Background and Facts For the last several months, the Board of Tulane and the university's senior administrative leadership, including leadership in the Department of Athletics, have engaged in a broad discussion of the role of athletics on campus. The board's discussion and study of the university's intercollegiate athletics program have centered on the following strategic question: Given the changing landscape of Division I intercollegiate athletics and the academic mission, goals and resources of Tulane University, what type of intercollegiate athletics program is in the best long-term interests of the university? The information below will provide some context for the discussion. Tulane University’s Mission Tulane's purpose is to create, communicate, and conserve knowledge in order to enrich the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to think, to learn, and to act and lead with integrity and wisdom. Tulane pursues this mission by cultivating an environment that focuses on learning and the generation of new knowledge; by expecting and rewarding teaching and research of extraordinarily high quality and impact; and by fostering community-building initiatives as well as scientific, cultural and social understanding that integrate with and strengthen learning and research. This mission is pursued in the context of the unique qualities of our location in New Orleans and our continual aspiration to be a truly distinctive international university. Tulane University’s Goals Tulane University continually aspires to be:
The unifying theme of this vision is enhanced academic quality and impact. We want to be recognized as among the very best academic institutions in higher education in every way. University Process The Board of Tulane University is reviewing the Department of Athletics as part of an on-going multi-year review process of all the major units of the university. An eight-member Ad Hoc Committee was formed to perform research and fact-finding. The Board, as the governing body of the university, undertakes reviews as part of its responsibilities as spelled out in the Board's by-laws. The Board is the only body of the university uniquely qualified to undertake such reviews because of its thorough knowledge of all aspects of the university and its desire to represent and balance all of the needs of the university's various constituencies. In response to the interest in this process, the university has established this website, where all comments and opinions that the university receives are being posted and shared with the community. The Board, the Ad Hoc Committee and the university's leadership are reading all mail concerning this subject. They are also receiving transcripts of all telephone calls made to the special Intercollegiate Athletics Comment Line. Let us know what you think by writing to feedback@tulane.edu. You can also read the questions and comments posted to date. The Board has made no decision nor has the Ad Hoc Committee finalized its findings. The committee will forward its report to the Board at its May 29 meeting. |