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

List of Tulane University people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-06-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

I was looking for something else and stumbled upon this Wikipedia article: List of Tulane University people

A list of notable people affiliated with Tulane University, including graduates, former students, faculty, former faculty and major benefactors. Some especially notable individuals are also listed in the main University article.

Interesting reading, so take a break and peruse. Any favorites you care to share? Given that it is Wiki you should be able to add people as well...

Go Southeast, Young Man - New York Times

2006-06-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Walter Isaacson, CEO of the Aspen Institute and a member of Tulane University's board has "Go Southeast, Young Man"in the New York Times
I think it is a good piece with sound suggestions. He comments that

New Orleans is a tale of two cities these days. In areas that were smashed and then sat for weeks underwater when the levees broke, the devastation still stretches for miles and the valiant cleanup efforts seem as daunting as mopping sand from a beach. But the older areas that make the town famous, built on higher ground along the river, are humming again. From Tulane University through the Garden District to the business district and the French Quarter, people are back at work while chefs and musicians ply their wondrous magic.

There is much opportunity as well as many difficulties ahead. But none are insurmountable. Mr. Isaacson concludes,

[M]any people will find that it's a great time to be back in a city they love. They will relish the rare opportunity to be part of something historic, creative and larger than themselves. More outside money will flow in than has for decades, so the city could become the entrepreneurial magnet it was a century ago. For students, few places will offer a more enriching education in what it means to be a useful citizen than Tulane, Xavier, Loyola and the other New Orleans colleges.

(Via The New York Times.)

New Email

2006-05-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

We now have a new email account for all general questions and appointments. honors AT tulane DOT edu will be checked regularly by myself, Mrs. Spatafora and Mrs. Jenkins. In this way we hope that your questions and enquiries can be responded to more quickly than otherwise.

Don't worry! You are always welcome to email me directly about anything! And you can use AIM as well (drcbrady).

Have a great weekend!

Not that OUR thesis students would do this...

2006-05-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

PhD Comics "Piled Higher and Deeper," is of course about grad school and none of our seniors would try this, but for your amusement:

Via: PhD

Commencement 2006!

2006-05-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The Tulane website http://www.grads.tulane.edu/ now has video, audio, podcasts, and transcripts of the Commencement, including a section on media coverage.

What a day! Congratulations to all our seniors. As you heard so many times today (too many? I don't think so, but almost) you came through an amazing year and will always and forever be tied to New Orleans and Tulane in a way like few others.

Speakers It is hard to beat two (2) former US presidents in one graduation ceremony! They were both warmly received (one perhaps more so than the other) and both gave excellent speeches that were succinct and heartfelt. Bush-Clinton were, of course, asked to speak because of their work with the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.

George HW Bush receiving his honorary doctorate of laws.

WJ Clinton receiving his honorary doctorate of laws.

There was even a special surprise guest at the end! Local lady made good, Ellen Degeneres.

(She heard everyone else would be wearing robes...)

UPDATE: Needless to say, this has made news. NBC Nightly News had it on last night (not online so far as I can tell); NPR had a piece this morning; the AP carried this story; and the Times-Picayune had this article and this list of degree recipients.

UPDATE 2: I think this link will work for the NBC video, but it is Windows only so I am not sure if the javascript link will work from the blog or not. If not, go the their video site and search for "Graduates giving back to New Orleans."

Technorati Tags:
Graduation, Tulane, Bill Clinton, George HW Bush

Tales from the Class of '06

2006-05-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Every student has their own story.

This article (and tomorrow's) relates several of them.

Lefton Appointed President of Kent State

2006-05-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Kent State University, has appointed Dr. Lester Lefton, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Tulane University, as its 11th president, effective July 1. Lefton brings to the position 34 years of experience in higher education, having served at a public institution for 25 years and at private institutions for nine.

I have greatly enjoyed Dr. Lefton as our Provost. In the interests of full disclosure, i should point out that he did appointment me as Director of the Honors Program, but I believe my support of him has been objective. He has always supported the students and the faculty while at Tulane, encouraging the deans to work hard to increase faculty salaries while also placing more resources at the disposal of organizations like Honors and the TIDEs that are vital to our students' education experience.

I wish him all the best!

(Via Kent State Site.)

Alma Mutter

2006-05-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

Commencement is just around the corner!

Technorati Tags:

Comics, Graduation

Political Science Reception

2006-05-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

From Dr. Langston, Chair of PoliSci and all around good guy (and now that Dr. Kilroy has retired, one of the few faculty members taller than I!), has this announcement:

*Reception and FREE book Give-Away!*

Come share refreshments and conversation with your fellow graduating seniors, and have your favorite political science professor sign a FREE classic work on politics, courtesy of the Department of Political Science and the Provost’s Office.

10:00-12:00
Friday, May 12
Norman Mayer first floor lounge, Room 125

*FOOD! DRINKS! BOOKS! VALUABLE AUTOGRAPHS! FOOD! DRINKS! BOOKS! VALUABLE AUTOGRAPHS! FOOD! DRINKS! BOOKS! VALUABLE AUTOGRAPHS! FOOD! DRINKS! BOOKS!*

I wonder if they will give me a free book?

Why this job is great!

2006-04-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

Today I am preparing to send out a student's application for the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. This is what IT is all about folks:

It was a hot day in Mysore, India, the summer before my senior year of high school. I walked through the run-down entrance of a local school to help serve lunch to its underprivileged students. The headmistress told us how excited the children had been anticipating our arrival. These were poor village children who would faint during morning prayers because they had not eaten in days. When we walked back outside, we saw that the children had lined up their steel plates on the concrete floor and were eagerly awaiting their meal. As I was helping serve their food, my eyes met those of one of the little girls. She smiled timidly and I smiled back. As I did, I saw her face light up and I could feel my heart melt. In that instant I felt as though my entire outlook on life had changed. These kids had next to nothing at home. Yet day after day they continued to come to school, their hunger-starved but smiling faces eager to learn. I realized then just how much I took for granted. Though most of them had lived less than half as long as I had, they possessed a strength that I could not even begin to grasp. Sometimes wisdom can come from the most unexpected places. One girl’s smile, a smile tested by more hardships than I could ever imagine, has given me the motivation to devote my life to help whomever I can, however I can. I have those kids to thank for opening my eyes to the true meaning of determination, for in their strength, they possess a courage most of us will never understand.

Honors Thesis Defense

2006-04-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Many of our seniors are now defending their theses. Congratulations to you all! A couple of quick points that will make the administrative process go more smoothly.

At your defense be sure to:

Bring a copy of your final title page on 100% cotton, white paper so that all your examiners can sign it (and save you from running around later).

Have your 3rd reader bring the Oral Exam form back to the Honors office (105 Hébert Hall). We must have this form in order to certify you for graduation! The form can be found here, it is inside the folder.

A bit of advice. Be professional and take this seriously, but don't get too uptight! So wear nice clothes (that you are comfortable in), get some decent sleep before hand, and greet each professor with respect. Usually you will provide a brief summary of your research and conclusions. Be ready to provide the summary and answer their questions honestly and directly. If you do not know something simply admit it! Finally, try and enjoy the process. We are all proud of you and glad to be a part of the crowning achievement of your college career.

Congratulations seniors!

This is your brain on plagiarism.

2006-04-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just don't do it! The Chronicle of Higher Ed reports on three cases of plagiarism. My favorite comes from a Harvard student who was found to have used text from another novel. The author of the Chronicle's news brief has a deft touch in reporting the author's (and agent's) response:

Meanwhile, the Harvard University sophomore accused of lifting material for her debut novel from a 2001 novel, apologized on Monday, and her publisher said it was investigating, The Boston Globe reported. The student’s euphemistic explanation: “I may have internalized” words from the other novel, and “any phrasing similarities” were “completely unintentional and unconscious.”

