Tulane Student Blog

GRADUATION!!!!!

2006-04-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Announcing the one last chance for graduating seniors to be together!!!!

www.GreenWaveGraduationGala.com

Hope to see you all there!!

The End

2006-01-10T01:46:00.000-08:00

As I finished up my final preparations for the big move back to the big easy, I began to reflect on my unique experience this past semester. I recognized how it’s likely that no two people had the same experience, even if they went to the same school. I am excited that everyone will have something different to contribute back at school. I’m anxious to return, and even more eager to rebuild my life down there. I’m looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding our life in New Orleans, everything from reestablishing our daily routines to developing new entertainment experiences. It won’t ever be the same again. I’m cool with that.

Whether you even return to Tulane or not, there is obviously a great deal of introspect that you can take away from this semester. There are myriad ways in which we can all learn and mature from our experiences this semester.

If anything, I can tell you that I gained a great deal of introspect from operating this blog. Being able to express my emotions and read responses (even the bad) was a wonderful opportunity. On this site, there were many different types of readers. First, were the positive supporters, the wonderful people who wrote me emails and posted positive comments that provided new insight into my analysis. There were the negative supporters. These people disagreed with my analysis or my perspectives, and posted so in a respectful manner. They contributed to balancing the issues when my views were biased. Then there were the nay-sayers. These people clearly disagreed with my analysis, and also found it necessary to bring down the tone of the blog by voicing extremely negative views, many times without any foundation or warrant. There were the quiet readers. These people read the blog and never posted a thing. Some emailed me, and some never spoke a word. Then there were the worried parents- parents so apprehensive about letting their child return, that the logic on this website did nothing to change them. There were supportive (and unsupportive) alumni, who were concerned that Tulane would never be the same, in a good or bad way. And finally there were the administrators, many who didn’t admit they were reading this site. The few who did admit they were frequent readers said this site helped many of them maintain hope that the students would return and the students would care.

This site did the same for many of us; it gave us hope during a time of absolute uncertainty.

Each of these types of people helped this blog become what it was: a voice. Sometimes it was a voice for the students. Sometimes it was a voice for the parents or for the alumni. Sometimes it supported the Tulane administration. Many times is disagreed. Regardless, we created discourse. We had intelligent discussion, unintelligent discussion, and even downright fighting. Nevertheless, it was a place in which we came together under the common desire for information and emotional relief.

As I sit here, only hours away from my return to New Orleans, I reflect on my experience at USC this fall semester. I remember the good, the bad, and the indisputably difficult. I remember when we were first just evacuees in Galveston. I remember when I had a special “Tulane student orientation.” I remember when I walked into my first class. I remember unforgettable football games. I remember finals. I remember saying goodbye to my wonderful professors. I remember having a ton of fun. I remember saying I’d trade it all for a semester in New Orleans.

As I went through and read each of my posts, I reflected on my emotions at the time in which I wrote them. What a rollercoaster it has truly been.

It doesn’t matter whether you agreed or disagreed with my views. It doesn’t matter whether you believe Tulane is good or evil. We all took something positive away from our experiences this semester. We are all more intelligent, well-rounded individuals. We all share a common bond. This semester will be a time in which we will unite under this bond and we will show the world that "us Tulane students are a special breed..."

We are all a part of the Tulane family, whether you like it or not.

I wish you all the best of luck and I hope to meet every single person who read this site over the course of the semester. Don’t you dare be a stranger, I’m easy to find (AEPI/my own parties/good concerts/class from time to time).

Sincerely,

Brett Hyman

Face the Challenge

2005-12-26T00:28:00.000-08:00

First of all happy holidays to everyone who reads my site....

Has the media forgotten about the help New Orleans will still need? Has the federal government ever paid attention to New Orleans? Have the people of the United States forgotten what has happened?

Sometimes I feel like they have.

Clearly, the media attention has dissolved. We would expect nothing less. One reason it has begun to disappear is because the federal government (mainly the executive branch) has ignored the rebuilding effort in its entirety. When was the last time Bush was in New Orleans? When was the last time he mentioned some ideas about what the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should do to PREVENT future disasters? We know something needs to radically change. Is he waiting until one more disaster happens before we make those changes? This criticism isn’t ringing loudly enough with the American people. It’s not that they don’t care about the future of New Orleans, it’s that they don’t recognize the lack of attention being paid to the rebuilding effort. I want to get these issues into the limelight. I am contemplating the concept of creating some type of political action committee that can raise money to put pressure on politicians of that sort. Wanna help? Join the N.O.L.A.- New Orleans Lives Again facebook group.

Let’s talk about the city for a minute. The city is bouncing back rapidly and not everyone is able to appreciate that. Still, a lot of work needs to be done. But the city is going to become radically different, relatively quickly. The rich people are going to come back right away. The poorer people will be forced to stay in their current situations until their neighborhoods are restored. Many of these neighborhoods are being rebuilt to be much higher class. Thus, we will see these areas improve socially. The poorer people may not come back. This would of course upset me, as I believe they play an equally important role in the culture of New Orleans. But I know that New Orleans will be a better place. There will be room for everyone to come back one day, and the city will flourish with a larger population.

But how can I prove this will happen? If you happen to be watching the news or reading magazines like the Economist or Newsweek, then you probably know how I’ll support these claims. New Orleans is receiving a ton of federal money (not enough but still a lot). They will not go broke. Politicians can’t afford to let them go broke. It’s wildly unpopular for a politician to be against relief for New Orleans. New Orleans announced it will be the FIRST fully internet wireless city. On top of that, real estate development companies are ALREADY in New Orleans, purchasing a ton of land. They know what the value will be, and many expect St. Charles to become one of the highest valued streets in the nation.

Will this happen right away? NOPE. Don’t expect it to. It will, however, BE happening while we are there. We have a chance to be a part of the biggest rebuilding effort in the world. We will watch as people flood into the city, as areas are restored, and as new structures are created. We have a chance to witness it all and learn from it. This disaster will inspire many to learn what went wrong. When we graduate, people will know that Tulane students have had the most unique experience in the world. And no, they won’t think Tulane’s academic reputation fell apart, because Tulane will make itself better known.

With all this said, I spoke with one of my favorite freshmen yesterday, and she told me how the chances of her going back were almost non-existent. She said she absolutely wanted to (she had just been down in New Orleans earlier this week) but her father said absolutely not. Her father said he didn’t like the way it looked and it appears he didn’t approve of her going back. I just don’t understand how a parent could completely negate their child’s wishes. Why would any parent want to make their son or daughter unhappy? Why would they want to make a decision against his or her wishes? It doesn’t make sense. I’m old enough to make my own decisions. If I didn’t want to go back, I wouldn’t. Anyone who goes to college makes much more life altering decisions than whether to return to Tulane. These parents act like their child isn’t returning to Tulane, but is going to live in a shack on the street. In fact, it makes me furious to believe that some people won’t be able to experience the magic of New Orleans and the love of the Tulane family, just because their parent wants them to stay a school that is “coincidentally” closer to home. For the love of God, let her make her own decision!

I have gained new introspect into the issue regarding people returning to New Orleans. I know that inevitably people won’t return. I know that the resilient ones will. I know that those who have the strongest bond with New Orleans couldn’t bear to miss out on the upcoming semester. I know that those who don’t have this bond won’t come back. I just wish that all of those who wish to experience the magic of Tulane won’t be stopped by anything other than their own free will.

