadership)? Our teams are WINNING! The time is coming for major changes in 1A athletics - when you should be working to position Tulane in its best possible situation, the best that you can come up with is let's consider aligning with La College and Millsaps????? That's the best Tulane's CEO can come up with? My Goodness! (There are some obvious answers to reducing costs by realigning the conference, and there will be enough interested schools to do so - to name one thing we could do). Why is the New Orleans Community's support for Tulane athletics marginal? Perhaps potential customers figure that if the Tulane CEO and his handpicked Board aren't committed, why should they care? Perhaps when the community sees that BOARD CHAIRMAN work tirelessly to bring a competitor of Tulane athletics (the Hornets) to New Orleans, but can't spare a minute to promote Tulane athletics, why should they care? Instead of INVESTING in athletics, the Tulane Board Charman works for our competitors - terrific, Dr Cowen, just terrific. And why should I care - about the University - anymore when its management is meeting in secret, offering doublespeak to the media and its supporters, yakking 1/2 truths and generally giving those, like me, who support both academics and athletics the finger? ***** An excellent idea, given that
Div. I sports at successful schools are so predatory and don't care about
the future welfare of the student athlete. Of course, these programs bring
a lot of money to their respective schools. but it is rare that any of
this money is parsed out to academic research. ***** Speaking as a graduate from Tulane University (class of '02) and having played tennis my freshman year I can truly say what brought me to Tulane was your Division One sports program. My freshman year we had an 11-0 football season, and as I recall applications soared after that. Since Tulane is a back-up school for many who don't get into the ivy leagues...I think having a division one school is very important in enticing people to apply. ***** I believe that Athletics remains a vital part of Tulane's ability to produce well-rounded, balanced graduates. The University should continue to assist and promote athletics of all types, at various levels. For example, many students gain benefit from Club athletics. Less well-known athletic programs such as crew are also very important, and fulfill a real need at the school. They promote comraderie and strenghten the fabric and relationships that, looking back, are crucial to the "Tulane experience" that enabled me to become who I am. The same can be said for the Fraternities, which are often given short-shrift. All of that said, I believe that the issue that's really come to focus is, as stated below, Intercollegiate Athletics, and most likely the large-dollar football, baseball, and basketball. I don't think it's time yet for Tulane to resign its athletic program to the fate of the Ivies. I think a large part of the alumni base is still the core southern constituency, and I think they want to be able to follow Tulane football. I know I do. Tulane should continue placing heavy emphasis on its high-profile intercollegiate athletics-- football above all else. ***** Dear Sirs, I have heard of recent talks of switching Tulane's athletics program from Division I down to another division. I do not believe this solution, which seems to be based greatly on monetary concerns, would reflect the true spirit of Tulane, and it is not a decision I would support. I believe the committee can and should search for novel solutions to these concerns that would allow the recently reinvigorated baseball and football teams to play at the level they should. ***** Scott, I am a Tulane graduate with a B.A. and J.D., who you would recognize from my attendance at most athletic events. My wife, who occasionally attends athletic events, is a Newcomb graduate, as is a daughter of mine. I do not have time at the moment to fully express my views to you with polish, so I will do so in brief. I am absolutely appalled that the substance of the Board's athletic review proposals has gone public. Certainly, oversight is the function of any Board, but whomever it was that went public with the proposal of dropping out of Division I-A athletics, should be terminated from his/her Board affiliation. Why ? Because going public with such a proposal to downgrade athletics will be used in recruiting by every opposing coach and will severely damage athletic recruiting, if the status quo were be be maintained. And that, in turn, will reduce athletic success and further reduce athletic attendance, which, in turn, will further reduce revenue. I believe that the value of Division I-A athletics cannot be measured in dollars and cents; rather, it is public relations and marketing in putting the name of the university in a positive light in the media, both locally and nationally. I believe that our model at Tulane should be Stanford, where it would appear that all that Stanford undertakes is done well. In athletics, Stanford is highly competitive in football and basketball, and it excels in women's basketball, tennis and baseball. They give me the impression that they strive for excellence in everything that they do. I have long felt that this is what we should be doing at Tulane, both academically and athletically, and we seem to have come a long way in achieving that, including athletically, where just about every one of our athletic programs is doing well at this point in time. The proposal to drop from Division I-A literally constitutes "shooting ourselves in the foot." My wife, who is marginally interested in Tulane athletics, told me that if Tulane were to drop out of Division I-A athletics, then "we are not giving Tulane any more monetary contributions the rest of our lives." I do not, and will not, say that, but she did. I, on the other hand, bleed green. Where was I last night ? First, I attended the women's tennis match vs. UNO on campus, then, following the rain delay, I followed them to the conclusion of the match at the Hilton Rivercenter. Following that, at 9:00 p.m., I returned to the campus to see the last few innings of the baseball game against Nichols State til 10:20 p.m. I bleed green, but I am in need of "anger management" that the Board has gone public with a proposal to drop out of Division I-A. From this point forward, every opposing coach will be telling prospects that they ought not even consider Tulane, as it could be dropping out of Division I-A at any point, and where would that leave them? Are Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Rice, and/or Georgia Tech publically considering dropping out of Division I-A athletics ? We should be considering proposals to increase attendance and revenue, not dropping out of Division I-A. I can say this much in my current fury: if Tulane were to drop to Division I-AA, Tulane will have seen the last of me at athletic events. Admittedly, Tulane students and faculty do not support our athletic programs, which I believe to be a failing on our students' and faculty's part. But Division I-A Athletics involves far more than just the students and faculty. It enhances the desired diversity in the student body, it is public relations and marketing, i.e., putting the name of the university in the local and national media, and creating a positive image before the public, and it is our main source of contact and identity with our alumni nationwide. This is far more than a dollars and cents issue. Are we considering downgrading the Law School ? No, we are considering ways to enhance it. And that is what we should be doing with respect to our involvement in Division I-A athletics - making proposals as to how we can enhance student, faculty, and public support, increase attendance and increase revenue. I recommend that we study how Stanford and Duke are doing that !!! ***** I know that you and the Board
will make the right decision. I know perfectly well from my Cornell days
that non Division I-A football teams have Homecoming weekends. The numbers
are stacked against ***** Dear President Cowen, I am an alumni of Loyola University
of New Orleans (BA '86) and LSU Law School (JD '95), an ardent life-long
Tulane University athletics fan, life-long resident of the New Orleans
area and Green Wave baseball season ticket holder. I believe this gives
me some perspective on the move apparently being contemplated by the university.
I have a lot of thoughts on this matter, but I would like to concentrate
on one aspect on which you may not have received much email. I am afraid
I have broken the unwritten rule that an e-mail should only be five paragraphs.
Thank you for your indulgence in advance. Tulane athletics has always
been important to me. It is a part of my life I don't want to lose. |