Her agent even topped that: “As a former teenager myself, I recall that spongelike ability to take popular culture and incorporate it into your own lexicon.”

Moral of the story? Don't plagiarize! Ever. It will not only cost you that class, it will also keep you from law school or med school, and make you the topic of humor on obscure academic blogs.

Update:

Honors Banquet

2006-04-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

Last night we had our Honors Banquet. I think it went very well! Thanks to everyone who came, especially all the faculty! We recognized our Senior Scholars, those students who not only are graduating with University Honors (magna or summa) but were chosen by the faculty of their department as deserving top honors. All our University Honors students received their blue and green honors cords to be worn at graduation.

We honored Dr. W. David Clinton, Jr. with our awards for Exceptional Service. Dr. Clinton has done so much to support our students and the Program itself. When I arrived on the Honors scene 3 years ago Dr. Clinton was quick to step in and help me with programming, reading applications, and (of course) supervising theses.
One student wrote

Professor Clinton is a man of the highest standards and the utmost respect for students...Under his tutelage one can be assured of substantial instruction. His standards are high, so that an A in a Clinton class is a rare jewel, purchased with only the most excellent work. ...He has great respect and servant-heartedness for his students as a teacher and an advisor.

Unfortunately for us, but in a promotion for Dr. Clinton, he will be leaving for Baylor University next fall. Good luck and we will miss you!

Our Honors Professor of the Year is Dr. David Mullin of Cell & Molecular Biology. Dr. Mullin has also been a tremendous support to students, as one wrote, "past, present, and future." In the spring Dr. Mullin can often be found eating lunch at Bruff with prospective students. He, like Dr. Clinton, has supervised almost innumerable theses.
A student wrote:

I knew that molecular biology would be an interesting class on the first day, when Dr. Mullin walked in carrying a bamboo stick taller than himself--and he's not short. The stick, I soon learned, served several purposes; it was a pointer, an aiming device when he was directing a question toward a particular student, and a means of getting the class' attention, because what makes a class quiet down quicker than a giant bamboo stick slamming onto a desk? The class didn't disappoint, either. ...Dr. Mullin's class challenged me to think, to really get to understand the class material so that I could properly complete the homework amd exam questions. In his class, I learned more than the basics of transcription and translation; I learned how to interpret experiments and think critically about data, essential skills for a scientist.

Dr. Mullin has promised to bring back his "Science of Fermentation" class next year and even do a Round Table on the topic. (I will leave it up to you, dear reader, to determine what topics are covered in the syllabus.)
(Sorry for the fuzzy picture.)

Congratulations to all of you!

Utah school books the wrong Jon Stewart

2006-04-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Don'tcha hate it when this happens?

OGDEN, Utah -- An embarrassed charter school has discovered it booked the wrong Jon Stewart for its annual gala. The DaVinci Academy thought it had made a deal with comedian Jon Stewart, star of 'The Daily Show' and host of this year's Academy Awards, to appear next week.

Maybe we should make sure we have the right Clinton and Bush.

What is Tulane's Honors Program About?

2006-04-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled that so many of you have IM'd me with questions about Tulane Honors Program! I am happy to chat with you, but since many of you have the same question, I have posted my PowerPoint presentation about our Program in web format. Please feel free to look over the information and by all means, IM or email if you have any more questions!

UPDATE: I fixed a few visual items with the PPT/Web page, but some of the images will still look funky and Windows IE may still warn you not to trust it (because MS PowerPoint saves it to web format that uses scripts). So! Here is the new and improved movie version! Just pause it when you get to something you would like to read more carefully.

Noam on Norms

2006-03-31T15:21:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a fair attendance (where were the rest of you! ;-) for Noam Scheiber's talk on Rules, Norms, & Politics in the Bush Era. Many students asked if Noam had written anything on the topic and he has kindly provided some links.

Here are a couple of pieces that might be worth checking out if people want to see some of my stuff about the GOP and norms. the first one is about duke cunningham and tom delay. the second one is about the john bolton nomination for UN ambassador -- i get into the norms thing toward the end. the third was written by my colleague, jonathan chait. it's one of his early takes on the bush administration's exploitation of media norms....

The first piece is here and requires a free subscription. The second story is aptly titled Norm! and is available here. Finally, I will summarize and quote the last article later this weekend when I have time (it is not available online) but here is the teaser:

MARCH 19, 2001
BYLINE: Jonathan Chait
HIGHLIGHT:
The Bushies snooker the Times on taxes.
BODY:
Imagine the president pardoned a wealthy criminal--let's call him "Mr. Rich" --who had written two $500,000 checks, one to the president's campaign and the other to his party. Critics accuse the president of selling pardons. The president's spokesman indignantly denies that Mr. Rich donated $1 million but refuses to say how much he did give. When pressed, the spokesman finally insists that Mr. Rich actually donated only $500,000--a figure he arrives at by simply ignoring the existence of the second check.

No president could get away with such an obvious falsehood, right? Well, it depends on the nature of the lie.

Would any of you who attended like to offer a summary or comments on Noam's talk? Please feel free to do so!

TULANE UNIVERSITY - HONORS COURSES FALL 06

2006-03-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

The Registrar's webpage is still updating with Honors courses and Fall registration for current students begins next week. There are not many H courses up yet (about 20) but
Don't Panic®. I am working with the departments and the registrar to get more courses up and listed. 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.

Newcomb loses attempt to keep identity

2006-03-31T07:35:00.000-08:00
The Times-Picayune story covers yesterday's trial.

The Newcomb Institute plan is described in this Tulane new story. The details of the plan are here.

Honors Round Table: What does it mean to be honorable?

2006-03-29T16:56:00.000-08:00
Mr. Evan Sparks, a senior majoring in History and Political Science was our guest today and kindly typed up his notes to share with us all. Enjoy and as he says, please discuss!
On my honor. Scout's honor. The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair. The Honorable George W. Bush. Honor code. Will you love her, keep her, comfort her, honor her... Honors program. Dean's Honor Scholar. Honors residence. And Brutus is an honorable man. What does it all mean?

There's a common division in our understanding of the word honorable into the idea of "being honorable" and "possessing honors." For example, an altruist is honorable, and a Rhodes scholar has honors. This semantic division has not always been the case, however. The first universities to grant honors were institutions of the church, and their marks of honor ("summa cum laude," &c.) were indications not only of academic prowess but also praiseworthy character. To have honors and honor you must be worthy of the term. I would like to separate the notion of honor from awards. In fact, I ought to be the first to do so given that my resume makes this same error by listing under one heading "Honors & Awards."

Allow me to propose three dimensions of honor, and then we can follow this with discussion.

1. Honor has objective moral content, that is, virtue. Honor is intimately associated with virtue. There is an external standard, ingrained into the fabric of the universe, of what is praiseworthy and what is not. (Notice I do not introduce the concept of "right and wrong" when discussing morality, but rather "good and bad." this is an important distinction.) In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis writes about what he calls "the Tao," or "the doctrine of objective value, the belief that cetrtain attitudes are really true, and others really false, to the kind of thing the universe is and the kind of things we are." It is not mere preference. The Tao is something which we all recognize, even if we do not accept its force. "I myself do not enjoy the society of small children," he writes, "[but] because I speak from within the Tao I recognize this as a defect in myself, just as a man may have to recognize that he is tone deaf or color blind." It is a recognition of defect in relation to objective value. The consequence of not following or recognizing the Tao is a bizarre paradox: "We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst."

Honor and virtue depend upon the existence of objective standards of good and bad. Without these, one cannot have honor or be honorable. There is no way to know what is praiseworthy, nor is there any worth in being praised under such conditions.

