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Questions and Comments We've Received May 11, 2003 How Many Board Members Have Donated Money to the Tulane Athletic Fund? ***** Dear President Cowan: I hope Tulane athletics will remain in Division I. Our national caliber athletes and sports programs go so well together with our national caliber students and academics. I liken leaving Division I because of money to cutting the advertising budget because business is slow. Itâs exactly the wrong approach. We should work to enhance our athletic program with a focused plan for turning the negative economics around. Tulane students are taught to meet challenges and overcome them with creative and innovative solutions. We should expect the same from the administration. Throwing in the towel would seem to indicate an approach inconsistent with Tulane values. I am a proud alumnus (Law â82). Division I sports add pride and excitement to student life and provide an important bridge to maintaining school relations with alumni. We shouldnât weaken that bridge. We should strengthen it. Letâs move forward and improve our economics instead of lowering our standards. Good luck in making this difficult decision. ***** Congratulations to the Board for moving in the right direction. Tulane University should keep in mind its core mission--academics--and not be bulllied by a an angry group of alumni who neither go to games nor give money to the institution. If Tulane redirects the money its spends on athletics to academics it will do more for New Orleans and Lousiana than and DI title could. Let the students be proud of a rich academic tradition, not a small group of elite athletes. Let Tulane run a fiscally sound DIII program for a couple of million dollars and run a top notch business school, engineering program, and produce well rounded liberal arts and sciences scholars--the leaders of the next generation. Even if a couple of million were raised this year due to a last minute attempt to save DI, it would be a mistake. Such an appeal could not be sustained for the long run. Tulane has a history that shows that. And despite the Atheltic Director's hard work, he has not been able to either produce a national program nor a financially balanced one. And he won't be able to do it now. Tulane is no longer a New Orleans local school. It is a nationally respected institution, and the board has to keep its eye on the ball, keep its priorities in order, and do the right thing. Tulane wasted 100 million or so in the last decade on a failing DI program; its time to stop the foolishness. Congratulations to Dr. Cowen and the board for their courage. Make the hard, but correct decision. ***** Dear President Cowen and others, Please understand that the only connection that I and thousands of other alumni continue to have with Tulane is through Division 1 athletics. We are proudly able to watch our school on TV, listen to games on the Internet, attend games in our cities and in New Orleans. However, if we move to a lower level of athletics, alumni across the country will lose their only connection to Tulane. A couple of my friends transferred from Tulane after our 1st year back in 1987. They have heard of the pending situation and have remarked, "I'm glad I transferred to another school." It will be hard for me to be proud of Tulane if we are dropped to a lower classification. Tulane will have little or no name recognition across the country and my diploma will mean less and less as the years progress. Currently when I tell people that I attended Tulane, they comment: "Great baseball School" Undisputedly, division one athletics gives us exposure that we cannot get anywhere else. Even if the program is a financial loss, it is a PR winner. I truly believe that Tulane will suffer greatly if this drastic change takes place. I cannot believe that this is even being considered. In closing I say this There are a lot of great academic (non-division 1) schools in the US that most people have never heard about. Don't let Tulane join their ranks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you ***** Please send this forward for me to be considered in the over all decision making, by appropriate folks in New Orleans, perhaps on the ad hoc study committee. I rarely speak out, but I think this is an appropriate time. It's just the random thought of one solitary alumnus over here in Houston. After having given considerable thought to the current (and revisited) discourse over Tulane's participation in Division 1A intercollegiate athletics, I have come up with my personal answer, which I will share with you, if it may be of some value in some small way. It is the same answer I settled upon earlier this year when I decided to buy a family membership in the new Newcomb Art Gallery / Museum, at the same time I sent money to the T Club. Among the members of our family, (UC '45, A&S '71, Law '73, Newcomb '72, and Engineering '01 (so far...), I believe we have a dog in this race. The price of excellence has never been cheap, and anything of exceptional value