Up until very recently, I refused to accept that New Orleans would be any different when we got back. How ridiculous, of course it will be different. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. In fact, it could present a multitude of opportunity that will enhance the experience that I have articulated in previous posts. We are all wary of change; we are all scared of going back to New Orleans and finding a deserted wasteland. I don’t run away from adversity. I don’t blame those that do. But I don’t. I face it and challengeit; ultimately defeating it or learning from my own mistakes. Returning to New Orleans is the biggest challenge that some of us may ever face, coping with our emotions from this tragedy may be a close second. Regardless, I look forward to it. But that’s me. And I guess have to accept the fact that some people view this challenge as a risk, and they would rather not risk their education. And that’s where I think I differ from those that aren’t returning. I view this as something that we can overcome with perseverance and persistence. But those that aren’t up to it, I’ll just say farewell. To be part of our community, it’s going to take a lot of work. You are going to have to care. In fact, you are going to have to take a lot of action. Those of us who will be in New Orleans for spring semester know this, and we are ready to face the challenge.

People who aren't coming back are still in a massive minority. Most of us Tulane students are the type who want to experience the rebulding of New Orleans and assist in some way. We are those who will look at the return as a CHALLENGE and not a RISK. But if you are wondering about how many people will return to New Orleans, I refer you to the following site, where about almost every single person has said that they will, in fact, be back. http://tulane.spatang.com/view.php

Another post coming soon,
Brett

Good news or bad news?

2005-12-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

I will deviate from my usual unconditionally pro-tulane stance in order to offer you a researched analysis of the new Tulane policy. Some of you may know what this new Tulane policy is, but I fear that many of you haven’t even noticed that a change has taken place. This change isn’t just a minor tweak in the operation of the university policy, but according to President Scott Cowen it is “the most significant reinvention of a university in the United States in over a century (LA Times, 12/9/05).”

Let’s first take a look at the major changes: http://renewal.tulane.edu/background.shtml

Let me dispel the major rumor: they AREN’T cutting a ton of majors. They are making a bunch of minor changes in a lot of areas and a few really big structural changes, in areas that really don’t affect us. However, all of these changes serve to enhance the academic integrity of the university, and will not do anything to harm it.

Let’s first look at the assumptions of all this change. Tulane is acting in a way that will help mitigate its financial burden and cut expenses while establishing an opportunity to grow. I don’t expect any of the current people at Tulane to like the idea of these changes, because no one wants their undergraduate experience to be altered in any way. However, these changes won’t affect our experience at all. In fact, they will work to benefit the experiences of future students. We should look at these decisions as positive steps toward restoration of our old financial status as well as steps toward enhancing the academic quality of our remaining programs.

It seems that Tulane went ahead establishing these policies without consulting the student body. A few sources with whom I have spoken have indicated that Tulane moved forward with these major changes without input from any of the elected student representatives. This isn’t necessarily a big change from Tulane’s typical method of decision-making protocol. Apparently they, along with MOST colleges, tend to make decisions without major consultation with the student organizations. I don’t see why it would hurt to at least consult with the student government officials know what’s going on, even if they don’t get a big say. Not being a part of these organizations myself, I don’t have a lot to say about this particular aspect, but I know there are many who do. So let’s work toward that, Tulane administration.

Assuming you have read all the specifics, which are found here, I’m going to look at some of the major points and see how they may affect Tulane’s future.

Tulane’s biggest changes are the elimination of many engineering majors, layoffs of 230 faculty, elimination of the “coordinate system” and reduction of our involvement in the NCAA.

To begin with, the changes to the engineering majors is sad, it truly is. I mean, cutting five programs seems to be pretty drastic. But it isn’t a drastic move in any facet. I love all you engineers majors out there, but let me explain. The cuts will affect 229 undergrads, or 3% of all the undergraduates. That’s all. Tulane will, instead, save a ton of money and invest in programs that will help bring them academic recognition and, of course, federal funds (USAToday, 12/8/05). I'm sorry to you 229 undergrads, I truly am.

The next big change is that Tulane will now sponsor only six Division I intercollegiate athletics programs competing in eight sports. They will suspend the others. The changes will affect 100 students — one-third of student athletes. Athletic scholarships will be honored, and assistance will be given to those who wish to transfer (USAToday, 12/8/05). Since I don’t know a lot about NCAA sports, I contacted my friend Blake Rotor, who happens to be quite knowledgeable in this area. Blake writes: The sports situation is mainly a cost-cutting measure. It has been discussed for years that the athletic department loses a lot of money each year and there have been previous discussions about dropping out of division 1 all together, most recently in the spring of 2003. Tulane was granted a waiver from the NCAA for this catastrophe so that they don't have to abide by the membership requirements of being a Division 1 member, but the waiver is only good for 5 years. Normally, in order to be Division 1, a school must have 7 mens and 7 womens sports, or 6 mens & 8 womens, which is they way Tulane has been for 2 years now after the addition of women's swimming & diving, and the removal of men's track. There are also football attendance requirements to be D 1, but those are unimportant right now. Today, the school cut down to 4 mens teams and 4 womens teams which is far below the NCAA requirements. It is even below the requirements for being Division 3, like Emory, Wash U, Chicago and other academic institutions are. In order to be Division 3, a school must have 5 mens and 5 womens sports. Also, this is invalid with the provisions of Title 9 which says that your male/female athlete ratio must be very close, I think within 3% percentage points but I'm not sure, of the school's male/female total student ratio. Thus, changes will have to be made soon to add more sports, or decide to drop out of the NCAA entirely and become an NAIA school like Loyola New Orleans, which would be quite unexpected. The logical thing for them would be to bring back men's & women's tennis, and become a Division III school, without any athletic scholarships, but let baseball play at Division 1, which is possible and had been discussed during the football talks 2 years ago. The sports that were cut were expensive, brought in zero money, and don't bring much prestige or recognition to the school, while it is sad to see them go. – thanks Blake.

Now for the layoffs. I believe this is a purely financial decision. Tulane just can’t afford to keep a ton of people on staff, and consequently the medical school will account for 180 of the 230 layoffs. The university said that it will concentrate on areas where it has attained, or has the potential to achieve, world-class excellence and "will suspend admission to those programs that do not meet these criteria." But the university did not immediately identify which programs that would mean (CNN.com, 12/8/05). We can infer that the money will be reinvested into programs that yield larger financial grants, and thus make a huge difference. I’m sad to see this program go. But when the time comes, I know it will be back.

About 86% of Tulane's 11,390 undergraduate students have registered for spring semester, just under the more typical 90% registration rate by this time of the year. (Take that naysayers). Freshman applications for next fall are up about 12% compared with this time last year (USAToday, 12/8/05). Tulane will be raising academic standards and shrinking the size of the incoming freshman class. However, tuition only accounts for 35% of Tulane's revenue (LA Times, 12/8/05). If we get a huge federal relief grant (which we will), this will more than make up for the loss in tuition as well as help pay for the cleanup effort of the school.

Other change to note- almost every single class at Tulane will be taught by a full-time faculty member. I can’t stress how beneficial that can be to our ability to learn a thing or two.