2. The objective moral standard associated with honor is self-sacrifice, whether for faith or family or country. In the famous funeral oration recounted by Thucydides in The Pelopponesian War , Pericles calls self-sacrifice the highest virtue. However, the self-sacrifice must be for something good and valuable. Hence, Pericles recounts extensively the various good and praiseworthy qualities of Athens ("This, then, is the kind of city for which these men, who could not bear the though of losing her, nobly fought and died."), for whom the soldiers in question perished. Those who sacrifice themselves in an honorable cause or on behalf of an honorable person, community or institution are themselves honorable. "To me it seems that the consummation which has overtaken these men shows us the meaning of manliness [lit., virtue] in its first revelation and in its final proof.... So and such they were, these men -- worthy of their city."

Honor is not so much about the one who is honorable as it is about what the honorable man stands far, and for whom. Self-sacrifice as moral content implies the other: that is, community. It is in community that we become honorable. Only in community can we even aspire to honor.

3. Honor as self-sacrifice is not quantifiable. At Tulane University, admission to the honors program is granted on the basis of test scores and grade point average. Josiah Bunting, former superintendent of VMI, writes in An Education for Our Time that such metrics are useless to measure honor. "The utility of such praceices is zero. No, worse than zero. Everything that we should value and exalt in the way we educate our young people in college is ignored utterly; or if not ignored, forgotten and unknown... Asserting that College X 'ranks' ninth regionally is like writing that Professor Jones has published seventy-one papers, or that University Z has "produced twenty-one Rhodes scholars" (as though the university were a salmon hatchery). What if sixty of the papers are stupid and wrong? What if nine of the Rhodes scholars are drunks?"

We tend to praise people based on numerical values: X hours of community service, Y GPA, Z dollars raised to cure cancer. All well and good, but we're after self-sacrifice as honor. Ascribing honor(s) based on metrics is more award than honor as we've defined it. How do you measure self-sacrifice? Dr. Brady suggests that honor is something descriptive, not prescriptive, and this may be getting at what we're talking about. Can self-sacrifice in a community for moral causes be quantified? I don't think so.

Discuss.

The TV is Here

2006-03-29T11:10:00.000-08:00

The plasma tv for Butler has finally arrived! We are all about studying, of course, but it is nice to be able to have some distractions now and then. :-) I am currently sitting in the lounge, enjoying the Red Sox and Pirates playing a spring game while "working" before a 1:30 meeting. It doesn't get much better than this.
UPDATE: Pit 1 Bos 1 in the 4th.

BBQ Bash

2006-03-27T11:46:00.000-08:00
The BBQ was well attended and the food was great! I would say that is a successful first day of our Honors Week! See more pictures here.

Honors Week is Here!

2006-03-27T07:56:00.000-08:00
Good Monday Everyone! Today is the first day of Honors Week! (And Homecoming...) I hope that you all can make our various events and be a part of our new tradition.

Today – BBQ 11:30 on the Academic Quad (in front of Hébert) including a rockclimbing wall for entertainment.

Wed – Round table 4:00 in Butler House Lounge: Our own Evan Sparks, Senior Tulane College, “What does it mean to be honorable?” Evan has provided some links of thought provoking readings, be sure to check them out before Wed if you get the chance (see below).

Thurs –
Lunch in Bruff 12 noon with Noam Scheiber, Tulane College ‘98, Rhodes Scholar and Senior Editor of The New Republic and our keynote speaker.

Keynote Lecture 6pm Stone Auditorium Noam Scheiber, “Rules, Norms, & Politics in the Bush Era.” Open to everyone.

Please invite your friends and come celebrate Honors Week!

Readings for Wed Round Table:

The discussion topic is: "What does it mean to be honorable?" To stimulate thinking on honor and the concepts surrounding it, here are some suggested resources and excerpts from them:

Thucydides, "The Funeral Oration of Pericles," from The Pelopponesian War.

Pericles argues in a funeral oration for felled Athenian soldiers that honor is self-sacrificing and communitarian. The highest form of honor, then, is giving up one's own life for his fellows.

"I have dwelt upon the greatness of Athens because I want to show you that we are contending for a higher prize than those who enjoy none of these privileges, and to establish by manifest proof the merit of these men whom I am now commemorating. Their loftiest praise has been already spoken. For in magnifying the city I have magnified them, and men like them whose virtues made her glorious. And of how few Hellenes can it be said as of them, that their deeds when weighed in the balance have been found equal to their fame! I believe that a death such as theirs has been the true measure of a man's worth; it may be the first revelation of his virtues, but is at any rate their final seal. For even those who come short in other ways may justly plead the valor with which they have fought for their country; they have blotted out the evil with the good, and have benefited the state more by their public services than they have injured her by their private actions. None of these men were enervated by wealth or hesitated to resign the pleasures of life; none of them put off the evil day in the hope, natural to poverty, that a man, though poor, may one day become rich. But, deeming that the punishment of their enemies was sweeter than any of these things, and that they could fall in no nobler cause, they determined at the hazard of their lives to be honorably avenged, and to leave the rest. They resigned to hope their unknown chance of happiness; but in the face of death they resolved to rely upon themselves alone. And when the moment came they were minded to resist and suffer, rather than to fly and save their lives; they ran away from the word of dishonor, but on the battlefield their feet stood fast, and in an instant, at the height of their fortune, they passed away from the scene, not of their fear, but of their glory."

C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man,
Lewis asks (and answers) the question of whether there is a connection between absolute truth and ethics: namely, whether honor has a moral code. Chapter 1 is immensely valuable. Here is the final paragraph:

"And all the time˜such is the tragi-comedy of our situation˜we continue to clamour for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. You can hardly open a periodical without coming across the statement that what our civilization needs is more 'drive', or dynamism, or self-sacrifice, or 'creativity'. In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful."

Josiah Bunting, An Education fo Our Time.

General Bunting, a former VMI superintendent, Rhodes scholar, and Vietnam War veteran, writes in the context of higher education about how honor has become obscured by other metrics of achievement. Here he specifically refers to college rankings.

"The utility of such practices is zero. No, worse than zero. Everything that we should value and exalt in the way we educate our young people is ignored utterly; or if not ignored, forgotten or unknown. What kind of men and women teach the students? What do they teach them? For what have such numbers, such rankings, to do with what the undergraduates will become when they are forty or sixty?"

Theodore Roosevelt, What College Graduates Owe America.

The essay is here (1.2MB).

Honors Week!

2006-03-26T08:18:00.000-08:00
Welcome to the first annual Honors Week! The schedule is in this lovely flyer below. :-) Come one come all! (More about each event to be posted as we get closer to the events.)

Hmm. For some reason Explorer in XP is not showing the image (but it works on Mac). The direct link to the flyer in pdf is here.

Political Science Fellowship

2006-03-22T08:17:00.000-08:00
From the Chair of the Political Science Department:

The Presidential Fellows Program is a unique, non-residential program sponsored by the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP). The CSP is a non-partisan, private organization that publishes the highly-respected journal, Presidential Studies Quarterly. CSP also conducts major conferences and working sessions for researchers, students, journalists and policymakers on issues of governance and presidential leadership. Each year, the Center holds an awards ceremony at which it recognizes various individuals who have contributed greatly in the previous year, or over their careers, to public service at the national level.

The Fellows Program brings together students from 87 selective universities and colleges. Fellows meet twice during the academic year, over a long weekend in November and April. They help to lead workshops; engage in discussions with leading policymakers and White House Fellows; and research, write and present original research on a topic of public policy or leadership. The last task is typically completed under the supervision of not just an advisor affiliated with the CSP, but with a Tulane faculty member as well. It is possible, but not mandatory, that you use your CSP paper as the core element of a TU independent study in the spring semester. The best of the student papers are published each year in an anthology of Center Fellows Papers.

Tulane will nominate two students for next year’s program. Tulane will pay for the selected students’ transportation to and from the conferences in November and April; the CSP and their own financial backers pay for your lodging and meals while in D.C.

