Tulane Honors Program

Welcome back!

2007-01-12T15:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Students,
I suspect that many of you will be heading back to campus this weekend and I just wanted to extend a warm welcome!

As you gear up for your first week back, please mark your schedules for the first round table of the semester – one that was inspired by you! Having received the suggestion that we recognize Martin Luther King Day with a round table on diversity, we contacted Prof. Michael Cunningham of Psychology who has been involved at all levels on campus in promoting diversity. He will speak in Butler Hall on Thursday, January 18 at 4:30 on “Diversity includes all of us at Tulane… Or does it?” Refreshments will be served to complement the discussion. Please join us for a discussion on why we want diversity and what we can do to make it happen.

Next week I’ll send you the entire list of round tables for the semester, but know that topics planned – many of which came from your suggestions – range from

• “Internships: How to Make Sure You Get on Board” and “Why Travel Abroad?” to a session entitled “Word to the Wise,” which will consist of a panel of seniors sharing advice about writing the Honors thesis (even freshmen will want to hear this, I promise!)

• a screening and a discussion led by Professor Pavlovic, Spanish, on Almadovar’s film Live Flesh to a jazz performance followed by a discussion by Professor Landis, Music, on New Orleans jazz

• and a number of round tables that will spotlight Honors students and the work, research, and outreach that they are doing.

And that is just the beginning of the great things we have planned! Special separate luncheons are planned for sophomores and juniors and a faculty member of their choice in February, an Honors barbecue on April 2 will signal the opening of Honors week, and, of course, there is the senior reception to celebrate the graduating class!

So, here’s looking forward to an eventful, enriching, and exciting Spring 2007!

Pack those bags, board that plane, and make your way to the new UC to buy your books!!!
See you soon,
Dr. M.

FREE FOOD for those long study hours

2006-12-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Students,
Study Period begins this weekend through Monday and we in the office would like to nourish your bodies as you are filling your minds with knowledge and wisdom!

On Monday afternoon we are offering a true New Orleanian food fest, brought to you from the Gumbo Shop. Beginning at 11:30 on Monday, December 11 in Butler Lounge, we will be serving a hot meal including:

Vegetarian red beans & rice
Chicken enchilada casserole
Jambalaya

Caesar Salad

Brownies
Bread pudding with whiskey sauce

YUMMMMMM!!!! Feel free to stop by and grab some food and head back to your room. Or if you feel like a longer break, stick around to chat, laugh, and grab a second serving!

See you then,
Dr. M.

Student Initiatives

2006-11-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

It is AIDS-Awareness week and as you probably already know, a student-driven Honors round table will take place this Wednesday at 4:30 in the Butler Lounge. Dr. Latha Rajan and Dr. Lisanne Brown, both from Tulane Medical School, will lead a discussion on "AIDS Funding: How Should We Spend the Money?" Ice cream will be served.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 6 at 4:30 in Butler Lounge. Answering student requests, Ms. Laverne Kappel from Education Resource Center will offer a "crash course" on " 'Final' Study Strategies."

We are already thinking about round table events/topics for next semester. If there are topics and/or faculty you would like to see spotlighted, let me know! Send your ideas and we'll get the ball rolling!

Best,
Dr. M.

Events & Course Offerings

2006-11-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Students,

Just a quick reminder that we have a number of activities scheduled for this coming week.

Don’t forget the round table on “Culture and the Computer: Theories of Internet Spectatorship” by Professor Michele White, Communication, on Wednesday, 4:30 in Butler Lounge. Have you ever thought about the expectation that you will slump in front of a computer or that you will rapidly scan a website as opposed to read carefully line by line in a horizontal fashion? Well, you should, because the internet world expects that from you! Professor White will very literally talk “outside the box” and engage us all in a discussion of our crucial role as spectators – both as masters and slaves – of the internet. Delicious refreshments promised!

For our seniors who are plunging into the Honors thesis experience, we are having a “vin d’honneur” for you and your director on Thursday, 17 November, in Cudd Hall from 6 – 7:30. Drinks and appetizers enhanced by a homegrown jazz ensemble will be served up in your honor. You should have received an official invitation, but you do need to RSVP by Monday. Please also take the time to invite personally your director, who also received an invitation. We hope that you will all come out for this event and that it will give you the opportunity to talk with your director in a casual atmosphere as well as meet other students working on their thesis.

As you know, Spring registration has already begun! I am delighted at the number of you who have signed up for Honors courses. It is a true testimony to your engagement with the program and to the caliber of interesting course offerings that well known faculty across campus have proposed.