Additionally, Tulane will be getting rid of the “coordinate system.” This unique system split men and women in hypothetical colleges, respectively Tulane College and Newcomb College. For people who didn’t meet all of these college’s academic standards, many students were accepted in the University College and given the opportunity to transfer into one of the other colleges after completing some coursework at Tulane. These different colleges will now be lumped in one administrative body, The College of Arts of Sciences. Big deal? Nope. Nothing changes academically, except men and women will share advisors, deans and such. What does it mean for the school? They don’t need three different administrative staffs running the same academic programs.

The bottom line, Tulane faces a $200 million operating deficit and these new policies will help solve more than 25% of that. This is a step in a positive direction for more than just financial reasons. Clearly, Tulane has solidified measures that will substantially enhance their academic status. I believe that these academic changes will really do some good for the university, especially in the long term. Yes, some of the changes are pretty significant. Yes, change is a scary. But we all should have gotten used to change by now.

Brett Hyman

Whole Foods to Reopen in January

2005-12-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

From the Whole Foods corporate website:

"Welcome back! While Arabella Station is under repair from Hurricane Katrina, Whole Foods Market has introduced the Pick Up Service that provides Whole Foods Market products to residents throughout the Gulf Coast region. Customers may call 1-800-967-9703 and order their favorite Whole Foods Market products, from fresh organic produce, artisan food, and special diet offerings to chilled prepared foods and holiday orders. All orders are delivered by refrigerated truck the following business day to the Arabella Station location only. Arabella Station will reopen the first week in January."

: )

Some Ideas

2005-11-28T02:40:00.000-08:00

Not a whole lot of news to report.

It is truly astonishing just how close we are getting to going back. I’m looking forward to a smooth transition back into our beloved city. Tulane has resumed normal operations, including moving back into Gibson Hall last weekend. My assumption is that we will see a greater amount of announcements over the next few days/weeks.

Speaking of returning to “normal”, I’ve launched a new venture, Night Vision Entertainment, which will work to restore a lot of the social aspects to Tulane students. A lot of places aren’t going to reopen right away, so I’m working on deals with a bunch of reopening nightclubs and bars to establish weekly college nights, so that we can all stay together. I’ve spent a great deal of time doing this over my last three years, but now I feel that we are going to need a lot of social organization more than ever. The facebook group: “New Orleans is, hands down, the biggest party city in the world” will be the place for people to get advance updates on all of our special events. So if you are interested, you can join now and I’ll be sending out updates on a regular basis.

I definitely plan to work on some philanthropy ideas for next semester. Those of you who are truly motivated to help out should join my other facebook group: “N.O.L.A.- New Orleans Lives Again.” We are going to think of innovative ways to help bring the city back stronger than ever, not just regular fundraising and toy drives- which are GREAT, but there’s much more to be done. See the group for more details.

It seems like people are just waiting to go back, counting down minute by minute. No one is excited for finals at their new school- I sure am not. However, most of us are just a few weeks away from completing our first and hopefully our last semester as a visiting student. Tulane and New Orleans will be a different place when we go back, but I’ll still see it as home.

More good news is that I still don’t know of many people who won’t be returning to Tulane. There are many people who are using next semester as an abroad semester, but since a lot of people did that this semester there will be a huge population on our campus.

I wanted to get some input on how people are handling the following situation. Most of us have become extremely acclimated to our new lifestyles; making new friends, building routines, and learned about our social and cultural environments. How does everyone feel about having to drop all that and go back to Tulane, or for some of you, go to Tulane for the first time? I’ve dealt with this by realizing that if its really that great, it’ll be there when I get back. I have a lot that I’ll miss here in Los Angeles, but I could never go without my four years of Tulane. If this lifestyle is important to me, I will resume it when I return to LA after graduation.

Speaking of graduation how about that? For me, and most of my friends, this is our last semester of college. Who’s getting emotional? Come on, we know you are!

Anyways, I miss you all. Hope everyone is well and excited for our return.

Coming soon- updates on moving back in and just how that's gonna go down.

Talk to you soon,

Brett

Tulane to Land Not One, But Two Presidents!!!!!

2005-11-21T01:38:00.000-08:00

If this happens, I will ask for nothing more out of life.

Reported by the Washington Post Online:

"But let's not forget the newest cast of "The Odd Couple," former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton . The Disaster Twins, who've been working to help victims of the Asian tsunami and more recently those of Hurricane Katrina, are said to be looking at giving a joint commencement address next May at Tulane University in New Orleans."

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE (you gotta scroll down a bit). It doesn't say anything else though.

STAY TUNED. I WILL UPDATE WITH ANY AND ALL INFO I RECEIVE!

Planning for the Future

2005-11-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Sorry its been a while since I’ve posted. I have been working hard on some personal things and didn’t have the time. However, from now on, I will be back in action, as I plan to take this blog into another new direction: that of preparation for our return.

It’s time, whether you want to or not, to start thinking about going back. Most people have registered for classes for Spring. Most have at least considered Lagniappe, and many are still confused. My friends and I are already planning Spring Break!

Consequently, discussion here needs to become more real and more proactive. We need to talk about how things will look next semester, what we can do in our spare time to help out the community and what new opportunities may be out there. I’m talking with great organizations, such as New Orleans Hillel, about many of their plans. If you want to email me info on what YOUR organization is doing, I will definitely post it up on the site. In addition to planning volunteer work, I began a new business that will be planning all sorts of exciting social activities; in fact we plan to do an event every week!

Let’s begin this new transition by talking about ideas on what we all need to do to prepare for the return. I’m not saying we know all the details yet- we are still uncertain about housing, understandably so. But as I said in previous posts, Tulane will take care of us. The cruise ship idea, controversial as it is, will be beneficial to the tons of Tulane students who are displaced. And knowing Tulane students, they will do just fine. I actually think it sounds really fun.

I am looking forward to going back. I heard generally positive reviews from New Orleans. Some people were very excited at how fast things have come along, others were sad that their favorite restaurant/bar hadn’t opened (or may never open again). Nevertheless, all these people were enthusiastic about going back. Sad or happy, they all just want to get back to New Orleans- and I feel the same way.

It’s such a unique situation. I have completely adapted to being here in LA for the semester- making friends, getting involved in the school and developing a business. I certainly don’t know how I will adequately maintain this connection while I’m back at school. Regardless, I’m ready to return and experience my last semester at Tulane.

I truly can’t articulate just how much this experience has helped me gain perspective on life. I sincerely hope everyone else took away the same lessons that I have this semester.

You’ll hear from me again soon, so come on back!

Brett Hyman

Good Luck and Safe Travels

2005-11-03T03:05:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish everyone who's going this weekend to have a safe trip to New Orleans. I'm praying that you all feel some of the Tulane magic that I try to impart through this site. Unfortunately, I can't make it this weekend but I'm looking forward to hearing the reports, even from the naysayers! Speaking of naysayers I'm repositing my bout with our favorite one in the comments section (well just my response to his riduculous comment). Hopefully, this will put some kind of end to it.

I hope to hear lots of reports, and I would appreciate any and all emails about your perceptions to TulaneStudentBlog@gmail.com. When you get return, it would be great if you comment to this post with a little synopsis of your take on the Tulane situation- good or bad.