Students from all TU undergraduate colleges and majors are invited to apply. Though in most years, students from social science disciplines within the Liberal Arts and Sciences predominate, in the current year our two students are from University College and the Business School.

Selection criteria include academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to public service.

Interested students should send to Professor Thomas Langston, Professor and Chair of Political Science, the following application materials by the end of the business day, April 1:

a one to two page statement of intent, indicating your reasons for wishing to participate in this program and your qualifications for doing so

a copy of your undergraduate transcript (an advising copy is fine at the application stage)

an academic writing sample

For further information, please contact Professor Langston at langston@tulane.edu.

Thomas S. Langston
Professor and Chair
Department of Political Science
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA 70118
ph.: (504) 862-8311
fax: (504) 862-8745

Newcomb-Tulane Undergraduate College

2006-03-17T08:40:00.000-08:00
Yesterday the Board approved a plan for preserving the name and legacies of Tulane and Newcomb Colleges.
As Tulane University implements its Renewal Plan in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Board of Tulane approved a sweeping set of recommendations on Thursday (March 16) to preserve some of the university's most time-honored traditions. It renewed its historic ties to Paul Tulane and H. Sophie Newcomb by naming the university's new undergraduate college the Newcomb-Tulane College.

Newcomb's role in women's education will continue as well:
The board also established The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute, which will draw women students and all faculties from across the university in a dynamic, interdisciplinary program designed to enhance women's education and continue to enrich the women's community at Tulane. The Newcomb College Institute will be housed on the Newcomb campus and will be headed by an executive director who will also be the holder of a newly created Newcomb College Endowed Chair.

But before the Board's vote several Newcomb alumnae and students filed a lawsuit to stop the dissolution of Newcomb College as a degree granting institution. The Chronicle has the story here.

First Honors Weekend Sucess!

2006-03-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday and today we have been hosting nearly 70 students who have been accepted to Tulane and into the Honors Program. Last night we culminated our day with The Zoo playing in Wall Residential College followed by a movie.

Good times, good times.

Honors Program, in a Nutshell

2006-03-13T08:07:00.000-08:00
For the Honors Weekend I prepared a handout with the outline of the Program in bullet points. It is not exhaustive but should give you a quick idea of what our Program is about. Feel free to download the pdf here!

For more detail please stop by here

Board Approves Reorganization at Rutgers - New York Times

2006-03-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., March 10 (AP) — The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved a major reorganization on Friday, simplifying a complicated system of undergraduate colleges but preserving an all-female niche on the campus.

We continue to work towards similar ends at Tulane.

Bush 41 and Clinton to Speak at Commencement

2006-03-10T07:12:00.000-08:00
From Tulane's President, Dr. Scott Cowen:

Good Morning

I've always felt, in light of what we've experienced over the last few
months, that this year's commencement will be a special one. Just how
special was made plain this week when George H. W. Bush, 41st President
of the United States, and William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the
United States, agreed to be the keynote speakers at Commencement 2006.

As you know, Presidents Bush and Clinton first joined forces to raise
funds for the victims of the 2004 south Asian tsunami. Then, in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, they formed the Bush-Clinton Katrina
Fund, which has raised more than $100 million to date, some $30 million
of which has been dedicated to 33 higher educational institutions in the
Gulf region, including Tulane.

The whole world has admired how these two leaders have risen above their
political differences, harnessed their formidable skills and galvanized
the generosity of the American people. Their partnership provides a
lesson for all of us.

Please join me as we welcome our two former presidents and salute the
graduates of this historic class, May 13 at 9:30 a.m. in the New Orleans
Arena. For a full schedule of Commencement 2006 events visit
http://www.grads.tulane.edu/.

Have a great weekend,

Scott

Honors Professor of the Year

2006-03-07T14:27:00.000-08:00
ATTENTION: Juniors and Seniors

Many of you have observed that the quality of your Honors classroom experience has depended less on the particular courses offered than on the expertise of the instructors. I hope you will take the time to recognize their enthusiasm and experience by nominating one faculty member as the Honors Professor of the Year.

The person you recommend may be someone you have worked with either in class or independently, this year or in the past. The person should, however, have contributed substantially and positively to your education by challenging you, by leading you to ask questions or draw conclusions you would never have considered, by uniquely exciting your interest in and curiosity about a subject. All regularly appointed faculty members are eligible. The winner, to be announced at the Honors Program Senior Reception on Monday, April 24, will receive a plaque and a check for $500.

Please submit a letter naming your candidate for the award and describing your reasons for selecting him or her, being specific in detailing his or her particular excellencies. A committee of Tulane Honors students and the Honors Program Director will together select this year’s winner.

All nominations for Honors Professor of the Year must be submitted to the Honors Program office no later than Monday, April 10th. Thank you for taking the time to recognize the special efforts of our best faculty.

Apple rewards college-bound seniors - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

2006-03-06T08:22:00.000-08:00
From TUAW:
Apple rewards college-bound seniors
Dave Caolo

Attention, college-bound high school seniors: Apple is currently looking for 10 recipients of its scholarship program. The students who demonstrate the most innovative use of technology in academics will receive $2,000 (which should just about cover your books, actually), plus a MacBook Pro and an iPod nano!

To enter, you must be a high school student who will attend a 2-year or 4-year accredited college or university in the fall of 2006, and a legal resident of the U.S. Good luck!

Thanks, Matt!

Prospective Tulane Honors Students

2006-03-01T07:30:00.000-08:00
Have you been notified of acceptance to Tulane AND the Honors Program? Were you invited to our Honors Weekend, but misplaced (or didn't receive) the details? (Which would likely be our fault since the printers have been unable to get the jobs done quickly enough.) Here are the key facts:

Honors Weekend

Sunday, March 12 - Monday, March 13, 2006
or
Sunday, March 26 – Monday, March 27, 2006

We hope that you will visit for Honors Weekend, a two-day program that will further highlight the academic, cultural, and social opportunities available at Tulane.

Please RSVP for either Honors Weekend by Friday, March 3rd. Just send an email to hwrsvp@tulane.edu.

We ask that you include the following information in the body of your email:
• Name (First, Middle, Last)
• Preferred Name
• Number in party (including yourself)
• Phone (area code + number)
• Email Address
• Will you be requesting overnight hosting?

Overnight hosting is limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Once you send in your RSVP email, you will receive a confirmation within 24 hours with a detailed schedule and additional information.

Questions? Please call the Office of Undergraduate Admission at (800) 873-9283 or (504) 865-5731.

NB: The Admissions Office is running these weekends so while I am happy to answer any questions I can all logistical questions (reservations, hotels, taxis, etc.) must be directed to their office.

I look forward to meeting you all and helping in any way I can in this challenging decision of where to go to college!

-Dr. B

the blue couch

2006-02-24T15:02:00.000-08:00
For those students of mine who wonder what life was like back in the day, I present the blue couch. One of my old roommates posted this blog as an homage to the couch that my grandmother gave us for dorm room use. The last word I have is that the couch is still alive (really! think of all those bacteria) and being used by a fire eater and his wife. No, really. That is what they told me.

What Sets Tulane Honors Apart

2006-02-23T09:36:00.001-08:00
I have been asked many times what sets our program apart from others so I thought a blog on the topic might be appropriate.

Our Honors Program at Tulane is (as I like to say) an “Enhanced Educational Experience”, or E3. (Catchy, don’t you think? ;-) At Tulane your fellow classmates, regardless of Honors status, are all very successful academically so we do not separate and segregate our Honors students. Instead our program is directed at enhancing the already excellent education experience you will have at Tulane. There are three primary ways we offer you the opportunity to expand your curriculum.

1) Honors Courses – each semester there are 40-60 different courses across the disciplines and levels that are offered as Honors courses. This means that no more than 20 students will be in the class and our best regular faculty teach the course.