I would like to highlight the three Mellon-funded colloquia offered this semester (that’s right, no longer two, but three!). As I mentioned at the meeting at Butler, these courses are specially created for Honors students. They are interdisciplinary, intended to address a non-specialized audience, and created to attract a diversity of students that will bring unique perspectives to the classroom experience. All of the courses are enhanced by speaker visits and excursions and they represent the ongoing interests of the faculty member conducting the course. That is, these are courses ripe for discussion because the faculty member is currently exploring the topic (and even in the process of writing on the issue) and because they are seeking to think on a larger scale about issues to match up with the diverse audience. I hope that you will seriously consider taking advantage of this opportunity. It is a chance to explore an area of interest you might have never considered, to meet your peers in a 15-person classroom, and to foster a close relationship with a faculty member. These courses promise dancing, canoeing, and “getting medieval.” Do you really want to miss out on all that???? Here they are:

COLQ 402: FROM THE TACO TO THE TANGO. LATIN AMERICAN ICONS OF MUSIC, DANCE & FOOD. By Professor M. Miller.

THIS COURSE WILL USE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT CONSIDERS HISTORY, SOCIOLOGY, FILM STUDIES, PERFORMANCE STUDIES, LITERATURE, ETHNOMUSICOLOGY & CULTURAL STUDIES TO STUDY SEVERAL OF THE ICONS OF IDENTITY & CULTURAL PRODUCTION IN LATIN AMERICA'S PRINCIPLE REGIONS. STUDENTS WILL HEAR, SEE OR TAStE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT TYPIFY LATIN AMERICA FOR U.S. & INTERNATIONAL AUDIANCES, AND WE WILL EXAMINE THESE ICONS IN LIGHT OF THEIR HISTORICAL & POLITICAL CONTEXTS. WE WILL ALSO CONSIDER THE ROLE OF NEW ORLEANS & OTHER U.S. CITIES IN THE TRAFFIC & EXCHANGE OF TASTES, SIGHTS & SOUNDS BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA & ITS SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS. ALL COURSE READINGS & DISCUSSIONS WILL BE IN ENGLISH. Guest lectures will include local musicians and tango dancers!!!

And BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:
COLQ 412: GRAND CANYON COLLOQUIUM!!!!!!!! By Professor R. Parsley. A study of the anthropology, archaeology, biology, geology, and history of the southern Colorado plateau region, especially the Grand Canyon. Lectures, readings, and research paper followed by a post-semester 8-day float trip though the marble and Grand Canyons. Honors Option available. Please contact Dr. Parsley for further details (parsley@tulane.edu)

COLQ 401: Joan of Arc – Medieval Martyr, Modern Myth. By Prof. D. McGrady. CROSS DRESSER? HERETIC? SORCERESS? WARRIOR? OR MARTYR? WE WILL EXAMINE JOAN'S TRIAL, HER CANONIZATION AS A SAINT AS WELL AS HER PORTRAYAL IN MODERN WORLD FICTION, THEATRE, FILM & THE VISUAL ARTS - FROM VOLTAIRE'S SATIRIC ATTACK ON JOAN TO JAPANESE GRAPHIC NOVELS, FROM SILENT FILM TO MODERN DANCE.

Courses, Talks, and Business, oh my!

2006-10-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

I’m writing early this week because I wanted to alert you to a couple of events and exciting changes to the program. So, please, read on!

On Monday, October 30, 2006, there will be an informal meeting in the Butler lounge from 4:30 – 5:30 to discuss Spring Honors course offerings AND to discuss scholarship opportunities. Concerning courses, we have a lot of new and interesting offerings (some of which have not yet appeared on the registrar list) and I wanted to take the time to provide you with some of the more salient details about the courses and the faculty. As for scholarships, we’ll talk about a series of upcoming deadlines for scholarships of interest to sophomores through seniors, but freshmen – we’ll also talk generally about what prestigious scholarship committees are looking for in a candidate and believe me when I say that you want to know in your freshmen year!

On Wednesday, November 1, 2006, we’ll continue with the round table tradition but with a twist – we’re always trying to keep you on your toes! This time, two faculty members : Professor Joel Dinerstein, English, and Professor Javier Leon, Music, will discuss “Black & Latin Music on Film: Representations and Repercussions” from 4:30 – 5:30. There will certainly be lots of music, images, and questions. We promise to keep the refreshments close to the Latin theme!

