Biography
Scott S. Cowen is Tulane University’s 14th President. He also holds joint appointments as the Seymour S Goodman Memorial Professor of Business in Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business and Professor of Economics in the School of Liberal Arts.
Since President Cowen’s arrival in 1998, Tulane University has more than tripled its undergraduate applications while experiencing all-time highs in student quality. In addition, the university has more than doubled the level of total private giving to the university and received a record level of research awards. The university has implemented a number of innovative academic and research program initiatives and significantly increased its community outreach. In recognition of Tulane’s accomplishment, it was noted as one of the “Hottest Schools in America” by Newsweek magazine in 2002 and 2007, while also being consistently ranked in the top tier of national research universities. On March 17, 2005, President Cowen announced the public launch of “Promise and Distinction: The Campaign for Tulane.” With a goal of raising $700 million by 2008, the campaign is the largest university fundraising effort in the history of Louisiana.
In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans, flooded 70 percent of Tulane’s uptown campus and all the buildings of its downtown campus and dispersed its faculty, staff and students around the country for an entire semester. On December 8, 2005, the Board of Tulane approved President Cowen’s Renewal Plan, a sweeping effort that strengthens and focuses the university’s academic mission while strategically addressing its current and future operations in the post-Katrina era. Under President Cowen’s leadership the campus was repaired and a remarkable 87 percent of its students returned for classes in January of 2006.
In response to Katrina, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin appointed President Cowen to the city’s Bring New Orleans Back Commission and charged him with leading a committee to reform and rebuild the city’s failing public school system. President Cowen has devoted his days and nights to these monumental tasks and has already had impressive results. As part of this effort, Tulane chartered a K-12 school in New Orleans and created an Institute for Public Education Initiatives to support the transformation of public education in New Orleans. In addition, President Cowen also serves as a commissioner of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, which plays a major role in the rebuilding of Orleans Parish in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
President Cowen is also the co-founder of the Fleur-de-lis Ambassadors program, a group of New Orleans civic leaders dedicated to spreading the message nationwide that post-Katrina New Orleans is an economically viable, livable city with a recovery plan in progress. The Ambassadors also actively seek additional support for the recovery of New Orleans from businesses and philanthropic organizations around the country.
Prior to coming to Tulane, President Cowen was a professor—and later dean—at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio for 23 years. He is the author of four books and more than 100 academic and professional articles, essays, and reviews, as well as the recipient of several national awards and honors. His areas of scholarship and teaching focus on strategic financial management systems, corporate governance and leadership. He has held leadership positions in national academic and professional associations, including the American Council on Education, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the NCAA. President Cowen has also invited his fellow university leaders to join together in a national effort to reform intercollegiate athletics and ensure that their sports programs are consistent with the values, missions and aspirations of their institutions.
President Cowen has consulted with dozens of companies, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. Currently, he is a board member of Newell Rubbermaid, Inc., American Greetings, JoAnn Stores, and Forest City Enterprises.
President Cowen and his wife, Marjorie, are the parents of four adult children.
Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118 504-865-5000 website@tulane.edu