or outstanding merit deserves to be supported and nurtured. This extends to providing somewhat equal measures of support to be apportioned among worthy enterprises. Well, I am an athletics lover of sorts, but I bought a family membership in the Newcomb Art Museum. Newcomb provided me a few enjoyable hours of quality Art History education when I was at Tulane, which I felt enriched and broadened my perspectives on the world in a meaningful way; in addition, the College has a rich and valuable history in the Mission Arts and Crafts Movement. It deserves, and needs my support. Well, if we are at another crossroads and possible fork in the road over athletics, I will bite the bullet and cast my ballot for the same guys that brought us the 1932 Rose Bowl, the 1970 Liberty Bowl, the 1949 and 1973 Tulane - LSU games etc., and the 1998 undefeated Green Wave, and their future counterparts who, without my continuing support, might never have the opportunity to achieve in this particular area of intercollegiate endeavor. I have occasionally thought about the University of Chicago, which shied away from intercollegiate athletics about the same time that Tulane first considered the matter, in the first half of the last century. In the long run, it may not have hurt Chicago very much, but it surely has not helped it very much, either. I even think about how the Wisconsin Badgers vow to "run the ball clear 'round Chicago", and so forth, and sort of feel sorry for the faded glory that once was Chicago, at least on the playing fields. I know the Law, Medical and Business Schools need lots of money, and recognize Tulane could strive to play baseball, basketball or sail consistently, preeminently better, but the premier intercollegiate athletic event, for the past 100 years or slightly longer, has been football. It promises to remain so in the foreseeable future. I suggest that we redouble our efforts to support Mr. Dickson in his endeavor to become more self sufficient over the next few years, and see if he can achieve his stated goals. We cannot allow football to denigrate our other fine programs, but I want to believe we can have both, equally well supported, if we resolve to do so. I'll pony up a few geeters. Talk is entertaining and perhaps motivating, but is not a substitute for cash. Cash is likewise next to useless and wasted, without a good plan. In the long run, I will bet on Tulane, support Mr. Dickson and President Cowan, and suggest we provide an opportunity for others to do likewise. I am not canceling my membership at the new Newcomb Art Gallery, either. I think I can handle both, in consideration of what Tulane has provided for me and my family over the years. It's just payback time. ***** For Immediate Release FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University President Dr. Patricia P. Cormier has informed the NCAA in a letter dated Nov. 12, of Longwood's intention to reclassify its intercollegiate athletic program to Division I status. By doing so, the institution has already begun an NCAA-mandated five-year process, including a one-year "exploratory period" this year (2002-03), to change its membership from Division II to Division I. Essentially, this means that next year (2003-04) begins a four-year reclassification process. The decision to move to Division I is part of Longwood's overall strategic plan to raise the visibility and profile of the University. According to President Cormier, "We believe that Division I status will enhance both our institutional image and our recruitment efforts. And we think our student-athletes deserve to play at that level. We look forward to developing some great rivalries." Those sentiments are shared by Longwood Director of Athletics Rick Mazzuto who stated, "One of the tremendous positives generated out of moving to Division I is the opportunity to use intercollegiate athletics as a vehicle to raise the public profile of the institution. The increased opportunities to play other high profile educational institutions, and to travel to major metropolitan areas where they are located, will greatly benefit Longwood -- in terms of more media interest and visibility." By initiating the reclassification to Division I, Longwood will operate as a Division II independent next year (2003-04). It also means that this current year is the Lancers last year as a member of the 12-school Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC). A key date during the early reclassification process is Sept. 1, 2003 - a date by which all Longwood student-athletes and the athletic program will be evaluated under Division I academic rules. Another important date will be Sept. 1, 2004 - a date by which the athletic program must operate under all rules and regulations of Division I and continue to do so for the following three years until the actual reclassification by the NCAA (Sept. 1, 2007). This date is significant because of compliance with the scheduling requirement that, for example, will require the Lancer men's and women's basketball teams to each play a minimum of 26 Division