Finally, for our freshmen in Business, you will be happy to know that you’re in business! The Freeman School of Business now provides the freshmen class and thereafter the opportunity to participate in the Honors Program and to graduate with full university Honors. Beginning next year the School will offer sophomore-level Honors courses to enhance the Liberal Arts and Science and Engineering offerings. In lieu of a Senior Honors Thesis, Business Honors students will do a case study project. This project will place the student in the role of a manager required to address a variety of issues facing a hypothetical company. Students will be required to support their decisions with outside research to complement classroom acquired knowledge. As for non-Business school majors, you will be delighted to hear that many of the School’s offerings will also be open to non-majors.

All the best,
Dr. M.

Taking stock

2006-10-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

It was a busy week with lots of great events and fabulous participation on the part of Honors students.

Once again our round table was a success, in large part because of the vocal participation of so many of you. You impress every faculty member who walks into Butler lounge with your ease in asking questions and your intellectual curiosity!

On the Sophie B Wright front, we are moving forward with our various activities geared toward helping the teaching faculty there provide students with many rich learning opportunities. Both the Vice Principal and the primary science teacher met with us this week to start setting up first a Science Club and then a Science Fair – the first ever at Sophie B. Wright. Thanks so much for those who turned out for the meeting. We hope that there are many more of you who will come forward to participate. It will take a large and committed group to help these students learn basic science skills and create large-scale projects, but the rewards will certainly be worth the hard work. In addition, Neil Conrad has started introducing debate skills to SB Wright students and Steven Sullivan is getting materials together as we speak to begin work on his Senior Honors Project – a mural at SB Wright. One thing is certain: the Honors Program has an exciting and positive role in the education of those middle school students! Don’t miss being a part of the experience.

Honors course offerings have been coming in to the office on a daily basis this week and I’m certain that you will all be thrilled with the choices. We have some of the very best faculty on campus dedicated to working with you in the spring and their courses are without question among the most exciting offerings available. You can see many of the titles of these courses on the registrar’s website (check under Newcomb-Tulane/Honors Courses), but in the coming weeks, we will provide detailed summaries of the Honors course offerings on our website for your benefit. So keep a look out!

Best,
Dr. M.

Get geared up for a charged Honors week!

2006-10-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Not a day will go by this week that you won’t have a reason to think of the Honors Program and if you stick with us, you surely won’t be bored.
Grab a calendar, print this out, do what you need to not forget the following events! Since the week will fly, let me start at the end and work back:

Thursday, October 19 at 4:30 in Butler Lounge: SPIES, LIES & SCIENCE – unquestionably at the top of the list of cool titles!!! Professor Karen Taylor of the Department of Communication will lead the fourth round table of the year. To give you a taste of what you’re about to hear, here is Professor Taylor in her own words:

“I grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Los Alamos is famous primarily for being the birthplace of the atomic bomb. It was the top-secret mountain hideaway where the best scientists in the U.S. were sequestered for about three years during World War II in a desperate race to be the first to develop the "ultimate weapon," thereby attempting to beat the Germans and ensure victory in the war. Today Los Alamos is no longer quite as isolated, but the Los Alamos National Lab continues to be the primary employer. LANL's dominance means that the city, at 7500 feet above sea-level (Denver, the so-called mile-high city, is at 5000, if you want a comparison), has the highest concentration of Ph.D.'s in the country. The city also continues to be one of only two sites in the U.S. where top-secret nuclear weapons research is conducted. I grew up therefore surrounded by secrecy and science, and keenly aware of the tensions between those two powerful enemies. The community of Los Alamos continues to be relatively isolated, and as a teenager I was troubled by what I saw as a communication gap between the scientists and surrounding communities. So I went off to college determined to try to bridge that gap.”

Guess where she went! --- Tulane University!
And refreshments? Of course. What exactly, you ask? Well, of course, IT’S A SECRET. You’ll have to come on by to find out….. You know it's going to be good...

Wednesday, October 18 at 4:30 in the Honors Program office, 105 Hebert: It’s official! Sophie B. Wright will have its very own, first time ever science club!!!! Your outpouring of interest was very exciting news at the school and the Vice Principal is coming to campus to meet with all interested parties to make plans for the upcoming Science Fair. IF you want to be involved, PLEASE don’t miss this important meeting.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 4:30 in Butler Lounge: Because of the vibrant debate and discussion that will undoubtedly pour over from Monday evening’s talk (see below!), our own Stephen Richer (Class of 07’) has offered to lead a discussion on Israel/Palestinian relations.
Pizza and soft drinks provided, you bring the opinions.