2) Honors Option – The Honors Option allows you to customize your Honors curriculum. H courses (above) may not fit into your schedule and, especially at the higher level, you may not find an H course in your discipline. With Honors option you can add an honors component to any upper level course.

3) Independent Studies – If there is a topic of interest to you but no course is available you and there is a faculty member willing to guide your research you may enroll for an Independent Study at the 400 level.

With the new structure of Tulane University all undergraduates in any school will be able to participate in the Honors program. So join us and go as far as you like, customizing your own Honors curriculum!

NPR : A Taste of Mardi Gras: The Return of the King Cake

2006-02-23T09:36:00.000-08:00
One of the best things about Mardi Gras! Hmmm. King Cake.

Butler House - Honors Housing

2006-02-23T09:35:00.000-08:00
[Some of my comments over the next few weeks about general topics such as housing will be for prospective students as well as intended to elicit comment from current students.]

One option available to incoming Honors freshmen is the Honors dorm: Butler Hall. This dorm houses ~256 students on 7 residential floors. The main lounge is the site of most of our round table discussions and includes a new (soon to be delivered!) pool table and ping pong table. The dorm has recently been pressured washed on the outside and the interior is gradually being all repainted. Other renovations are scheduled as well.

Why an Honors dorm? Butler forms a fairly unique community of diverse yet like-minded students; like-minded in that they all recognize the importance of learning. This does not distract from their creativity and fun. At least, that has been my experience in the last two years. There are set quiet hours and perhaps a greater sense of respect for each other in Butler.

Butler may not be for everyone, in fact it cannot be. We admit far more H students than Butler can house. This brings me to the most important point for prospective students: If you want to live in Butler you must request it and it is on a "first come, first serve basis."

All that being said, for current and past Butler-ites: Please tell me (and others who might read this), what were the best and worst things about Butler? If you could improve two things, what would they be?

And don't forget! You can get your Chez Butler t-shirt here.

Thanks for reading and please do comment!

Tulane Graduate Programs & Redeployment of Workers

2006-02-23T07:07:00.000-08:00
A couple of important news bits.

TULANE STILL HAS GRAD PROGRAMS
Under Renewal Plan Tulane graduate studies more focused and interdisciplinary

TULANE LOOKS TO RETAIN SEPARATED STAFF
Tulane working to redeploy separated staff to available positions within university

The Chronicle: Harvard President Resigns

2006-02-21T12:34:00.000-08:00
From the Chronicle: Daily news: 02/21/2006 -- 06
HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S EMBATTLED PRESIDENT, Lawrence H. Summers,
resigned this afternoon and will be replaced, on an interim
basis, by Derek C. Bok, who was president of Harvard from 1970
to 1990. Mr. Bok would be expected to "clean up the mess and
make conditions right for the next president," according to a
senior professor with knowledge of the tumultuous events of
today in Cambridge, Mass.

Out of the Ashes - Pompeii & Katrina

2006-02-15T08:03:00.000-08:00
My colleague Susann Lusnia's course on Pompeii has made the Tulane news.
Pompeii. Herculaneum. New Orleans. Natural disasters that destroy part or all of a city are nothing new, says classical studies assistant professor Susann Lusnia. The spring course she teaches at Tulane about Pompeii, before and after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, has allowed students to discuss parallels between New Orleans, Pompeii and Herculaneum, a second city devastated by the eruption.

Dr. Lusnia has also included an Honors Option with this course. Thanks Dr. Lusnia!

In A Model Environment: Vindication!

2006-02-14T09:13:00.000-08:00
A former Tulane Honors student who is a Marshall scholar in Oxford has found inspiration in Indiana Jones.

Congratulations! (and a typo)

2006-02-10T15:39:00.000-08:00
Congratulations to all those students who have just received their acceptance to Tulane and the Honors Program for Fall 2006! I realize that you will have many questions (and maybe some concerns) so I hope you will look around and feel free to email me (or IM).

Now, I also have to confess that there was an egregious typo on the letter that went out.

Now, I could tell you that it was the Admissions office that sent this letter out (which is true) or even that the printer was the one who made the mistake (which is also true, the copy from my office and Admissions is correct), but we should have spotted it. I hope that you will not hold this against us! After all, it is a person of true honor who acknowledges their mistake. :-)

Can the Green Wave Rise Again?

2006-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00
This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education looks into the suspension of 8 of our teams. It will be available until Feb. 15th (or by subscription).
Rick Dickson thought he had seen the worst last summer after Hurricane Katrina caused $3.5-million in damage to Tulane University's athletics facilities and forced its teams to relocate to four different colleges.

But nothing prepared Mr. Dickson, Tulane's athletics director, for December 5, the day he learned that Tulane's trustees had suspended eight of the university's sports teams as part of a $60-million universitywide cutback. After hearing the news, Mr. Dickson says, he put his head on his desk and started to cry.

This is, without a doubt, difficult for everyone.

Santorum's Comments on Congressional Spending on Universities

2006-02-08T08:43:00.000-08:00
In this article Santorum "Says Congressional Republicans Are 'Restrained' in Treatment of Colleges, Despite Left-Wing Bias." (That link is subscription only. It will be available here until Feb 13th.)

A few snippets:

Despite believing that colleges are dominated by left-wing academics who are hostile to conservatives, the Republican leaders of Congress have been "remarkably restrained" in taking higher education to task, Sen. Rick Santorum told private-college presidents and lobbyists on Tuesday.

"There's no question," said Mr. Santorum, a Pennsylvania Republican, " that the majority of Republicans believe higher education is on the left. There's no question about that. We do, and it is."

"Having said that," he added, "we also understand the importance of higher education to the future of the country."

Mr. Santorum did not focus his speech at the annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities on ideological debates. Instead he spoke about legislative measures he has championed that would make it easier for colleges and other nonprofit groups to solicit donations.

...

Saying that he recognized colleges as "the platform on which we have to build the country's global competitiveness," Mr. Santorum touted his efforts to give people more incentives to make charitable contributions to colleges.

Over the last several years, Senator Santorum and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, have pushed a proposal to stimulate charitable giving by allowing older people to withdraw money from their individual retirement accounts and donate those funds to colleges and other nonprofit groups tax-free. The senators have also called on Congress to pass legislation that would help those institutions to solicit small gifts from recent graduates. Under that plan, people who did not itemize deductions on their tax returns would still be allowed to deduct charitable donations from their taxable income.

Scheiber's Comments on the SOTU

2006-02-01T14:50:00.000-08:00
This gives me a chance to point you all to our last Rhodes Scholar, Noam Scheiber, who is a Senior Editor of The New Republic.

BUSH'S ADVANTAGE ON WIRETAPPING.
Frame of Mind
by Noam Scheiber

(Subscription Required)

UPDATE: We are proud to announce that Mr. Scheiber will be coming to campus this spring to be our keynote speaker for our Honors Week (March 27-31)! Welcome back!

Good news! The pool table is on its way!

2006-02-01T13:26:00.000-08:00
And this is not just for Butlerites! The tables for other dorms are on their way as well. From the head cheese (as opposed to cheese head or headcheese):

Yes…at last…pool tables are in progress – officially. Please see attached photo – pretty slick, I think…

These are scheduled to arrive between 2/13 and 2/28 – let’s all send good thoughts their way for earlier!

Oxford Students Required to Sign Contracts

2006-01-31T17:28:00.000-08:00

Students forced to sign 'I'll try harder' contracts
By Jonathan Richards and Tony Halpin
OXFORD is to become the first university in Britain to protect itself from litigious students by introducing legally-binding contracts requiring them to attend lectures.
...
Students admitted to Oxford this autumn will have to sign the document, seen by The Times, which states that they must “pursue such studies as are required of you by any tutor, fellow or lecturer, or other qualified person assigned by the College to teach you”.