I opponents. "The fact is, that as of Sept. 1, 2004 - the significant change in terms of scheduling will already be in place," added Mazzuto. "While official reclassification will come on Sept. 1, 2007, essentially, we will act as a Division I athletic program beginning with 2004. "This is an exciting time for Longwood University Athletics and its student-athletes. There are tremendous changes at hand that will benefit both the University and its students." ***** I would like to take this opportunity to add my voice to all of those fellow alumni who have already e-mailed the Board of Trustees asking them to please save Tulane Athletics. I graduated from Newcomb in 1968- 35 years ago this month. I remember attending football and basketball games on campus while in high school in New Orleans and continued every year while in college (except for Junior Year Abroad in London). I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1973, but I have followed Tulane sports as an avid fan. I have a whole shelf of media guides thanks totally to Tulane Athletics' biggest fan, my cousin, Tulane class of '68 and Law '71. This is how I stay connected! Please don't do anything foolish by removing these programs. They are as old as the university and carry the minds and hearts of all of its alumni. ***** Tulane should set out to set up a Division III athletic program and join the University Athletic Association. The UAA is made up of the University of Chicago, Brandeis, Emory, Washington (St. Louis), Case Western Reserve, Carnegie Mellon, Rochester, and New York University. A much more impressive group than Conference USA. Tulane would have an honest athletic program, competing with other outstanding research universities, all of which are members of the Association of American Universities, as is Tulane. This would be a much better scenario for Tulane than trying to sell its soul to compete in Divison I. ***** Dear President Cowen, I am writing to express my strong support for Tulane University maintaining their athletic department at the Division I level. This status is in the best long term interest of the University. I am sure that you have been presented with information already as to how the University benefits from sports at the Division I level. There are financial benefits -- increased fan support via ticket sales, purchases of Green Wave merchandise and financial contributions to the Tulane Athletic Fund and the University as a whole. There are also less tangible benefits which are even more invaluable -- increased television exposure resulting in free advertising for the University which raises the profile of the University in the minds of the general public, potential students and student-athletes as well as alumni. What you probably haven't heard so much about is how Tulane's status at the Division I level affects student-athletes in their decision-making process in choosing an institute of higher learning. I would like to share with you what I think is probably a typical situation for the student-athletes that choose Tulane. For the student-athlete that chooses to attend Tulane, being part of a well respected university on both the academic and athletic fronts is nothing short of a mandatory requirement. This is true because all the student-athletes that attend Tulane excelled in both the classroom and on the playing field (or in my case, the swimming pool). We wanted to attend a university that would challenge us academically as well as athletically. In order to do that, a prospective student-athlete will only consider schools that are not only well respected in the academic world but that also pursue athletics on an equal plane. What that translates to is a Division I level school. After competing at the Ohio state high school swimming meet all 4 years of my high school career and graduating with a 3.8 GPA, I knew I wanted to attend a top notch school that would foster both my academic and athletic pursuits. When I began my college search, I did not once ever consider attending a school below the Division I level. Although some of these schools have fine programs and a rich history of their own, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the best of the best. So schools with a fine swimming program like Kenyon College, but which compete at the Division III level, were automatically disqualified. To me, that was the first criteria that a school had to meet. Beyond that, Tulane's academic reputation spoke for itself. From the Division I schools I was recruited by, (Syracuse University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ohio State University, New Mexico State University and Tulane) none held a candle to what I felt and still feel is Tulane's superior academics. Tulane is the perfect mix of strong academics and strong athletics. Now that Tulane has decided to bring back the amazing sport of women's swimming, I plan on becoming a much more active alumni. I have been in touch with the new coaching staff and have already expressed my whole-hearted support for this renewed program. I plan