Monday, October 16, 2006 at 7pm in McAlister: The Honors Program is part sponsor of Avraham Burg, the youngest speaker ever in the history of the Israeli Knesset (1999-2003) and a staunch supporter of peace in the Middle East will give us an “Update on the Middle East." Involved in the pro-peace initiatives known as the Geneva Accords, Burg seeks a negotiated peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people. He’ll talk for about 45 minutes and then the floor will be open to discussion and debate.

Mega Churches and Mega Discussion

2006-09-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hello! Can you hear me over “The Best D*** Sports Show”? No one can say it hasn’t been a jam-packed, exciting week on campus! But wait! There is no slow down in the intensity of the on-campus experience this coming week.

Remember that the Honors Program is hosting its 3rd round table of the year. This round, be prepared to jump out of your seats and holler because Professor Shayne Lee of Sociology will speak on “Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators & Contemporary American Religion” on Wednesday, October 4, beginning at 4:30 in the Butler Hall Lounge. Professor Lee’s discussion is a spin-off of his recent book on T.D. Jakes: America’s New Preacher (NYU Press).

If the title doesn’t get you, here’s what the Atlanta-Journal Constitution had to say about Professor Lee’s work: "Most of the public knows about the Bishop T. D. Jakes who graced the cover of Time magazine, preached "Woman, Thou Art Loosed!" and filled stadiums across the country with throngs of weeping fans. But how many know about the Jakes who boasted that he didn't have enough garage space for his luxury cars, said Jesus was rich, and once tried to evict the owners of a home he had just purchased though they only had a week to pay off their debts? That portrait of Jakes comes courtesy of T. D. Jakes: America's New Preacher. Shayne Lee, a sociologist and professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, asks hard questions about Jakes' ministry."

Trust me when I say that this is the type of round table that will challenge your world view, shake up your preconceptions, and just might lead to an epiphany of your own….

So, don’t forget to join us for what promises to be a provocative discussion. Oh yeah, did I mention WOW! ???? – You got it, hot conversation and spicy wings from World of Wings. SEE YOU WEDNESDAY! And, hey you upper classmen as well as freshmen staying in other dorms, don’t be afraid, come on over and join in the fun. This round table is not just for Butler residents -- all Honors students (and their guests!) are welcome.

Have a music-filled weekend!

Lots of fun and exciting activities are taking place on campus.

2006-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Above all don’t forget to reserve this coming Thursday afternoon for what promises to be a “groundbreaking” discussion on the geological underpinnings of the Katrina disaster by Professor Steve Nelson, chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Studies. His already popular course on “Natural Disasters” took on even greater poignancy this past year. Spring and Lagniappe semesters, Professor Nelson spent a great deal of time visiting with students the sites of the levee breaks in the New Orleans area. He has recently published his assessment of events and is ready and willing to talk with Honors students and answer any questions you have. Undoubtedly, there is no better scholar on campus to give you the scoop on the environmental causes and effects of Katrina…..
Hope to see one and all on Thursday, November 21, at 4:30 in the Butler Hall lounge. Refreshments will be served and lots of astonishing images provided!!!!

Keeping with the theme of Katrina – pre and post, mark your calendars for the extraordinary visit by Ambassador Andrew Young on Monday, Sept.25 at 5pm at McAlister Auditorium. He will speak on "Empowering You to Change New Orleans and the World." Among many of Ambassador Young's
achievements, he is the Chairman of Goodworks International, former
Ambassador to the United Nations, former Mayor of Atlanta, and was one of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s top advisors.

Until then, take full advantage this weekend of the many cultural events occurring across campus and to top it all off, they’re FREE!!!!
The Newcomb Institute hosts the all-female swing trio, the Pfister Sisters, today from 4–6 p.m., 43 Newcomb Place.

Enjoy “stargazing” tonight with the premiere of “All the King’s Men” at McAlister!

If you like classical guitar, don’t miss the Klasinc and Loncar Guitar Duo on Saturday, September 16 at 8 p.m., Dixon Hall. Free admission.

Kick it up a notch!