This includes “activities such as practicals, the completion of written work, attendance in tutorials and classes and lectures, and the sitting of University and internal College examinations”.

The contract only commits a college to “make such teaching provision for undergraduate students as it reasonably decides is necessary for their courses of study”. This “may” include tutorials, classes and seminars.

Oh my. Have we come to this? In my day in Oxford... OK. Well, being a graduate student I didn't actually have to attend lectures. I wanted to attend them. Call me a geek. Geek. There, I did it for you. Now, get back to class before you are found in breach of contract.

Sophie B. Wright Middle School

2006-01-31T09:34:00.000-08:00
I am very proud to announce that the Tulane Honors Program has forged a long term (read: indefinite) relationship with Sophie B. Wright Middle School. Mrs. Jenkins and I met with Mrs. Monica Ponoroff (Director of "For the Children" a Tulane community outreach literacy program) and Ms. Elaine Lewis, Language Arts teacher at Sophie B. to discuss their needs and opportunities.

Starting immediately we will be looking for students to tutor, give classroom aid, play guitar, and help organize their library. Now the specifics:

Math/Science tutors (remember, these kids are grades 4-8, even English majors can do this math!)
We need 4 Tulane students Mon-Thur for the morning (9-12) and 4 students for the afternoon (1-3). You do NOT need to do every day! We can use as many as 32 students, each one taking one three hour shift a week. In other-words, if you can only make Monday from 1-3 great! Sign up in our office.

Science & Social Science Fair
5 students per fair. These students would work with a particular teacher and their students at their own schedule to develop projects that the students would present at a Fair. We are hoping for two separate fairs later in the spring.

Music
We are looking for a few students who play instruments (guitars, but also band instruments) to come occasionally and play for the students, providing them with an example and encouragement to play themselves. This is a chance for Marching Band to shine! :-)

Computer
2 students per shift (9-12/ 12:30-3) Monday thru Thursday (a total of 16 students/week) to assist the computer teacher.

Library
A library in Nantucket that would like to partner with a library in New Orleans and that partner will be Sophie B. Wright Middle School. So anyone interested in putting together a library please come see us and we will provide the contact name.

Reading Project
We will also be coordinating a reading project with Tulane's Service Learning so stay tuned for more information on that later.
All of these opportunities are very exciting for you as a Tulane student and for the rebuilding of New Orleans. Let's start these children off on the best foot possible for the future!!

Transportation
Sophie B. Wright Middle School is on the corner of Prytania and Napoleon Ave. The city bus is running (no cost) and there will be a service learning van available. (Times to be announced.)

I realize you will have LOTS of questions so please feel free to emailMrs. Jenkins and get on board!

Newcomb Rally Covered by the Chronicle

2006-01-31T09:19:00.000-08:00
Supporters of Women's College at Tulane U. Rally Against Plans to Merge It Out of Existence

By KATHERINE S. MANGAN

About 150 women ranging in age from 18 to 84 chanted, sang, and pleaded with Tulane University administrators on Friday not to dismantle their alma mater, Newcomb College, an undergraduate division for female students that Tulane plans to close in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The 120-year-old college is slated to be combined this fall with its counterpart for men into a single undergraduate college at Tulane. Although Newcomb will no longer exist as a separate degree-granting institution, a committee is studying ways to continue the college's legacy of supporting women's education and leadership development, possibly through an institute or foundation.

A Little Fun: Which Sports Car Are You?

2006-01-29T19:34:00.000-08:00
I'm a Lamborghini Murcielago!

Does this sound like me?

You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull.
Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Wynton Marsalis

2006-01-17T12:33:00.000-08:00
While Mayor Nagin was saying some *ahem* curious things on the occasion of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Wynton Marsalis was truly inspiring in a speech to our students and community at Tulane. Follow the link above for the whole speech. A few prime quotes:

That is why, as I stand before you tonight, I say the best way to be, is to do. Don’t settle for style. Succeed in substance. President Cowen said “don’t come back if helping restore New Orleans is not in your DNA,” and 91 percent of you have returned. Most of you have returned at a time when many would have stayed away. And now that you are here, you have the opportunity to set a new tone, not only for New Orleans, but for our country. Remember, many a revolution started with the actions of a few. For example, only 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence of which Ben Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” A few hanging together can lead a nation to change.

One of my favorite:
And though I haven’t quite pinpointed it, somewhere between my daddy’s youth and mine, generational aspirations for a richer democracy changed to aspirations for a richer me - more wealth and more leisure time for a lower quality of work. Oh, and forget about our political process. Voting became too much of a bore - let alone keeping an eye on how our tax dollars were being squandered or how our interests were being poorly served by our elected officials.

And finally,
The rebuilding of New Orleans is an important point in the history of the United States. Should my generation expect yours to be the watchdogs of this effort? Should we expect you to monitor how our leaders handle this responsibility to restore our city?
Well, my generation might not – because we have not been very good watchdogs ourselves. But I do. I expect you to be different than the example we’ve set for you.

Don’t wish for someone else to do later what you can do now. When you perceive a problem, instead of speaking about it in bars or dorm rooms or in hushed corners, put together a group of friends and be loud in your dissent. When you notice inconsistencies between what is said by government officials and what is done, exercise your individual and collective power to take steps to remove them. Our form of democracy allows you to do that. Remember, the best way to be, is to do.

What are you going to do?

Tie Dye Par-tay!

2006-01-15T19:38:00.000-08:00
I considered it a success. What did you all think?

Some new students doing the dye.

My daughter Izzy helping to tie-dye.

Trevor and The Zoo!

Deja Vu All Over again!

2006-01-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's convocation was one of the most moving ceremonies I have ever been to; certainly the most moving of academic ceremonies. Dr. White's Jazz band entered McAllister first playing in the slow dirge "When The Saints Come Marching In." After they were in they changed the beat for the second line and the song went on with a jubilant rhythm and clapping by all. I was the second in line after the band and we moved down the aisle smiling and clapping. Then, as Dr. Cowen came through the door, the place erupted in cheers and applause as everyone got to their feet. As Dr. Cowen stepped up onto the stage I could see him wiping tears from his face. Folks, as cheesy as this may seem, I do believe we have the best leader for Tulane at this time that we could possibly have hoped for. I am very proud that he is my President.

The ceremony then went on with the usual academic comments, statistics, and jokes. Dr. Cowen's speech was very good (although not as fluid as it would have been had he not stuck to the script :-). We then were led out by the band and Dr. Lefton, the Provost ("keeper of the prison") switched hats with the bass drum player. Very funny and I am sorry I don't have a picture of it! I did manage to get a few with my phone of the band playing outside.

So Welcome Back! And I am eager to see you all in the classroom and (most of all!) in Bruff!

Welcome Back!

2006-01-12T12:46:00.000-08:00
Today is move in day for freshmen! I am on my way to convocation, en-robed in my scarlet and blue Oxford academic regalia. It has been great to see so many students and parents. Everyone seems very excited to be here! I look forward to welcoming you all back over the next few days.

What to expect, when your expecting...

2006-01-09T04:22:00.000-08:00
Everyone here on campus is working very hard to get things ready for your return this week! There is fresh paint on fresh walls, above fresh carpet, etc. I want to be honest with you and give you a sense of what to expect. You will see many homes with blue tarps on their roofs and as you drive in, depending upon your route, you may come through areas with lots of debris still being piled up in front of homes and on the neutral ground, that slip of land between streets. This is all a sign of life, since if that refuse wasn't being brought out of the homes it would mean they are rotting from within. (In some areas such as Gentilly and the Ninth ward people have not really been able to even begin their clean out.) I tell you all of this so that you are prepared for what you might see. On campus things are looking very good.