Again, good luck and safe travels everyone,

Brett Hyman

"I can't wait to get back"

2005-11-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Every time I pass someone in the hall and every time I talk to someone who I don't normally speak to; the same words come out of their mouth "I can't wait to get back." It isn't that I'm hearing some variation of this; I'm actually hearing those same exact words. I thought by this time, we’d hear of people who aren’t coming back. In my inner circle, it just isn’t happening. I’d say 1 out of every 40 people I know isn’t coming back. This is exciting news. I sat down last night to write out a list of who I thought definitely wouldn’t return and possibly wouldn’t return. My original guesstimate was that 10% of the student body won’t come back, but it seems I was way off. It seems, at least to me, that it’s more like 3-5%. Now, did I conduct a scientific test? No. Did I try calling the kids of the people who love to bash Tulane? Nope. I looked at a group of freshmen (yes I know a bunch), sophomores, juniors and seniors- and analyzed that. I definitely know 3 people who aren’t coming back. And I think I know about 23 who might not. So that’s 26 out of about 300. How can I remember 300 people I know? The facebook and those wonderful emails I’ve received. ALMOST ALL OF 23 people who aren’t sure whether they are going to go back are saying it because their “parents won’t let them.” That, however, makes me quite sad.

Regardless of whether you buy my argument, I’m real excited about it. Many of you will be going to see New Orleans this weekend, and I can only hope to hear all your reports, good and bad. Maybe some parents will change their minds and allow their son or daughter to decide for themselves. Nevertheless, some will decide the complete opposite. I just hope the analysis is thorough and inclusive. I hope that we will see him or her in the Spring.

Missing Tulane,
Brett

The Tulane Village

2005-10-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

A very interesting interview with Scott Cowen on NPR (which can be found by clicking here) confirms my prediction that Tulane will become a stronger school both academically as well as physically. In the interview, Scott Cowen shows the broad range of thinking that the university administration has covered. He mentions the plans to build a large self-contained village with housing, schooling, and shops for students and faculty. My guess is that this village be located in Uptown Square, down Broadway closer to the river (where there was virtually no damage). Tulane purchased Uptown Square a few years ago as a potential secondary campus and secondary housing area. It will probably have shuttle service for the 4 minute ride from the center of campus. This is exciting for me, as I had forgot about Uptown Square until I heard this interview. On top of this, local retailers and especially supermarkets have come back online much faster than predicted. According to many reports, the community will be in very good condition by the time we get back. And if not, Tulane will have its own community for faculty, staff and students.

In this interview Scott Cowen also shows how he is thinking outside the box about the potential long-term affects of Hurricane Katrina. Cowen discusses the implications of getting an education in New Orleans. Plans to shrink the student body and RAISE academic standards will heavily increase Tulane’s attractiveness to students and faculty. It will allow Tulane to keep providing us with a quality education and potentially increase the quality. However, the “Tulane experience” will also be enhanced. New programs to focus on the Hurricane and efforts will give students an opportunity to experience a hands-on academic experience. Tulane will be able to provide students with one thing that NO OTHER UNIVERSITY (outside New Orleans) can. They will be able to teach, learn and study the Hurricane and its affects from a primary perspective- in a place that experienced it all.

Sadly, many staff and faculty have lost or will lose their jobs. My assumption is that this is a financial decision. I know Tulane will make up for this by continuing as leaders in the New Orleans economy. When there was a big government fight over the minimum wage a few years back, Tulane raised it on campus and demonstrated to the city their support- resulting in the new law. This is just one example of how Tulane is a leader in the New Orleans community.

Class schedules posted!!

2005-10-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Good News: Class schedules are posted here!!!
Bad News: Business school will have many classes on Friday.

Good News: A LOT of classes are available next semester in all schools.
Bad News: Business school will have many classes on Friday.

Sad but true. We can't be wimps though. I think I can handle a 2pm or 4pm. Anytime earlier than that is another story...

New Orleans Becomes Home Again

2005-10-24T02:46:00.001-07:00

Reports prove that New Orleans is ready for our return, but many parents refuse to accept it.

A report from two of my close friends from Tulane shed new hope on the question of whether “New Orleans will ever be the same.” Some people had, at times, questioned if uptown would be able to bounce back by January. They thought there would be no restaurants, markets, bars, or life in the area surrounding Tulane. Of course, there are valid arguments for this type of thinking. However, reports from this weekend proved those thinkers are just plain wrong.

Not only will Uptown come back, but it already has. My friends, Ryan Schimmel and Eric Israel, were very surprised to see that they were able to participate in activities that mirrored their past daily lives in New Orleans. Ryan told me how his apartment, which is right in the heart of flooded areas, faired well enough for him to take a shower and brush his teeth. He and Eric went to Cooter Brown’s Bar and Restaurant to watch a football game. They even attended the infamous Boot and grabbed a bite at The Dough Bowl. But Ryan elaborated on another feeling that arose from his visit, the feeling of being home. He told me that not only did New Orleans look like it once did before Katrina, but he felt like he was home again. He even said that he would not have been opposed to moving back down right away. He said that Tulane AND the surrounding area would be ready to host people immediately, if they weren’t so concerned with making everything perfect. All the main restaurants, supermarkets, bars, and roads are open. Other than some trees that still line some of the streets, Uptown looks brand new again.

Downtown is no different. The quarter is alive and thriving as curious tourists and locals looking to take a break from cleanup. Café Du Monde is back in business- and still doing tons of it. Residents are lighthearted and optimistic, and all have developed a sense of community and togetherness that resonates among all those who experienced this tragedy. In other words, the community is stronger and the unity is potent.

Yes, problems will exist in many areas. If we can all focus our attention on Lakeview and the lower 9^th ward, the reconstruction effort will move quickly and smoothly. With help from the Red Cross and various charities, these communities will eventually be rebuilt. However, Tulane students should know that these areas will not affect their experience whatsoever. Students should do all they can to provide aid or help to the destroyed areas and their families, however you will be able to go on with your lives as planned. If we work together, we can make a huge difference.

I raised a point in my town hall meeting that has recently been amplified by many emails I have received. It appears that hundreds, and I mean HUNDREDS, of students are having problems convincing their parents to “let them return.” And since I know it’s the parents who love to comment on this site, I’m sure they will read this. Tons of students are being pressured by their respective parents not only to explore other options, but to make finalized decisions not to return to Tulane. Sadly, some of these parents mitigated and even rejected any attempts for the student to reason. It seems that parents have been the source of a lot of inter-student discussion. As the parents decided to attack each other, the university, the administration and even myself on this site and other sites, students have stopped commenting on most of the Tulane student sites. While I see this as inevitable, I just thought I would show those students my support, and tell them that tons of other students are in their shoes. To those of you whose parents are pressuring you not to come: Know that we are with you. Many students have voiced the EXACT same dilemma. I believe that these parents will give you the power to make your own decisions, once their concerns are alleviated. And how will their concerns be alleviated? Just wait until they go back to New Orleans and visit. Let them see it all for themselves. If they don’t believe it then, you know they are living in a nightmare.

To those of you parents who have been as unbelievably supportive as mine have, thank you. I don’t mean to attack all the parents, or even imply that all parents are being ignorant. However, this has become THE primary student issue, just behind off campus housing situations. I voiced it in my own town hall meeting and tons of students agreed with me, on the spot. I hope that you will continue to support your child’s right to make his or her own decision. I’m sure that he or she would love to take your advice and wisdom to heart. But pressure is just not necessary. Working with him or her, you can find out what’s best for your son or daughter. If Tulane is in their heart, then let them explore their soul.