2006-09-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the round table and the two meetings concerning the Senior Honors Thesis, I have had the opportunity to meet so many of you this week! One would think that all those meetings would leave me exhausted; on the contrary, it was an incredibly invigorating experience. From proposals to launch a debate club, a movie group, and a book club to theses on game theory, small businesses before and after Katrina, and francophone literature -- not to mention lively conversations about the value of charter schools or health care in America, I moved from one fascinating discussion to the next. To be frank, after weeks of feeling like an administrator chained to the desk as I prepared for your return to campus, I finally enjoyed the types of intellectual conversations and experiences I had imagined would fill my days as Director of the Honors Program.
So, hope you all have a great weekend because you certainly made it a great week for me!
Feel free to make an appointment to discuss postgraduate plans or other issues of importance this week. Please remember that my office hours are by appointment (just contact Ms. Maxine to set it up at maxines@tulane.edu) MW 10:30-2, T 2-4, and F 1-4. Otherwise, I have open office hours on Thursdays 2-4. If I don't see you this week, MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Thursday, September 21, 4:30 - 5:30 -- Professor Steve Nelson will lead a round table on "The Geology behind the Katrina Disaster."

And we're off!

2006-09-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

One freshmen orientation down, two open houses later, and three days of classes behind us...and we're off to a great semester! I hope everyone is getting use to the New Orleans heat and the speed of being back in the classroom. For the returning upperclassmen, keep an eye out for the swanky tie-dyes of the new Honors Krewe and do take time to share your wisdom.

This coming week promises to be as charged as this past week. Mark your calendars for the following events:

Wednesday, 6 September, 4:30 - 5:30 in the first floor lounge of Butler Hall: First Honors Roundtable of the year! Dean MacLaren and yours truly will talk about the "New" Honors Program, answer any questions you have, and happily take suggestions for improving the program. Since yummy traditions should never be abandoned, we'll also serve pizza and drinks.

Thursday, 7 September & Friday, 8 September, 3:30 - 5:00 in the Robing Room of McAlister Auditorium: Honors thesis & scholarship meeting. This meeting is primarily geared toward seniors, but juniors should feel free to join us if you would like to get a headstart on the process. No worries, this is not a two-part info session! Come to one or the other -- unless you find mine and Dean Jean's oratory skills so enthralling that you want an encore! We'll hand out the thesis packet, which includes all of the "must haves" for making it through the thesis experience.

We hope to provide you with details very soon regarding future roundtable events. Thanks so much to all of you who have contacted me with suggestions!
Best,
Dr. M.

Looking for HOT TOPICS!

2006-08-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

It is truly exciting times here at Tulane! The quiet of summer has given way to the marching band practicing on the quad, the arrival of freshmen on campus, and even the arrival of the slick new pool table and Popular Mechanics electronics at Butler Hall. Today was the first of three open houses held at the office of the Honors Program. A number of the incoming freshmen with their parents stopped by and it was a thrill to meet everyone and to talk about the future of the program.
Now that the semester is truly gearing up, I write specifically to invite all Honors students to begin thinking about topics and/or faculty that they would like to see in the upcoming season of roundtables to be held at Butler.
Beginning in September, we will host two roundtables per month and instead of bringing in a single faculty member, we hope to bring together 2-3 faculty members to discuss a central issue with students. The Honors Program is proposing two overarching topics that can then be enhanced even further by suggestions from you. The two topics are "The Savvy Spectator" and "Corporation and Community." In the first case, we envision a number of roundtables that will address pop culture. We are currently in the process of organizing a first roundtable on cinema. Future topics could address any type of cultural expression from hip hop to sporting events to sitcoms and the ways in which these media reflect, influence and challenge cultural norms and social structures. In the second case, we expect to generate a series of roundtables that will consider the relationship between business and society. Immediate general topics that come to mind include company responsibility in light of environmental issues and, of course, the great debate surrounding the global economy. I'm sure that many of you out there have plenty of ideas about how to flesh out these two themes and I hope you have other topics beyond these themes that you would like to propose.

Consider this a call for hot topics. We are looking for Honors students interested in proposing and organizing one or more roundtables on topics of interest to them either under the umbrella of the proposed themes or outside of them -- you decide! I am also interested in working on new ways to assure that a true and lively dialogue occurs between students and faculty during roundtables. Maybe students should be moderators of the roundtables? Maybe one or two should be included as members of the roundtable? Maybe students should meet to discuss a given topic BEFORE the actual roundtable occurs? Only you can tell us what would be most effective and most interesting. Maybe a mixture of the above, maybe something we haven't yet imagined. I look forward to hearing from you.

And don't forget: NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS ALONG WITH FACULTY ARE INVITED TO THE HONORS PROGRAM OPEN HOUSE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 AND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 FROM 3-4:30. Drop by for coffee, juice, cookies and discussion. Share with all your ideas about the future format and content of the roundtable series!