There is still work being done and more to do, but the buildings are looking very good and the campus is being readied for your return! Butler House, for example, looks better than it has in years! The downstairs has been completely redone and painted, new carpet in the lounge and we will be getting new furniture and.... a new plasma TV! :-) But... not all of the furniture and fixture may be here when you arrive. Your rooms are of course complete and there will be seating in the lounges and so on; we just may have to wait a week or so (not much more I am told) for the new stuff to get here.

UPDATE: The furniture is in! Along with about 60 mattresses. Butler lounge is looking very nice. (We have to wait until the summer for the kitchens to be renovated, but we will get there. :-)

We are also hard at work planning for this semester. Tonight I am having dinner with the RAs, Saturday we have the tie-dye party for incoming Honors freshmen with the Zoo playing, Sunday night my wife and I will be at a parent's reception at the Zoo (the one with animals) and we are hammering out a schedule of weekly Honors Round Table speakers. I will be joining folks for lunches in Bruff and my family will join us for dinner once a week or so.

So hurry back! We are eager to see you and are ready to start the new year!

Chez Butler : CafePress.com

2006-01-03T12:07:00.001-08:00

Attention Butler Honors Residents (and those who would like to be in Butler)! I have two exciting announcements.

Butler Rooms The first is that there are 20 spaces available in Butler House, the Honors only residence hall. If you are interested please email applyhrl@tulane.edu and tell them that you are interested in living in the Honors Residence (Butler). It is primarily a freshman dorm, but I am told they are willing to have other years, but you may have to room with a freshman.

T-Shirts and coffee mugs and a bag... As part of becoming a residential college Butler House we are working to develop our identity. Did you know that Butler House was named after Pierce Butler, Newcomb Professor of History AND English andDean of Newcomb from 1919-1938? Now you can show your pride in being a part of Chez Butler! Get your kitsch at Café Press. (Please note: There is no mark up on these items, so you are paying only for the item and shipping.)

The Zoo

2005-12-28T16:47:00.000-08:00
You can listen to some of the Zoo's music at Trevor Jones' site. He is the lead git-fiddle. They are, imho, outstanding.

Welcome Back!

2005-12-28T14:43:00.000-08:00
The following is from the email I sent to all students currently registered as H students. Check your TU email account. If you did not receive the email and you think you should have let me know and I will make sure you are on the list!

Greetings from Tulane!

This is the first email on the new Honors listserv and you are receiving this because you are currently listed as an Honors student. I hope this message finds you well and excited about returning to Tulane. It has been a long and difficult semester for all of us. I hope that through it all it has been a growing time for you.

The Honors Program is back on campus and Ms. Maxine, Ms. Louise, and I are in the office ready to welcome you back and help! Now for some announcements and general housekeeping. Remember! Always check the blog for the latest information. Many of the links below go directly to blog posts. Tulane Honors Blog

HONORS COURSES: The total number of H courses are fewer this semester, but that will change in the fall! In the meantime, please consider adding an honors option to a course for which you are currently registered. See the details here.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Many of you have already expressed a desire to help rebuild New Orleans. We met today with the folks from Service Learning and we are considering ways to help in the community. One possibility is to adopt a local school and have work days (one day commitments doing things like painting, building playground equipment, etc.) and regular tutorials. Please be thinking about how you might like to participate!

STUDENT HONORS COMMITTEE: We will be forming a new student Honors Committee that will meet with the faculty committee, coordinate social and service events (see above), and offer us guidance on what YOU would like to have in the Honors Program. If you are interested in serving on this committee please send me an email! We would like to have 2 from each class (year).

SENIORS: THESIS & GRADUATION Be sure to check out the details about the requirements for your thesis and graduation here.

FRESHMEN: The TIE DYE PARTY is on! The shirts survived the storm (the dye did not; I can just imagine what the Balfor people thought when they walked into the dorm kitchen with over 100 condiment bottles filled with dye!) and our party is scheduled for SATURDAY Jan. 14th at 5:30pm next to Butler. Our own band The Zoo will be playing!

I look forward to seeing you all in January! Have a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year!

Yours,

Cb

Tulane University Holiday Card 2005

2005-12-22T07:50:00.000-08:00
Dr. Cowen's Holiday Card.

I also want to wish you all the very best in this holiday time and time of change. Some of you will not be returning to Tulane and you will be missed. We will be a poorer place without you. To those who are returning, we are eager for your return and excited to move onward and upward!

Yours,

Dr. B.

Round Table Topics

2005-12-13T21:31:00.000-08:00
Most of you know that every week during the semester we have a Round Table discussion in Butler House (the Honors dorm). These are usually faculty members from various disciplines who come and talk (briefly!) about their field and then open up for discussion. It is a great way to get to meet faculty in a smaller and more relaxed environment (food!). We will do that this semester and I would to ask that you please post in the Comments your suggestions for faculty and/or topics that you would like to discuss at these Round Tables. Remember! It is open to everyone.

But of course... I imagine that you all would also like to discuss the changes at Tulane. Who (aside from President Cowen, although I won't rule that out) would you like to hear from? For example, perhaps one of the Newcomb advisors? Or the Tulane College Dean? Please let me know that as well.

Survival to Renewal: Tulane University

2005-12-08T11:11:00.000-08:00
I am still reading over the material and will receive a briefing this afternoon. Honors will continue and be central to the new Undergraduate College. Read carefully and know that we will continue to support you at Tulane!

UPDATE:
I will offer a few key points for the time being:

The short of all of this is that nothing will change for next semester. You will continue to be advised through Newcomb and/or Tulane College (or through Engineering or Architecture).

For the majority of you there will be little impact at all. Since you are already students your graduation requirements will not change. UPDATE: I have been rightly corrected. By "little impact" I refer to the academic aspect of your Tulane career. The loss of Newcomb and Tulane Colleges will have an impact on our lives and we will have to all work together to make it a positive change.

Those of you who are in Engineering programs that have been eliminated note the following paragraph:
Students in affected programs will have the opportunity to continue their studies at Tulane if they can finish degree requirements by May 2007. Otherwise, they can be reassigned to another program or they will be offered assistance in transferring to another institution.

Finally, the Honors Program will continue to exist and will be fully integrated into all undergraduate schools.

Big Speakers for Next Semester

2005-12-02T08:48:00.000-08:00
Today's Tulane Talk from Dr. Cowen announces some exciting guests at Tulane next semester. The Honors Program is also going to be working to invite relevant and interesting speakers for the spring. Stay tuned!
Good Morning:

Tulane students, 86 percent of whom have already registered for the upcoming spring semester, (down just slightly from our normal return rate of 90 percent for registration at this time last year) aren?t the only ones who are coming back to New rleans next month. World-renowned trumpeter, and New Orleans native Wynton Marsalis, will appear on Tulane?s campus on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 16, to help celebrate the reopening of Tulane, Xavier, Dillard and Loyola universities.

Another New Orleans native, ABC and NPR political and news analyst Cokie Roberts, will also speak at Tulane in April.

Wynton and Cokie are the first in an ongoing series of high-powered speakers who will appear at Tulane, Xavier, Dillard or Loyola universities in the coming months. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford will join this series on March 16. As additional speakers confirm their appearances, I will let you know. These appearances are made possible through the efforts of the Aspen Institute and its president Walter Isaacson, a member of the Board of Tulane.

This speaker?s series is just one of the many indications that New Orleans? universities will be the most exciting places in the country in 2006 as students, faculty, staff and a host of nationally known leaders do their part to help rebuild one of the world's greatest cities.

Have a great weekend,

Scott

Nagin announces free wireless Internet system launched

2005-11-29T11:46:00.000-08:00
Wow! This is a small thing in many ways, but in other ways it is far reaching, far sighted, and exactly the kind of thinking that we need to reinvent NO. Making wireless internet will still not put computers in the hands of those who can't afford them, but it does mean that with as little as $500 or so anyone can get onto the internet. Perhaps the digital divide, and with it the education divide, will now diminish a bit.

