Tulane University - Competitive Analysis

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Strategic Planning for Tulane: A Competitive Analysis Introduction

Tulane University Competitive Analysis Measuring Tulane's Performance 1998

Introduction

Scope and Approach

Undergraduate Admissions and Student Quality

Research and Graduate Education

Financial Position

Introduction

Tulane University is one of the premier research universities in the country. Of the 2267 four year institutions of higher education, only 88 are classified as Carnegie Research I institutions, and only 60 are members of the Association of American Universities. Tulane is a member of both of these distinguished groups.


Four Year Higher Education Institutions by Sector 1996-97

Public	613
Private	1654	(Non-profit)	1,510
		(For profit)	144
Total	2,267
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac
Criterion: "degree-grandting postsecondary institutions that are eligible
to participate in Title IV federal financial-aid programs."

Carnegie Research I Universities

Public	59
Private	29
Total	88


AAU Universities			(U.S. only)

Public	32
Private	28
Total	60

Measuring Tulane's Performance

Recent Achievements

Undergraduate Education

Between 1993 and 1998:

The freshman class size grew from 1220 to 1350

The average SAT score rose from 1160 to 1280

Freshman class revenues increased from $20.5 million to $28.9 million

The discount rate for undergraduate education dropped from 39.9% to 32%

Research and Graduate Education

Tulane achieved Carnegie Research I status

The number of doctorates awarded rose from 50 in 1987 to 91 in 1996

Total research and development spending rose from $45 million in 1989 to $84 million in 1996

Scope

As part of the strategic planning process in support of Tulane's "Renaissance of Thought and Action," the University determined the need to review its recent performance.

Tulane chose benchmarking as the most appropriate means of measuring performance, selected a representative group of institutions and focused on key areas for comparison that would highlight the University's relative strengths and weaknesses.

Approach

To measure Tulane's performance, the University selected nine private universities similar to Tulane, each with comparable enrollments and medical schools. These institutions include:

	Affliliation	Carnegie	AAU	Enrollment -	Enrollment -	% Ugrad
		Classification*	Membership**	Total 1996	Ugrad 1996
Duke	Private	Research I	Yes	11,589	6,326	55%
Emory	Private	Research I	Yes	11,270	6,027	53%
Georgetown	Private	Research I	No	12,629	6,338	50%
Northwestern	Private	Research I	Yes	17,623	9,654	55%
Stanford	Private	Research I	Yes	15,754	6,814	43%
Tulane	Private	Research I	Yes	10,732	6,402	60%
U.S.C.	Private	Research I	Yes	28,081	15,342	55%
Vanderbilt	Private	Research I	Yes	10,176	5,807	57%
Wake Forest	Private	Doctorate II	No	6,016	3,899	65%
Washington U.	Private	Research I	Yes	11,636	6,043	52%

Tulane compared these institutions with the University in three key areas:

*In 1994 the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified all colleges and universities in the United States. Its highest classification for universities, Research I, includes 88 institutions that offer a full range of undergraduate programs, are committed to graduate education through the doctoral level, and place a high priority on research. These institutions must award at least 50 doctorates and receive at least $40 million in Federal support annually. Tulane is one of 29 private universities classified as Research I.

**The Association of American Universities is an affinity group representing the top research universities in the nation. Membership is by invitation only. There are currently 60 members in the United States. Tulane is one of 28 private universities represented. Within the region, Duke, Emory, Rice and Vanderbilt are also members.