on making monetary contributions to the Tulane Athletic Fund as I know how important this piece of the puzzle is to a university. In addition, I hope to attend some of Tulane's swim meets to express my support in person. Tulane University athletics is a model for success. I respectfully ask that you maintain Tulane's athletic programs at the Division I level. By doing this, you will not only ensure that Tulane benefits financially from the exposure that being a Division I level school brings, but more importantly, that Tulane continues to attract student-athletes who excel athletically as well as academically. Roll Wave Roll! Sincerely, ***** Dropping football scholarships may allow Tulane to bring its athletic spending under control while remaining a member of Division I and Conference USA. The Pioneer Football League is a non-scholarship football league with members such as Davidson (Southern Conference), Dayton (Atlantic 10), Butler (Horizon), and the University of San Diego (West Coast). Annual football budgets for these schools are about $500,000, compared to about $5.5 million for the current Tulane program. ***** I received a letter from the Athletic Dept urging me to fight this. Did the Athletic Dept write every alumnus of the University? If so, that must have cost a pretty penny. They are in a deficit situation and yet can spend money like that????????? Some nerve. I can't imagine any other department at Tulane being so cavalier with the University's meager resources. ***** Dear President Cowan, As a Tulane Alumni and former diver on the 1988-89 swimming team, I am writing to implore you to keep Tulane athletics a Division1athletic program. My decision to attend Tulane was predicated on the Division 1 status of the swimming/diving team at time. I had the opportunity to attend The Naval Academy, Clemson University, The University of Georgia, and The University of Delaware. My choice was Tulane, because Tulane had the balance between academics and athletics that I was looking for. I would never have even considered Tulane if they were Division 1-AA or worse, Division 3. The high level of academics at Tulane must be equaled by a high level of athletics. It is a part of what makes Tulane stand out in the collegiate community. Tulane would lose out on national exposure if they were no longer Division 1. I am able to follow my school's basketball and football teams on ESPN even though I live in Florida. I feel as if I would not be able to relate to my school if I couldn't support them in their athletic endeavors (My husband and I are enormous sports fans, as are many of Tulane's alumni). Also, there are some elite incoming student-athletes on the swimming/diving team. They would miss out on national exposure for future NCAA competition, and Tulane would miss out on the ability to recruit such hightly sought-after student-athletes in the future. I believe you have recruited some wonderful and well-rounded student-athletes. Please don't limit their possibilities. Tulane has been building steam in all areas of athletics over the past years. Now we have finally re-instated women's swimming and diving - something that is LONG overdue. There is a promising future for my sport, as well as all of Tulane's athletics. I hope the future continues to grow. Your support, President Cowen, is much needed. Please consider the alumni as well as the young student-athletes' wishes and help us keep Tulane athletics a stong Division 1 athletic program. ***** Dear President Cowen, I am writing along with many other Tulane alums that have been rallied together by the influx of discussions circulating on the future of Athletics at Tulane. I feel certain you have received volumes in the days of recent. However I am compelled to also share with you my feelings that a decision to move to from Division 1 to D 1-AA or even to D3 will drastically effect the landscape of Tulane for years to come. Tulane regretfully has been stigmatized over the past few decades with uncertainty in it's athletics as we've endured the Basketball probation in the 80's to the dissolvement of the swim team in '89 of which I was a team member of and my swim career was ended as a result. I believe it's time to take an unwavering stance and solidify the national reputation of Tulane. A reputation that is built on the academic prestige but one where athletics is the "voice" that shares with the rest of the nation how tremendous our collective opportunities are for students. Athletics is the not only the venue by which our talented athletics shine and our student body rallies behind, but Division I athletics is one of the most priceless marketing tools an academic institution could every dream of having--the national and local coverage that athletics earns a university is more than any budget could ever afford! The public relations aspect of Division I athletics is one of the most brilliant recruiters you could ever have for our institution so long as everyone is playing fair and being a good team sport, athletes and coaches alike. The past is the past and it