Happy Holidays!

2005-11-28T21:08:00.000-08:00
I hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. I realize that for many it is a time spent away from home and even away from family. This is perhaps not so true for our students, but many faculty and staff had their homes ruined and this is a difficult time. Still.

The weekend before Thanksgiving is always the conference for the Society of Biblical Literature and this year it was in Philly, close to my in-laws. I spent most of my time, at the conference and with family, explaining and showing how New Orleans was and is and talking about what it will be. Perhaps the most telling response was when I told people that even on the north shore where things were able to return to normal more quickly Wal-Mart is still only open from 7-7. This seemed to hit home to folks more than anything else. I don't think that is a good sign for our society, but whatever it takes to get the message across.

That being said, things are going well on campus and in the parts of New Orleans that are able to recover and where our students tend to be; Uptown, Downtown (CBD, the Quarter), and all along St. Charles. We will be returning (the Powers That Be willing) to our offices on Thursday. Our hours there will be limited so email is still the best way to contact me.

I hope and pray that you all will be able to enjoy your holidays and return to New Orleans in January! In the meantime, below are some pictures of my family playing on Thanksgiving Day at Rehoboth Beach (home of the aforementioned in-laws) and if you like traditional Christmas music with a twist, might I suggest these three (free) albums to download from one Sufjan Stevens. For those who like a combination of kitsch, Chanukah, and Santa, there is always the excellent Hebrew Hammer. The Easily Offended should not watch, otherwise you will enjoy it immensely! (Much better, IMHO, than Eight Crazy Nights, although I like Sandler's song very much :-).

Import Student Account Information

2005-11-16T06:55:00.000-08:00
Updated 11/15/05. Be sure to check it out.

Also, updated Housing information at http://www.tulane.edu/housing2.html.

Registering for Classes - Honors Option

2005-11-14T16:04:00.000-08:00
A reminder that while we encourage you to take an Honors course each semester we do NOT require it. As noted in the link above we do not have many H courses offered this semester because of circumstances but we encourage you to use the Honors Option to make any course you are taking an Honors course. You do not need to register for Honors Option until you arrive on campus.

TIDES - Religion, Politics, & The Media

2005-11-13T13:01:00.000-08:00
Some of you will be taking my TIDE (linked above). This is the blog I had set up this fall for us to read current events together. I thought some might find it interesting and I haven't been able to resist linking to a few interesting bits over our "break."

A Few Pictures of Progress

2005-11-12T20:49:00.000-08:00
While on campus today I took a few pictures for those of you who cannot come to get a sense of what is taking place. Here are just three. The first two are from Butler. One positive result of the flooding is that many dorms that were not slated for renovation in the near future are being given a new first floor! Here is the entrance hall to Butler:

And here is the Butler lounge. Sadly, our brand new pool table and ping pong table were destroyed. BUT we will be getting a new plasma TV! :-)

Finally, I happen to live near the owner of our PJs stores (he owns the one near my house in Covington). He tells me that while the Willow PJs has been gutted Stern (below) is fine and that both will be up and running by the time we all get back on campus. None to soon! If students run on trips to The Boot and Dominoes faculty run on coffee from PJs.

Student Information

2005-11-12T14:09:00.000-08:00
I am on campus at this moment, after a town hall meeting with students who are checking on their belongings. One point that came up is that many students (and parents) are finding it hard to get around the Tulane website. Understandable. ;-) So here is my bit to help:

All the student information is here. On the left hand side you will see a table of contents. Be sure to make your way down through all the topics. There are some important online forms for you to fill out, if you haven't already (housing, student organizations, etc.)

Registrar: The Registrar's site is here (which is the old address and should not change in the future). This site has all the info you need about registering for classes, checking schedules, school calendar, etc.

I hope this helps, even if only a little.

Thesis Schedule for One Semester and Two Semester Thesis

2005-11-12T09:38:00.000-08:00
The schedules for completing your thesis this Spring are now available. You can download the One-Semester Thesis schedule in Word doc directly here (right-click, or cmd-click and save file to your computer and open in it Word). You can download the Spring & Lagniappe Thesis schedule here. Same routine.

You should review all of the requirements from graduating with University Honors here.

Remember: If the Tulane site is down the Honors site is mirrored at http://tulanehonors.org/.

Registration Reminders

2005-11-12T05:21:00.000-08:00
Just a couple of quick reminders.

Seniors doing a thesis will register for 500H in their majors department once they have returned to campus.

There are fewer H classes being offered this semester so be sure to use the Honors Option which will allow any course to become an Honors course. (This semester, any course is eligible! Even below the 300 level.)

I will be on the road the next two weeks. I will be at Berkeley on Monday to visit with Tulane students in the Bay Area (Monday 7-9pm in Room 105 of Boalt Hall) and then at my discipline's conference in Philly. I will have internet access for most of the time so please email me or IM (if you can catch me) with any questions you have. If you are really concerned, leave me your phone number and I will ring you back.

Marshall Scholarship Interview

2005-11-04T07:08:00.000-08:00
Tulane Senior Jonathan Bakke, with a perfect 4.0 GPA, dual majors in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics and a minor in Business, was invited to interview for a Marshall Scholarship. This is a great honor! Jonathan, however, has declined the interview since he has determined that schools in the United States will offer him better graduate training and he did not want to keep another student from having the opportunity to interview for the Marshall Scholarship.

This is the kind of integrity and honor that our students show! I am very proud of Jonathan not only for being granted an interview, but also in allowing another student the opportunity by removing himself from the process.

Finally, this is a good example of why it is important to consider applying for grants and scholarships; it helps you to refine your goals and find the best programs in your discipline. As Jonathan studied the Cambridge graduate program and compared it with others such as MIT he realized that Cambridge simply wasn't the best fit for him.

Congratulations Jonathan and continued success!

Harry Potter's flying car vanishes - as if by magic

2005-10-29T12:19:00.000-07:00
Not Honors news, but I felt the need to share the... well, tragedy is not the right word...the perplexity over the purloined vehicle.

Senior Honors Theses

2005-10-28T07:08:00.000-07:00
This article has slipped back into the Archives so I wanted to bring a link up. If you are a senior who wants to write an Honors thesis this year please read this!

We will have two semesters this spring (Spring and Lagniappe) so you may opt to complete your thesis during the Lagniappe semester. This will make things easier for us in terms of setting up your course numbers (499 and 500H). Most of all Don't Panic (I just watched HHGG last night, good not great). So, Don't Panic. We will get it all sorted. Begin by reading the blog linked above and contacting me and then your TU thesis advisor.

Priority Registration Times

2005-10-27T12:09:00.000-07:00
You may now see the specific day and time when you can register for classes in both Spring 2006 and the Lagniappe semester by going to the Registrar's home page and clicking on TOUR. Once you enter your Social Security number and PIN, you will see a menu of items. Click the "Register" button to see your individual priority time.

Rebuilding New Orleans - One Student at a Time

2005-10-26T07:01:00.000-07:00
In Dr. Cowen's post he commented on something that I hadn't thought of: our very presence, especially yours as students and, let's be hones, consumers, will help NO rebound and rebuild.
Just as Tulane has changed, so has the City of New Orleans. As I have said previously, the recovery process for our city is going to be difficult. However, with this challenge is the opportunity to obtain a first-class education while helping to rebuild one of the world's most unique cities. When the university begins classes on January 17, thousands of our students will begin contributing to the rebirth of New Orleans, simply by being there.

What NO needs as much as anything is an infusion of funds. Businesses cannot start up again unless there are people to buy their goods, etc. So, one more reason to come back to Tulane! (Not that you needed another, I am sure! ;-)

Honors Efforts: I do not have details yet, but I did want to let the Honors community know that we will be coordinating projects for our Honors students (and others) to participate in the rebuilding of the community and city. Stay tuned!