Three weeks on the job

2006-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that my first three weeks with the Honors Program have progressed smoothly. I have met with a number of people on campus who have been instrumental in helping to set up an exciting program for the upcoming year. A number of new and old activities will certainly give everyone plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the Honors community. Below are some of the activities taking place in the first few weeks of classes. Mark your calendars!!!

Freshmen & Parents Welcome, Open House: Friday, August 25, 2006, 1:00 - 3:30, 105 Hebert Hall
Stop by for cookies, coffee, and juice. Meet the new Director, staff, and fellow honors students.

Tie-dye event: Freshmen orientation, Sunday, August 27, 2006, 8-9pm

"Open House": Thursday and Friday, August 31 and September 1, 2006, 3-4:30, 105 Hebert Hall
Stop by for cookies, coffee, and juice. Meet the new Director, staff, and fellow honors students.

First Round table: Wednesday, September 6, 2006, 4:30 - 5:30.
Topic: The NEW Honors Program
Speakers: Dr. D. McGrady, Director of the Honors Program & Dr. J. MacLaren, Dean of Newcomb-Tulane College

Honors Thesis (for Seniors only): Two meetings scheduled: Thursday, September 7, 3:30 - 5pm and Friday, September 8, 3:30 - 5pm, Robing Room, McAlister Auditorium.

Many more events and activities are in the works! Make sure to attend the first Round Table for further information.

I look forward to meeting many of you during Freshmen Orientation and during our Open House.

all the best,
Dr. M.

FOR FRESHMEN ONLY!!!!

2006-08-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Freshmen,
Please take time to look over the outstanding class offering -- COLQ 101-01 Ways to Know (TR 9:30-10:45) -- a course offered exclusively for Honors freshmen. This course will give you an opportunity to meet and work directly with five of the most respected faculty from across campus AND your new peers. Each faculty member will introduce you to the different methods used in various disciplines (Math, Sociology, History, French, and Physics) to approach intellectual problems. The class not only promises insight into how scholars think and go about doing research, but it offers you the rare chance of synthesizing these approaches to create your own unique method of analysis. What better way to begin your university experience than with a seminar that introduces you to five scholars from five disciplines discussing with you five distinctive perspectives!
If you plan to register for the course or have questions, please contact me directly via email (dmcgrad@tulane.edu) before Tuesday, August 22.
best,
Dr. M.

Hello from the new director

2006-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! As the new director of the Honors Program, I first wanted to recognize Dr. Chris Brady’s hard work as director of the program for the past 2 years. Under his leadership, the Honors Program implemented a number of new activities/traditions, including the Tie-dye event, the Honors banquet for seniors, the spring Honors picnic, and the donning of Honors cords at graduation, all of which are scheduled to occur this coming year. Dr. Brady has handed over to me a vibrant and successful program that I am dedicated to seeing grow and thrive in the coming years.

During my 7 years here at Tulane, I have worked closely with several Honors students. Whether teaching Honors sections in the French language program or directing theses under the aegis of the Medieval & Early Modern Studies Program, I have greatly enjoyed the stimulating and rewarding partnerships that have always ensued. Indeed, many of my teaching highlights have involved Honors students and on more than one occasion, my own research has benefited tremendously from their input. In my new position, I hope to facilitate and nurture similar types of partnerships between students and professors as well as among students.

In the coming weeks, I will be learning the ropes of my new position. To that end, I plan to meet individually with the deans, visit Butler house, meet with RAs, and hopefully, meet and hear from many of you. Please feel free to contact me via email (dmcgrad@tulane.edu) or by office phone (504.865.5517). I’m more than happy to answer any questions and to hear any ideas you might have to make the Honors Program even stronger. To our incoming freshmen, I look forward to welcoming you during orientation week.

Sincerely,
Dr. M.
Deborah McGrady, Associate Professor
Director, Honors Program

New Director: Dr. Deborah McGrady

2006-08-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Deborah McGrady, Associate Professor of French in the Department of French and Italian, is the new Director of the Tulane Honors Program. Dr. McGrady is a wonderful teacher and terrific colleague and I look forward to the continued growth of the Honors Program under her direction.

Deborah specializes in medieval literature and culture. Her most recent book "Controlling Readers: Guillaume de Machaut and His Late Medieval Audience" will appear this fall with the prestigious Toronto University Press.

