Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning Accomplishments 2001 -- 2002

Initiative 1: People

• Created a Special Presidential Task Force on Institutional Diversity and Equity
• Recognized 10 staff members through Tulane's First Annual Staff Excellence Awards
• Extended Domestic Partner Benefits to eligible same-sex domestic partners of Tulane employees
• Conducted a Benefits Survey of all Tulane employees as part of the review of Tulane's benefit structure
• Tulane School of Law named one of the most racially diverse student bodies among law schools in the country
  

Initiative 2: Education and Research

• Average SAT score for incoming Fall 01 Freshman class: 1326; 65% ranked in the top 10% of their high school class
• Average MCAT score for incoming Fall 01 1st year School of Medicine class: 31; national average score: 24
• Completed School of Architecture reaccredidation
• Completed School of Law reaccredidation
• Completed School of Engineering reaccredidation
• Initiated Presidential Symposia in the areas of Infectious Diseases (Fall 01) and Neurosciences (Spring 02)
• Initiated self-studies of the Graduate School programs
• Awarded $.9 million in Wall Fund grants to 3 projects focused on Faculty Development and Recognition, Technology Transfer Infrastructure, the Undergraduate Experience and Staff Development
• Surveyed faculty to identify barriers to cross-campus collaboration in research and began to address areas of concern
• A.B. Freeman School of Business, Tulane School of Law ranked in the top 40 business schools (US News & World Report)
• Environmental Law Program ranked 7th in the nation (US News & World Report)
• Increased total sponsored research awards by 26.2%
  

Initiative 3: Community

• Established committee to coordinate campus-wide master planning.
• Renovated School of Architecture's design studios; upgraded technology infrastructure
• Renovated and rededicated the Walter E. Blessey Hall (Civil Engineering Building)
• Secured lead gift for University Center renovation
• Began utilization of Uptown Square campus
• Completed master planning for Middle Campus and residential facilities
• Acquired use of the former Coca-Cola warehouse as a multi-purpose storage facility for campus libraries, Newcomb Art Gallery, and Amistad Research Center
• Established an Executive MBA program in Houston, Texas
• Established a satellite campus of University College in Biloxi, Mississippi; opened Fall 02
• Began implementation of university branding strategies (university logo, unified websites)
• Formed an ad hoc Bioterrorism Task Force to offer guidance to the university and community in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks
• Continued to strengthen and expand new and existing strategic partnerships and alliances to promote education and research, technology transfer, and economic development in Louisiana and the region:
  • Individual Development Account Collaborative of Louisiana
  • Community Service and Service Learning Programs (Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University)
  • Tulane/Xavier Center for Substance Abuse (with LSU)
  • Tulane/LSU Cancer Center
  • General Clinical Research Center (Tulane, LSU, Charity Hospital)
  • Tulane Missile Defense Project (Tulane and Xavier)
    

Initiative 4. Resources and Leadership

• Finalized the Decentralized Management Center model, completed phase one of 3-year implementation process
• Installation of Tulane Wireless Initiative on both campuses near completion
• Reorganized duties and reporting structure of President's Cabinet to better reflect major organizational functions
• Filled 5 key administration and academic vacancies:
  • John Lawson, VP for Technology/Chief Information Officer
  • Pierre Beukens, Dean, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
  • Michael Herman, Dean, Graduate School
  • Cynthia Lowenthal, Dean, Newcomb College
  • Ron Marks, Interim Dean, School of Social Work
  • T.R. Kidder, Interim Dean, Tulane College
• Created a new senior level position to focus on strategic area of research and research funding (Associate Senior Vice President for Research)
• Raised $66M, including $5.4M for Annual Fund
• Increased the number of annual fund donors to the university by 11%
• Implemented an Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Mitigation program in coordination with the Office of Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA)
• Opened the Center for Library User Education through the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library to advance information literacy across campus