Miss you all,
Brett

Tulane Academics Will Improve

2005-10-18T03:03:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I Went There

Today I received a report from a girl who was in New Orleans. She called me from her hotel room in the French Quarter to give me a detailed update the status of New Orleans. (I try to get at least one person call me from New Orleans every few days). My friend told me her house uptown was a “total loss” and most of her stuff was unsalvageable. I solemnly tried to console her, when the tone of her voice surprised me. She said, “it’s so happy down here, people are out drinking, enjoying the French Quarter and there is just so much life. I can’t wait to come back.” In a fit of confusion, I asked her how she was feeling. Her optimistic tone enlightened me. She spoke of how many restaurants and hotels are open, how there are just armies of workers fixing campus, and how things are lively in the Quarter. She said that our experience at Tulane would be unscathed. Today, she witnessed an enormous loss; but her spirits conveyed a sense a pleasant optimism.

I think this brings up a very interesting point; one which I will illustrate with my experiences over the past few days. I attended a town hall meeting at USC, where the intelligent and eloquent Dr. Cherry spoke about her firsthand expeience at Tulane. She also answered tough questions, and admitted areas in which things were goinrg to be difficult, and areas in which they still didn’t have answers. There's no doubt about what the main issues are. There's no doubt that we are going to have a few obstacles to overcome. But the Tulane Administration has no doubt that we will.

The theme that I took out from Dr. Cherry’s speech was exactly the same as the theme in my conversation with my friend who is in New Orleans. The theme is, “New Orleans will NOT be the same for a few years. However, Tulane will live on and grow, both academically and socially. The worries seem to be unfounded, and the hard evidence is pointing in a positive direction” From an academic standpoint, I have learned that Tulane has a tremendous commitment to maintaining its academic integrity. Consequently, Tulane IS going to bounce back from this as a greater academic institution. Yeah, you heard me. I’m going to suggest that Tulane will not just come back, but they will move up in the ranks, significantly. First of all, Tulane has managed to sustain all of its world renowned professors. In fact, this “break” has given them the opportunity to do more research, write/publish more, and design better curricula. One of the main factors that I miss about Tulane is, in fact, the wonderful professors. Maybe some of you enjoy professors at your new schools, but I absolutely miss many from my Tulane past. I think these professors will come back significantly more equipped to teach the material. Moreover, I know they will also return energized about the opportunity to bring Tulane back. The professors can singlehandedly improve the quality of our education. Additionally, Tulane is not going to lower their admission standards. Currently, applications are up from this time last year. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Will all of those people who are applying actually attend Tulane? No way. But when Tulane reopens, these prospective students will have a chance to see it all for themselves. I think Tulane’s commitment to reconstruction will comfort many prospective students’ fears and convince the many skeptical freshmen to attend. Tulane is encouraging prospective students just to apply. This way, they can woo them the same way they wooed us, by showing us the beautiful campus and giving them a taste of the culture. This segways in my next argument- how the city culture will come back.

Simply put, the city is already coming back fast. In very little time, things will appear the same, to the naked eye. The areas that you have experienced at one time or another in your Tulane life are virtually restored. Yes, there is going to be permanent damage here and there, but according to every report that I’ve received; most of the restaurants and music halls are open or planning to reopen in a matter of weeks. Hotels will be open in a month. Many people are permanently living uptown again. My biggest concern of all is the off-campus housing situation. Stay tuned for a post on this, as Tulane plans to make announcements in the next 2 weeks. However, let me calm your fears and say they are aware of the issues and they are seriously working on it. Yes, many places will need significant repair that will take a long time, but Tulane has a plan of action and a large team working every day on this. Just give it some time for this sticky situation to be solved.

Now, I was going to write all about how the social life will come back too, but I’m getting tired, so I’ll just touch on it. The social life isn’t about whether F&M’s comes back, or Ms. Mae’s. It’s about the people. At Tulane, we enjoy our social interaction because of the people. I can’t reiterate enough how much I love the unique blend of students that come to Tulane. Where I am attending school they do have some great people, and I’ve made some great friends. However, nothing compares to my Tulane family.

We’ll be back.

Brett

Tulane Annoucement Post- Part 1

2005-10-13T02:59:00.000-07:00

Tulane’s recent announcements were exactly what I was looking for. First of all, the deadline extension was a clearly necessary decision. Now everybody has a reasonable amount of time to see and assess the progress on campus. Another positive announcement is that the university is extending the payment deadline for fall tuition to May 1, 2006. Of course this will help anyone out who is still financially unstable due to the hurricane. In even more exciting news: priority registration will be available November 9-18! We have to start choosing classes now- that's really exciting for me, and hopefully many of you.

I encourage all people to make an attempt to come back to survey campus. This includes the few who made the final decision not to go back. Considering all the reports I have heard and pictures that I have seen, I think that many of you will change your mind. Most likely, some have made the decision to move on, and that’s ok. But we hear many are planning to come back. In fact, Tulane is reporting applications for next year are up from this time last year! Do I think these students will still need to be convinced? Yes. But at least we are getting their foot in the door.

My personal favorite announcement is these organized campus visits. They are exactly what I hoped for Tulane to do. This way, many people can meet each other while giving campus a feeling of life. Therefore, I encourage everyone to come out for the November 5^th meeting; I’m going to try to attend as well. A good addition would be to get all the upperclassmen to come out during this weekend and meet with the freshmen. I t would be extremely beneficial for us all to talk to the freshman and maybe even show them around. I’ll try to organize some kind of function where the students can meet up very easily. That of course, depends on the creation of some system in which we can find out who that is coming. I'll work on that, if you have ideas then email me.

Expect another post later today with details.

Big Week For Information

2005-10-10T04:27:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody-
Hope all is well and you are enjoying the change in weather. There are going to be a bunch of annoucements this week regarding how they can help us with off-campus housing, the withdrawal deadline, coming back and gettting stuff on-campus, ect. I'm looking forward to watching these annoucements and commenting on them. I hope you'll join me in analyzing the administration's decisions. I'd like us to work together to facilitate the transition from recovery to reconstruction.

Reports from New Orleans this weekend were really optimistic. Supposedly Tulane and Loyola look brand new and uptown is opening up fast. I'll have new pics soon. If you are looking for info on what specific businesses are reopening, www.bizneworleans.com is a good site. Whole Foods has already offered delivery service until they get back up and running. However, they expect the New Orleans and Metairie stores to be up within the next month!

On another note, I'll be making annoucements about non-profit organizations and about my ideas to help unify the students before and after we get to Tulane. So stay tuned, I hope for a busy week.

Brett

I’m Appalled

2005-10-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

I’m sorry the mom’s blog got shut down. I wasn’t able to look at this blog for one day. I came back, and everything I fought to prevent did too. I had about 60 emails from students who are blatantly embarrassed about all negative things that moms have been saying. The fact of the matter is, you don’t belong here. This isn’t a fair and balanced site where people can mindlessly attack each other. We don’t care about “the other side” of the issues. It’s MY site and I get to pick the content. Your rude, distasteful, and ignorant comments make us all sound like idiots. Stop commenting and go make your own site. If you don't, I will remove commenting all together. This site is here for ME to post MY thoughts about Tulane. The site is here because most of the students benefit from hearing and talking about the positive aspects of Tulane. For me, this site is therapy; and it is also therapy for many students. That’s all there is to it.

So now, I’m asking nicely. This isn’t a site for upset mothers. This is a site for students. This isn’t a site for ranting or for negativity. This is a site for people who love Tulane. I ask that you go make you own site, and get your garbage off my site.