Deborah is the recipient of two postdoctoral fellowships (including a Mellon in 2002-03) and the 2005 Mortar Board Teaching Award. During her time at Tulane, she has served as Head of the Undergraduate French Language Program, Director of Tulane Summer in Paris, and Co-Director of the Medieval and Early Modern Studies Program.

James MacLaren
Interim Dean
Newcomb-Tulane College

The Future of Tulane Honors Program

2006-07-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

It is with very mixed feelings that I am writing to inform the Tulane Honors community that I will be leaving Tulane University at the end of the month. I have been selected to be the next Dean of Penn State's Schreyer Honors College. This position was not something that I initially sought, believing that we needed to return to New Orleans and Tulane to offer what help we could to rebuild. When the position was reopened this spring it presented an opportunity that I would have been remiss had I not pursued it.
Tulane University has afforded me great opportunities and it is my experience directing the Honors Program and working with you all that has prepared me for this new role. I will always be grateful to the Tulane community and remember you all with great affection.
I want to add a few words about the future of the honors program at Tulane. Dr. James MacLaren, Dean of the Newcomb-Tulane College will soon announce a new director of the program. He has asked me to invite all students to feel free to contact him and let him know your thoughts about the program and how you think it might best move forward. Tulane University is and remains an outstanding school and the honors program is an integral part of the whole. For those of you who are getting ready to arrive for the first time and especially those of you with whom I met in the spring, I am deeply sorry that I will not be here to greet you; it is my loss. There are wonderful faculty and staff here who are committed to aiding you in your educational journey. (And this blog will continue as well! See be sure to keep checking it for updates.) For those of you who are graduating, or will be shortly, please know that even though I will no longer be at Tulane I am eager to help you as you move forward and I can always be reached by email (cbrady@targuman.org).
Finally, thank you all once again. I wish you all the very best and I encourage you to strive not only for the honors you deserve, but to be an honorable person as well.

Yours,
Cb

Registering for Courses & Orientation

2006-07-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Freshmen Registration starts next week, July 11. Be sure to check TOUR for your specific registration date and time for the Fall semester. The Honors Courses offered for this fall are on the Registrar's website. You may not find an Honors course listed that appeals to you but Don't Panic®, more courses are being added. So please be sure to check back regularly, even after you have registered, to see if another H course that you might want has been offered.
Don't forget, Honors Option is still available for courses at any level. 600 level courses also often count as Honors courses. Email me if you are unsure.

New Courses Added:

HISU 694: Black and White Women in Early America
will be taught by Emeritus Professor Sylvia Frey. This is an upper level course, so it is unlikely to be suitable for a freshmen, but you upperclassmen (especially History majors!) should give it serious consideration.

For the Freshmen, be sure to check out

COLQ 101-01 Ways to Know
. This is a colloquium of five (5!) of our best faculty from various disciplines (Math, Sociology, History, French, and Physics) who will lead you in considering "What does it mean to know?" (Rather appropriate for college, don't you think?) Each will explore the concept of knowledge in their respective disciplines. A great way to being the intellectual pursuit that is higher education!
UPDATE: Dr. Kalka has provided us with a description and syllabus of the Ways to Know course! Thank yuo Dr. Kalka!

Plans for Orientation are in place and their website is a great resource. Be sure to check out the "Summer Must Do" list and their "Tips and Checklist." The schedule of events is up as a Word.doc as well.

We will have our annual Honors Tie Dye Party on Sunday evening, August 27th at 8 pm in the quad behind Butler House. Be sure to be there! We will provide the t-shirt (but be careful not to get the dye on the clothes you wear).

Theses Online!

2006-07-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

First theses available! We will obviously have to find a better method of presenting the theses and storing them online (the Library is considering how to do this and that is who needs to be in charge of this), but several scholars have decided to be the first to put their work up for all to see! For those who are interested in reading any Honors thesis produced at Tulane they housed in the Special Collections in the University Archives.

So here are our first theses for you to view online:

Bowers, Erin - SPECIFIC ION EFFECTS ON ß-GLUCOSIDASE KINETICS

Carden, Amy - The Effects of High School Student Service on Active Citizenship

Hedden, Wesley - LATINOS IN NEW ORLEANS POST-KATRINA: A CASE STUDY IN SOCIAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT IN A LUTHERAN CHURCH

Keeline, Tom - ANGER IN CLASSICAL ATHENIAN LAW COURTS

Murphy, Alan - INFERRED RELIGION IN J. K. ROWLING’S HARRY POTTER

Sparks, Evan - ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY AND POLITICAL THEOLOGY: SOURCES OF THE POLITICAL THOUGHT OF SAMUEL RUTHERFORD IN LEX, REX

UPDATE: Thank you to those of you who have sent me your thesis and permission to post them online! I hope to get them up in some form or other later this week.
Stay tuned! -Cb

For those of you seniors, past and present, who wrote a thesis (and still have it on your computer): Would you be willing to share it to the world at large? The bound copies are going into the library, but it occurs to me that many would be of great value to the broader public and we ought to try and make them available. If you are willing and can provide a pdf of your thesis, please send it along and I will work to get them up on the web.