can't be reshaped. Yet the future legacy is ours to shape. I wish to share with you something from my past to help you contemplate how your decisions will affect the future. I came to Tulane as a walk on swimmer in 1988 after bouting an injury my senior year in High School. My decision was narrowed down to Duke, UVA, UGA and Princeton. Then is was almost a tie between Duke and Tulane because both offered the combination of academics I was seeking with high powered and revered athletics. The other two did not offer the joint combination in my opinion. So I landed at Tulane in 1988 as a walk-on and I earned a full ride during my freshman year as I went on to be the highest placing female at the Conference meet and the only female going to compete at Nationals. However sadly my swim program, my passion, much of my identity for 14 years, and my livelihood (in terms of financial considerations) were dissolved in a decision to dissolve the program. 14 years of training at 5am 4 mornings a week and often a total of 6 hours a day training was all for not with the decision made by Tulane. My career ended as it was too late in the season to get recruited by another caliber program unless I was willing to red shirt but Tulane offered me a "contingency" plan with the academics and extracurricular opportunities that I now give full credit to further shaping my success as a leader after graduation. Because I was a dedicated athletic with unyielding dedication and persistence, I stayed at Tulane and chose to overcome adversity and see it as an opportunity. My mother and father sold almost ALL of their stock portfolio to give me the $120,000 education because my scholarship was NOT honored the year the program was eliminated. I am still to this day trying to repay them back because my life long dream of earning a college scholarship had been deprived with the decision made for political and bureaucratic reasons.(Regretfully too I hear many "misinformed stories" even today from people at Tulane about what happened so the negative PR from that decision is still plaguing our institution i.e. it was a "coaching program"--if that was the case eliminate the coach as every other university does, not the whole program, etc. Plus we had 2 excellent asst coaches that could have server interim) I share "my story" with you to remind you that the lives of your students are affected by the decisions made regarding numbers and dollars. Every time I write my parent a monthly reimbursement check now some 11 years after graduation I am reminded of the decisions made by Tulane in 1989 and how it impacted my life and my swimming career...and my passion. I am still weary of entrusting my livelihood now to anyone but myself after this experience. I began very jaded and cynical about the "almighty powers above" that showed no signs of compassion or compensation. However, because Tulane was the incredible institution that is was I stayed enrolled and decided to soak up everything that Tulane had to offer to make up for what Tulane had taken away. I am very proud to say that because Tulane had recognized my potential as an all around type student and had the ability to challenge my other talents on "dry land" in the class room and in leadership roles, my Tulane experience was overall the most positive experience I could have dreamed of...despite the athletic tragedy in 1989 that ended my career. It did open new doors for me BECAUSE I chose to enter "new waters" and dive right in..but many say that this is most a testament to the type person I am. Many would not have rebounded as well. I went on to get involved in EVERYTHING at Tulane...my resume was so long! Not only did I get involved and tried to make a difference but I think I did. I was a Communication Major and Econ minor and I still communicate and collaborate with several of my Professors. I was able to do everything I seized at Tulane BECAUSE the combination of outstanding academics and athletics compelled me to chose Tulane in 1988. I know you do not know me personally, but just from reading this do I not sound like the type of student you'd like to have enroll in Tulane? Granted I am sure I am sounding a bit too "self assured" in this email I am trying to convey a harsh reality that will drastically affect the future of Tulane if you allow the school to become anything less than the best in terms of athletics. Please understand I would not have come to Tulane if the opportunity to swim at a well respected program was not available when I was selecting schools back then. At the time we were Metro Conference so I still had to deliberate over that b/c I really wanted to swim Division One but the schools in the Conference at that time were good so this class was respected. So I chose Tulane to have the "best of both worlds!" So I ask you, President Cowan, don't you want to continue to attract the best? When I was 12 my father asked me to make one promise to him and that was "Don't do something if you aren't going to give 110% So I also ask you, why get up in the morning and go through all the "exercises" and spend money on "average" when you can be top notch!?! If my accolades that I have just spouted out about myself don't indicate it...I am not ever satisfied with just being average! And non average but exceptional is the type of student you will attract if you chose to elevate the athletics. and not weaken them. And please also understand I am NEVER one to brag or boast on my accomplishments or stir up trouble but I have FORCED myself to portray myself and my achievements to you in this email so you can understand the type of person that you will be losing if Tulane's athletic program and the swimming program is devastated again by this lower division status. Duke would have received my talent if I was weighing schools today and I knew of this "looming" threat to go D-3! I realize now what makes Tulane so unique is that it attracts solid, well-rounded, involved elite athletes that have the potential to give much to the university and their community and their careers...and ultimately their alma maters in years later. Swimmers are especially unique athletes to have on a campus as they are incredibly supportive and dedicated by nature. We spend hours alone in the pool stroke after stroke,kick after kick, turn after turn perfecting our talent. So we bond with our team mates like few sports--it's like a fraternity. And because of the "chlorinated-sweat equity" factor we come to be dedicated to each other and we are a very spirited group loyal to our school. The swim team then is the group that you will find spear heading cheering sections at other sports events and getting the non athletic student body standing on their feet. Still to this day I feel I am one of Tulane's biggest "cheerleaders" (granted that is one activity I actually didn't do while at Tulane...but I got involved in just about everything else!). I am involved w/ the local alum chapter and I attend high school recruiting event in both Charleston, SC and Atlanta with your admissions committee. I write numerous recommendations for girls going to Tulane from Athens GA to get them involved and contributing via Greek like. I spend endless hours working with young women across the nation as a National Advisor on an elite team of traveling consultant for Chi Omega as a volunteer and I always give a plug for Tulane! I am also corporate trainer for Prudential and I never fail to mention my alma mater when training around the nation. It opens up much discussion from potential parents of future students. So I am a walking billboard for Tulane is so much of what I do and I am proud of Tulane. I desire to be able to remain proud about my alma mater in regards to both. When I say I am an alum of Tulane and a former collegiate swimmer from Tulane, I can't even begin to express to you the respect I get. I realize it lead me to getting the highest paying job of all Newcomb and A & S students with Merck in 1992 (per the career counseling center), get acceptance into an MBA program in 1994, it lead me to start up my own business in 1994, and to become one of the youngest real estate brokers in the nation. I am heavily involved in a host of extracurricular and leadership activities today and I owe it to Tulane for shaping my leadership abilities. However I wouldn't be thankful to Tulane today if they had not given me the chance to actualize my athletic talent...I would be thanking Duke and sending my financial donations as a alum there too. PLEASE stop to consider the people and the potential in your decision and the rest will fall in place. I must also speak specifically a little more about swimming because it has been stigmatized as a non revenue producing sport but please recall how the 2000 Olympics elevated the status of swimming into almost a "celebrity" status for the medal winners. 2004 is just around the corner and I believe swimming will continue to be elevated in the "lime light". If you are not familiar w/ this new trend, please take time to learn about because I am certain you would have not a doubt in your mind that the future Tulane swimming program could become a major revenue source for Tulane! Swimming is becoming a spectator sport and that means big ticket sales!!!! And you know what that means!!$$$!!! I wouldn't jump on this bandwagon in an instant if I was in a decision making position for Tulane! What a tragedy it would be to have such a tremendous coach as Daniella Irle not training elite athletes. I have been utterly impressed with this new coach and she is a tremendous spokesperson for our institution. The caliber of athletes she has already attracted is outstanding and it just makes me want to hop on an plane and come attend the first meet next year to see these amazing athletes wearing the big T on their swim caps winning race after race. With this type of leadership not only will you have Men & Women's Tennis winning Conference but you'll have a Swimming and Diving team not will not be far behind chalking up all the big trophies (and more great PR too!). I have also learned that many of the these athletes are on academic merit