PS- I can’t believe that students have to beg to their parents to stop this insanity. It’s disgraceful.

Significant Progress

2005-10-05T02:58:00.000-07:00

More pictures of the campus reconstruction efforts. It looks fabulous. Thanks to David Murphy, a true reporter in the field.

Click Here

Tulane Mom Blog Shut Down

2005-10-05T02:56:00.000-07:00

I heard the administrator of the blog (whichwas so heavily promoted here) decided to shut down the site because she couldn’t take the “garbage” anymore. I can’t believe that parents could not restrain themselves from attacking each other and the creator of the site. I’m so proud that Tulane students don’t need to lower themselves to that level. Maybe a few mothers can take a lesson from their kids.

PS- Don’t bring that crap over here.

Love,
Brett

The Resurrection

2005-10-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

Tulane webmail is up! www.webmail.tulane.edu. Hopefully we will be seeing a lot more communication soon.

Tulane Will Live Again!

2005-10-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

Please note- there are two posts today! Read them both, as one asks you to help Tulane out.

It has been hard to measure the effectiveness of this site. We have had over 111,000 unique visitors. Since Tulane's population is under 14,000 that seems like a whole lot. Nevertheless, I've gotten emails from students and parents alike, saying how much this site has helped or hurt their hopes of a Tulane future. Right now, I'm going to prove this site worked in generating the support that Tulane needs.

The naysayers took over this site for quite some time. There was little news coming out of Tulane and Rita was about to hit. Things just didn't look good. Once I got rid of the anonymous option, both positive and negative posts declined but the number of visitors increased exponentially. Interestingly, many of the naysayers disappeared for good. We all know of one particular naysayer, who has created his own site to bash Tulane and the community. He is an alumni and a parent of a student; and he preached of a "reality" that Tulane will never be the same. He inferred that students would never come back, and the city should be “razed”. He told us that we were all in some kind of coping defense mechanism and that we should give up hope. I’m sure he bothered many of you, but I’m not going to attack him because of his opinions. He has the right to say what he wants, I’d rather him do it somewhere else; but if he needs to do it here, so be it. I never deleted his comments because I do stand for the freedom of speech- as long as its relevant to the site. He posted stuff that I thought had no factual basis, and shouldnt have stayed on this site. But I figured that soon, his day would come.

And I think it did, as I found this on his site:

"I was supposed to get my kid back from her ‘visiting’ school last night. What I got back was someone who was straight out of the Brett Hyman school of unbridled optimism. The whole drive home from the train station was like reading Brett’s blog. I also keep hearing many other students are acting the same way. Which made me think of the old expression, “there must be something in the water”. The conotation of course is that all of these people who are acting the same way because someone laced the water with something. The reality is, these kids are spread all around the country, and most didn’t even have a chance to drink the pre-Katrina Tulane water before being evacutated. So their attitudes must come from some other source. Kool Aid (Jim Jones – The People’s Temple reference) can’t be the answer either.

So what is it? I don’t know, but I’ll spend the next few days finding out."

Am I going to claim that this site created that type of enthusiasm and support in a student who hadn’t spent more than a few hours on campus? Nope. I think YOU guys did it. I’m sure the site was a great starting point for them, but I know that you are all out there confirming what I’m saying about Tulane. The naysayer is right; many didn’t have a chance to taste the water. But they did have a chance to read this site, and talk to all of you! They realized that Tulane is an unrivaled, unparalleled family of students and faculty that have a unique relationship with the city and the community.

Hearing this on his site did my heart very well. Emails are flooding in from tons freshmen who made the decision to return upon Scott Cowen’s announcement of a Spring semester. Even the ultimate naysayer couldn’t explain why a freshman would be so excited about the fact that we are coming back in the spring. But we know exactly why. Oh, we’ll be back in the spring- and boy am I excited.

PS- If he comes on here to bash us, don't listen to his rants. Form your own opinions about the issues. Even is you disagree with me, just do it with your own facts and beliefs.

Now, check out the following post!!!

A Story That Made Me A Believer

2005-10-03T01:58:00.000-07:00

MESSAGE TO UPPERCLASSMEN: START A FACEBOOK GROUP AT YOUR NEW UNIVERSITY- CALL IT “Tulane @ ______” For example “ TULANE @ BU”. Create the facebook group in the TULANE facebook. Do it in the Tulane facebook because I want all Tulane students to be able to search for it and join it. Make sure you search for the group before you create it so there aren’t two group about the same school! We are going to use these groups to connect with Tulane students at our new schools and hopefully talk about issues such as returning to Tulane. Hopefully you can focus on finding a bunch of freshmen and meet up with them. Organize a party or a dinner, get together and tell them why they should be coming back to Tulane in the spring. If you want my help organizing anything, please feel free to invite me to the group and I will try to facilitate things. The least we can do is reach out to freshmen at our new universities. And to the freshmen, you gotta join the group so we know who you are!

Now for today’s post:

The great debate is about the future of the student body. Some people ask how big the freshman class with be, others ask whether there will be one at all. Clearly, a lot of freshmen have seen this site, so let me clear some things up for them. I speak to a ton of people, every single day. I get heartfelt emails from students who were helped by my site. I get confused emails from students who were perplexed by my site. And I get angry emails from students who think I’m merely a cheerleader for Tulane. Listen, I’m not concerned with what you think the intentions are for this site, but here are the facts about why I think you all will come back:

When I first put together this blog, a girl named Alli contacted me via email. She noticed that we were from the same hometown, so she sought a bit of advice about what she should do. Alli was a freshman at Tulane who was on campus for maybe 4 hours. She, along with almost 2,000 other freshmen, was told to go home before they even made a new home at Tulane. Alli and I became friends, and I spoke to her on many occasions about my experiences at Tulane. I told her everything that I’ve said on this site: about the Tulane family and the about uniqueness of the city and its culture. I told her that it may not be the same, but that that didn’t matter because the community will be even better. You see, she wasn’t deciding whether to transfer, she was deciding what she was going to do until she could go back. She didn’t know whether she’d stay home and go to school or go to a college further away. However, she was sure about one thing. She was sure she was going back to Tulane. The thing Alli didn’t know was that I was learning from her too. This remarkable girl was showing dedication to a university that she hadn’t yet attended. She was showing loyalty to the commitment she had made. She was able to sense the Tulane Family that I speak of... It seemed that she had made this decision to return without even reading the site, but I don’t know that for sure. I dont think she knew about the Tulane family that I describe here, but I think she was actually able to sense that something was in fact different about us. So, she spent a couple of weeks deciding what she should do. She flew around the country visiting schools, some academically superior to Tulane. In the end, she came to me with sentiments that nothing compared to Tulane, and she would absolutely be ready to return in the Spring. Remember: she hadn’t been at Tulane even one night! I think this has to do with her ability to sense the family and the love that the students had for Tulane.

I tell this story because it is a perfect example of what Tulane is all about. I only hope that Tulane recruited people like Alli for this year’s freshmen class. I don’t expect every freshman to be as confidant as she is in Tulane, but I do believe that many are. It’s perfectly normal to have questions, concerns and doubts; but in the end, your hearts will guide you. I like analyzing her situation, because it shows remarkable resilience and resolve in someone who had developed virtually no connection with Tulane. She was able to overcome severe emotions in a complicated situation. For that, I congratulate her; that's quite a feat.