(Along these same lines, if any of you are whizzes at programming we will also then need a way to provide access and, ideally, search ability to these theses. Please send all offers to help to my email!)

Thanks and congratulations again to all our recent Honors graduates!

TU Biological Sciences Departments in the Top 100!

2006-07-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

A recent study from the NSF found Tulane to be in the top 100 by research expenditures in the biological sciences.

Big caveat: This was passed along to me by one of our colleagues here and I must admit to not being clear on how to read the table. That being said, there we are! Number 100 with Stanford, Princeton, and Brandeis not so far above us (Stanford is, in fact, 96).

Get Ready for Tulane!

2006-06-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

Tulane University Orientation

2006 Opening Weekend and Orientation
August 26 - 29, 2006

We are just finishing off our Lagniappe semester here on campus, but we are also getting ready for the arrival of our newest class! Be sure to look around the site linked above for lots of good advice and information to get you ready for the move to Tulane and New Orleans.

See you soon!

NPR : Tulane Students Rush to Make Up Classes

2006-06-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday All Things Considered had this story about our Lagniappe semester.

Tulane Students Rush to Make Up Classes
by Elaine Korry
All Things Considered, June 13, 2006 · For displaced students planning on returning to Tulane University in New Orleans, the school is offering a special, six-week "lagniappe session" this summer. The name comes from a Creole word meaning "a little something extra." The goal is to offer more courses than would normally be available in the summer to help students catch up on their degree requirements.

"Time Stands Still at English College, Bequest or No"

2006-06-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

The cost of tradition at Oxford. (Or is it really a rebellious stand?)

All Souls College, a 568-year-old division of the University of Oxford, said today that it would not move a sundial on its campus, even if the price of leaving it undisturbed was a share of an £888,000 estate left by one of its fellows. The scholar, a Slavonic expert named John Simmons, had argued for years before he died that it had been a huge mistake in 1870 to relocate the sundial, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1658 (The Chronicle, June 12).

(Via The Chronicle: Daily News Blog.)

Forgive Us Our Student Debts

2006-06-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

New York Times Magazine has an excellent article on the issues surrounding student loans at all levels (graduate and undergraduate). Folks, your education is one of the most important investments you will ever make, but as with any financial transaction you have to be sure you can afford it. The combination of scholarships, grants, work-study, and loan packages can be dizzying so make sure you understand that to which you are committing yourself.

And then enjoy the education! We will work hard to make it worth every penny. ;-)

Big News! New Toys in Butler House

2006-06-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

I don't have all the details but HRL has a coup for Butlerites! Popular Mechanics Magazine is giving Butler House a complete new system (sound, flat screen, X-box, etc.) for the first floor lounge! Stay tuned for details...

UPDATE: I think they are already installing the TV, but the big install will be on Monday and Tuesday. This is a very generous gift from PM, so much so, that we are still not sure exactly how much and what they are giving us! Now...back to studying for class. :-)

UPDATE 2: Here is the scoop!

Everyone –

Popular Mechanics magazine has graciously coordinated the donation of a great deal of electronic equipment and even some fun tasso coffee makers as well. On Monday, the editor and photo editor will arrive and oversee installation by our student work crew of all of the equipment. If any students are around Monday afternoon, evening and throughout Tuesday, the editors would love the opportunity to interview them, get their feedback on the products from the student’s perspective. I don’t have the full list, but it includes a computer and printer, an XBOX, new LCD Aquos TV, and on and on… There are duplicates of some items that, after the photos and interview is over, we’ll likely disberse to other areas for use by staff. For example, Canon donated a digital camera that will become “staff” property for use by staff (and students!) during the year – we obviously won’t leave that at the desk for general check-out, but it can come in handy!

That said, if you all could spread the word and as the editors arrive on Monday, I’ll be contacting some of you to corral some students!

Thanks!!!

Marty Brantley
Director of Housing Services