aid next year. That's impressive that not only are they ELITE athletes but students as well and what a shame that Tulane would have missed out on this talent if we were D-3. President Cowan, I know you have one of the most difficult jobs in the world and I certainly couldn't fill your shoes, but I just ask you to remember we need to have balance between academics and athletics because both are critical for a complete education and athletics is what binds the community and alumni together for the most part as it is a fabric of our society…if you desire high level academics you should desire high level athletics…why settle for less? Should you wish to speak to me further, please contact me. However before I close, I want to earnestly ask you to not only protect our Division I status and refocus everyone's energy on becoming the best. But I want to ask something I have felt strongly about for over a decade. President Cowan, please donate some of the tuition that my parents paid to Tulane to the swimming program when you confirm the Division I status for everyone. I say this with all sincerity President Cowan about donating some, if not all, of my tuition that Tulane benefited from to the swimming program because if it weren't for the swim team I would have never stepped foot on Tulane's campus or been your highest finishing conference winner representing Tulane. NO ONE from Tulane EVER apologized to me for ruining my swimming career--and I'm not asking for one now because the past is the past-- when they chose to dissolved the program. If you can't give the total 3 years of scholarship I should have received, even a small donation directed from YOU from the general budget to the new Swim Program when you confirm that we will remain Division I would be the best apology I could ever ask for because it would enable another outstanding young woman to actualize her career both as an athlete and a tremendous student. It would confirm that the President of our University truly has the people's best interest at heart and my total and complete satisfaction and trust in the leadership at Tulane would be restored after a decade. Please President Cowan ensure that a program of intercollegiate athletics at Tulane allows the athletes to derive all the benefits that participation in competitive sport confers. The goal of the intercollegiate program should be the same as the University's academic programs: excellence. It will be a win-win to keep Division I and continue to attract the best...and the type of student dedicated to sportsmanship, fair play, their university and community and their sport. The will to win in and out of the pool or on or off the playing field ushers a type of student that can be an incredible source of pride and enthusiasm for the university and alums and a catalyst for ensuring a brilliant solid future at Tulane. The scholarship that I duly earned but never received should be given from Tulane to the athletic department specifically to the women's swimming program to enable the university to benefit from the contributions that another young woman like myself has to offer the Tulane community at large. Please know that I never fought for my tuition or tried to sue for it because that's not my style and I knew it would be futile. However it has weighed so heavy on my conscience for over a decade, that I ask you to consider my request acknowledging that you recognize a strong athletic program will bring in caliber students to Tulane and the people behind the dollars are what really matters! Our legacy depends on continually attracting the extraordinary! If you respond to my two prong request to solidify the fate of our high caliber and dedicate some of my tuition Tulane received to the swimming program, a request which I feel is very fair and warranted, then I would wholeheartedly begin to try to give on a more routine basis to Tulane's Division I athletic department and the swimming program in perpetuity. I will be one more donor you can count on and an even bigger cheerleader than I already am because you will have restored my trust in the political decision making process that does affect people's lives. Thank you for your consideration. I entrust you will make the best decision for all. ***** Mr. Rick Dickson I would like for you to take your time and read this e-mail and respond to me. The reason Iam writing this is for the other Tulane die hards who are just like me. I had season tickets to Tulane football when I had another job elsewhere. Now I have made a change to better my life and income for my family and I. The job I have now if my company ask us on Friday to work on Saturday it is very hard to say no. The last time I had season tickets I could only make three of six home games. I had to eat the others. I don't make thousands of dollars a month and I can not afford to just give the money away. The way I see it is with a 65 thousand plus seat stadium I can't see why football can't do the same as baseball to where if it is a season ticket and if it's not used why can't you hold on to it and trade it in on a later date. This would possibly stop two things. 