I couldn’t imagine in being in the shoes of any freshman. We expect everyone to come back, but the freshmen haven’t been able to experience Tulane or New Orleans. Now they are going to get comfortable in their new universities and many may be doubtful of whether they want to go through the process of coming back. But that statement was recently proved wrong. I learned that a lot of freshmen already decided that they are coming back. Thanks to this site, I’ve been able to communicate with hundreds of freshmen, some confused and others certain about their future. Wouldn’t you know it- turns out we have a lot more Alli’s than I thought. In fact, I would say about 90% of the people I talked to said they were certain they were coming back. Now, don’t feel weird if you are one of those people who aren’t sure about what to do. I’m sure there are a good number of you too. I know it is a tough decision, but I ask you to read my letter to the class of 2010, I think it applies to you too. If you really think you aren’t going to come back, I ask that you try to come back to New Orleans in Nov/Dec and see the place. I bet if we all came back together, we’d be able to show you what I've been describing. And finally, I ask that you find a Tulane student who is at your new university and meet up or talk to him or her. Start or look for a facebook group called “Tulane @ ____” and fill in the name of your university (make sure you search first to see if one exists already). I think many Tulane students will be more than happy to meet up and chat with you about the school and the importance of YOU ALL coming back. What an idea!

Let’s expand on that November or December visiting idea, because I really like it too. If Tulane becomes back up in November or December, they should have a back to school weekend. They should invite everyone back to see the university, the city, and the community. The freshmen can come back and see the place as it is, and they could meet each other. Upperclassmen can come back and do some work on their houses, and of course, act as ambassadors of the university. The whole city might not be back yet, but I’m sure there it will help sooth the fears of parents and students alike.

And speaking of our wonderful parents, I have a small appeal to you- since I know there are a ton of you reading this site. Please consider encouraging your kids to come back, or at least make up their own minds. I have heard of a lot of parents who are influencing their son or daughter not to come back, without giving him or her a chance to make this decision. This decision will affect the rest of their respective lives, and I think it was orignally made with good reason. I know you are worried and I can’t empathize with your feelings (since I have no children). But I can tell you that there won’t be anything to worry about in January. I think there is a reason this site has been around and gotten wonderful support. I also know that there really is a major difference in going to school in New Orleans and at Tulane, especially since I have been attending another university this semester. I promise you that we have the most wonderful collection of people at the school who will definitely be there when you get back. You have to believe in the spirit of New Orleans and the family of Tulane. And if you can’t; well, just know that we, the students, are all living proof.

Tulane Takes a Deep Breath

2005-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Reality begins to set in. My analogy of Tulane’s reopening is as if you’ve been shaking a bottle of champagne for 4 months, and then pop the cork. Joy, happiness, fulfillment, and relief will be just a few of the emotions that we will share, together. We are the blood of Tulane. When its heart starts pumping again; our bond will be greater, our resilience stronger. I know it’s been difficult. I’ve received countless emails from people who are experience unbearable circumstances in their new situations. But the news is official; Tulane will reopen January 17th, 2006.

Let’s dispel the obvious immediate assumption: what if New Orleans isn’t ready? Well, then Tulane won’t open. Tulane will wait until the appropriate time before it lets students in. They can’t hold classes if half the students have hepatitis C. Don’t even try to suggest on this site that they will do otherwise. But delving deep into that further, we can look at a few facts prove New Orleans will, in fact, be safe. The French Quarter has power (see New Orleans Fresh Quarter Comes Back to Life). The Central Business District had power. All of uptown will have power in the next few weeks. Potable water will be delivered to these parts of New Orleans in the next 5 weeks. These three areas are all we need in order to enjoy New Orleans in the same way in which we once did. The trash on campus is mostly cleared away (new pictures will be in soon). Facilities are being rebuilt now. There’s no way that New Orleans won’t be ready by that date. It’s been about a month, and look at where we already are. Imagine what we can do in 3 months. In January, the spirit of New Orleans will live again because the people who make up its soul will return. Case closed.

Now, we’ve heard comments from wonderful people who seemed to take pleasure in putting down the possibility of a Tulane reopening for Spring. Are you all going to eat your hat? My bet is some of them will come back to this site and tell us bad stories of what will happen when we go back. Some of them will talk of our houses being destroyed and of New Orleans “never being the same.” But please cross reference my last post about the New Orleans family and remember: New Orleans is more than just a bunch of cool streets, it’s about the people. It’s the students, the locals, and even the tourists. So, I’m going to have to say you are wrong. By typing this particular paragraph, I know I’m challenging the people who still naysay for whatever vain and narcissistic reason they have (which is not my intention). However, we’d appreciate if you’d start your own site about it, and leave us alone. Also, if you want to rant about New Orleans; maybe give us an idea on how to make things better, rather than just putting it down. For example, if you don’t like Tulane, suggest how to fix it. I bet you will get a lot more respect that way, and people might believe you “love New Orleans” like you suggest you do. You know who you are.

And if you want to get negative, I’ll get a little negative. I’m worried about off campus housing. By most reports, many houses will be fine. But there will be a few, maybe 100 students, maybe 500 students; who might be without homes. To solve this, we will need to think. I’m sure Tulane’s administration is worrying about this too; it seems to be their one largest problem. My bet is that they find some sort of temporary housing, I heard cruise ships. I’d do that for sure. I’m going to do some serious research about how we can handle “the mold problem.” I’ll get back to you soon. Don’t worry yet.

So let’s talk about what I’m not worried about, and that’s spring semester’s possibility. I’m energetic and enthusiastic to get back. I’m optimistic and confidant in the new government commitment after their successive failures. I’m realistic and practical about the many logistical issues that we’ll face. State and local officials are going to work hard to make the city come back as quickly as possible. In one month, New Orleans will be a different place. Most of the major services and businesses will be back and the individual businesses will then start to rebuild.
Today is a joyous day for Tulane students around the world. Today we had the chance to see the future. We are again given hope. Our dedication will demonstrate to the world just how important Tulane is to us. Our devotion to New Orleans will single-handedly bring it back to life. We will be a community once again.

Brett Hyman

PS- Stay tuned for a post on the lagniappe semester, graduation, and other fun stuff.

My Tulane Family

2005-09-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

It’s time to bring this site back to the students, so spread the word. Today I’m going to talk about why it is that we are just so obsessed with getting back to New Orleans as soon as possible, because no one gets it- not parents, not friends from other schools, not even many alumni. It seems that many of these people just can’t seem to fathom why we would be in such a hurry to go back. Some of us are in “better” universities than Tulane, others are in bigger schools or with our “best friends from home.” Why would we be so eager to get back to New Orleans when we can be with our home friends in our hometowns with our wonderful parents?

I know people at USC, UCSB, UCLA, Boulder, Stanford, Michigan, Texas, Arizona, and Yale; and very few of them understand why we are so eager to go back to a place that could have virtually no amenities (which we will but that's another argument). Each of those universities is unique in its own way, some small or big, some with mostly instate people and some with out of state people. So why are we so different from every single one? I should also mention the parents, who are generally terrified of the possibility of students returning, even though Tulane would never let us come back until it was 110% safe. Parents keep saying “I’ll never let my kid go back there” or “Why would you even want to go back?” Hey parents, I don’t expect you to understand. But students will.