1. People like me would purchase the season tickets knowing it is up to me if I use them all. 2. At many home games fans scalpers are all over looking for tickets. If you would stop these people from giving them away due to them being able to use them later. More people would need to buy them at the game. Tulane would make the money instead of the scalper. Please respond to this. I will forward your response to others that I spoke to about this issue and all of us thought it is a great idea. ***** Dear Committee: My name is Jacky Wu and I am an undergraduate ECON/MBA student at Tulane College/A.B. Freeman School. In regards to the Division I issue, I am in full support of moving our athletics to Division III. Although some sports, such as Baseball is annually a contender, I feel that Sports here at Tulane take more out of the system than they put back in. Several reasons for my opinion are: 1) We are in Conference USA, a non-BCS conference, thus any good athletes we get is rare and if we do well, the money we receive is uncomparable to the money we put into athletics. The six major Conferences: BIGEAST, BIGTEN, BIGTWELVE, SEC, ACC, and PACTEN will always have an absolute and comparative advantage over our conference. 2) Tulane University continually claims that we are peers of Rice University, Vanderbilt, Duke, etc..., but our rankings do not prove this. We are losing out to these schools. Why? Rice is division I, but their only good competitive sport is Baseball. The Baseball team is the only major investment. It is true they own a nice stadium, but that was a gift by an alumnus that one year they excelled, and their fans still do not come out to support the team-- sounds familiar? Tulane is the same if you're wondering about that comment. Vanderbilt does not compete well compared to other SEC opponents. They are having a similar problem. BUT, they are still in the SEC, a BETTER conference than CONFERENCE USA. Duke, is a perrennial one sport wonder. Duke's Men's Basketball is one of the best in the country. Their basketball alumni become profitable to them and thus they give back to Duke. In addition, Duke is an Atlantic Coast Conference School (ACC), ACC > Conference USA. And the other highly ranked southern schools not mentioned: a) Washington Univ. (St. Louis) - Division III b) Emory Univ. (Atlanta)- Division III c) University of North Carolina (Division I but in ACC) Thus, here lies two options. 1) Do not spend as much on athletics EXCEPT Baseball, the only sport that does not require us to be in a top conference and that we continually can be competitive NATIONALLY. Or 2) Drop athletics to division III and allocate more funds to lowering tuition, or increasing academic programs. Academics is a long run determinant of Endowment growth. Lowering tuitions for students will yield compounding effects. Smarter Individuals will apply in greater numbers to Tulane and thus our rankings will improve (i.e. Rice University). Athletics for Tulane, is not a long run determinant for endowment growth, but a short run determinant. In addition, athletics appears to yield a very high stochastic element for its success and contributions to endowments depend on successes of the teams in a particular year. Thus, Please, consider at least reorganizing this system. Everybody knows the system today is flawed, and one in my opinion that favors greatly to athletes. ***** Dear President Cowen or To Whom It May Concern, I am a college sophomore, soon to be a junior, and the conversations which I have with my friends regarding Tulane sports have all come down to one idea, an idea which we have noticed from other schools. We think that the funding should go principally to the basketball team. I am not sure if this is the type of conversation you are having right now, but if it is an topic on the table, we think it ought to be considered seriously. The perspective is national; if you watch the NCAA tournament there are many smaller private institutions which represent very well. Additionally, small-medium size schools are more adept to getting involved with basketball. There is also the fact that Fogleman is right on campus and it's size is perfect (the football team should definetly play at City Park like the Homecoming game). Although we have not been privy to the logistics and finances, it seems apparent to us, from our college experience that emphasis on the basketball program would be the best route for success for the university and for the involvement of all the Tulane student-fans. ***** I'm a tulane soon-to-be graduate and I'll donate money only if you drop a division in athletics or find a way to stop spending so much money on athletics. Tulane is becoming increasingly academic, and standards will not continue to rise unless we can hire better professors, entice better students with more generous scholarships and discontinue funneling money from academic departments to go into athletics. Emory, for example, operates wonderfully without a football team. thank you. |