I want to go back because Tulane is my second family, it's that simple. Allow me to elaborate. Something about New Orleans and about Tulane compels the students to bond in a way that I have never seen at another university. Clearly, something brings us together; you can say it’s simply the availability of common social locations such as the Boot, or a love for the community around Tulane. It could be that many of us all have this general craving for adventure (which is true, Tulane students seem to be very adventurous). But another major factor that is often forgotten is that we make New Orleans our homes, not our second homes or our temporary homes, but our primary homes. In many universities, students opt to travel or go home on the weekends, never fully establishing a permanent connection with their surroundings. I think this severely impacts the way they interact socially, if for anything, because these people retain very intimate relationships with their home friends. Many, not all, of these people have stronger connections with their hometown than with New Orleans, and that’s just not the case for us Tulane students. Now, I’m sure that there are people who are outside of this analysis; but I’m just trying to generalize things so we can analyze the situation further. It seems to be that since we all stay in New Orleans, without the opportunity or desire to leave every weekend, we bond on another level; that of family. We make connections on hundreds of levels, from the campus life to the restaurants, from the people to the transportation, from our classes to the supermarkets social scene (Whole Foods for sure). Tulane replaces your home situation, your family structure. This is a great thing because we all need a permanent local family (even if it’s just until we graduate). To me, my friends are my brothers and sisters, the university is my parents, and Bourbon Street is some weird uncle who is fun for the first 10 minutes of the party until he’s had a few too many drinks.

The good and the bad of my experience as a student at Tulane have fit neatly into a family structure. And thus, when I’m without New Orleans, I’m without my second family. At Tulane, we develop tradition; be it a crawfish boil on Fridays or Five Happiness Chinese Food on Sundays (hope they are still there). At Tulane, there is a sense of community; such as peoples’ relationships within the Hullabaloo, TEMS, Hillel, TUCP, CACTUS, sports, or the Greek system. These mini-communities become a focal point for our emotional stability. We use them to connect with each other under a common bond, and enhance our emotional states. At Tulane there’s a lot of love. Some of us love the music of New Orleans- from jazz to hip-hop. Others of us love the food, the culture, or the wild party life. You can’t get this unique blend of cultural elements anywhere, not even in major European cities. At Tulane, there is happiness. It seems that the students are just generally happy there. I base this on a 2 factors. 1) The sentiments I get from students all around the country, that nowhere and I mean nowhere, compares to Tulane and 2) The expression of content that students have with the school (read about it on the “what I miss about New Orleans” section). Finally there’s a major sense of unity. It seems that we the students have a general love for each other, and thus, a general respect for the community- a respect for the family. And hey, MAYBE IT’S LIKE THIS AT OTHER SCHOOLS, but I don’t know one person who understands my feelings about it and really, it doesn’t matter.

What about Tulane University itself? Well it’s just an amazing academic institution. The professors are remarkable. We could not do without Lesmond, Beau, Burrows, and Hogg (and that’s just people in the b-school). The facilities are new and high tech. The administration cares. When I want to talk to my advisor, I call him on the phone and HE answers. If you need to talk to a professor, you can email him or her and actually get a response. Most of my professors give me their home numbers. The students are intelligent, and always work together to help each other out. The food…well let’s just say we’d like Subway back, please. The campus is gorgeous, even in the latest pictures. Yes, Tulane costs a lot of money. It was a big factor in my decision where to go to school. But I think it’s worth every penny and so do my parents. You get your money’s worth- a quality institution with life at your fingertips.

So what about the potential class of 2010? Or the class of 2009? I don’t think that videos or even speeches from Administrators are going to entice a class of people who have a lot of other options for colleges. They know Tulane’s a good school. They know they are going to have a great dorm life. They know that New Orleans is an interesting city. But there are 100 other cities that can provide them with all these fabulous things. Why should they even bother when they can try to get in to Michigan? Family is the word. Tradition, community, love, happiness. This unique blend of culture and community can’t be found anywhere else.
To the class of 2010: This is your life. This is your future. It doesn’t matter whether you go to a school ranked 30 or 40, it matters on what kind of personal experience you can bring to your career. If your gut tells you that you might benefit from the array of opportunities that await you at Tulane, then I challenge you to take the plunge. I challenge you to try out the one university that will become your second .family The decision on where to go to college will affect you for the rest of your life. No college is the same, and maybe Tulane isn’t for you. But if you are looking to gain valuable intellectual, cultural, and social experiences that can’t be matched anywhere else; then Tulane is the place. Plus, the other colleges will always be there, but you won’t find this experience anywhere else.

Look, am I saying New Orleans is perfect? No way. Could we do without a few things here and there? Absolutely. I’m saying its better. I’m saying that I’ve been a lot of places, and there’s truly nothing like it. The experience that I have taken away from Tulane is incomparable. I grew and matured in ways that leave my friends from home in awe. My parents think that I made the best decision coming to Tulane, where I grew culturally as well an independently. I’m saying that there are good reasons why these students want to come back as soon as possible. I’m saying there are good reasons very few people (if any) are permanently transferring. So those of you who don’t get why we want to come back- stop asking us why, and start asking us when.

Miss you all,
Brett N. Hyman

Change, Change, Change

2005-09-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

A few things:

1) If people have specific topics that they would like to discuss, feel free to write an article and send it to me. I cannot promise it will get on, so if you don't want to waste your time, then send me an idea and we'll talk about it. I will probably get a lot of requests for this, so please don't be offended if I dont put yours up. I just have a way of doing things here, and I obviously can't put up 5 articles in one day. Plus, you always have the comments forum! The email for this is TulaneStudentBlog@gmail.com Only send them to that email.

2) Quit the personal attacks. If you want to attack me send me an email just ripping into me. I will gladly read it and respond. I really don't think people need to post just mean stuff on this site. We are NOT going to debate the greek system on this site. If you want to do that, go and make a site for debating the greek system. I bet people really care about that in this emotional time. Again, send these attack emails to TulaneStudentBlog@gmail.com. If you want to attack some one who is not me, then read number 3.

3) I'm getting rid of the anonymous feature. I've gotten a ton of requests to do it, and I actually think it'll do good. You also should put your email at the bottom of your comments, so other people can contact you when you post something really ridiculous on my site.

4) I hope everyone is doing well in their new schools and new situations. Sorry this site has turned into a bit of an immature Tulane/fraternity/Scott Cowen bashing session. I hope everyone that has contributed positively to this site will still come check it, as I think these changes will make a significant difference in allowing us to provide relevant content. I am keeping hope alive for this blog, and will continue to post my thoughts and analysis, as I always have.

Brett Hyman

9th Ward Takes Another Hit

2005-09-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

Water poured into the streets of the ninth ward, as an 8 foot storm surge from Tropical Storm Rita overwhelmed a significantly weakened section of the Industrial Canal levee. The Industrial Canal levee was one of the first levees to break because of Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge. Army Corp of Engineers Brig. Gen. Robert Crear did not expect a breach this early, and they expect it to continue for several hours. The main pump that usually pumps water from the ninth ward is still not functioning, due to damage from Katrina. Moreover, FEMA claims to be working with parish officials to find ways to pump out the water.

This will have little impact on Tulane, as the university is very far from this particular area. As long as there are no other levee breaks, New Orleans should be able to recover from this relatively quickly. FEMA says the breaks are just in areas that were temporarily sandbagged and that the permanent part of the levee is still intact. Let’s hope it stays that way.

New Orleans Under Tropical Storm Warning

2005-09-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

The National Hurricane Center announced a tropical storm warning for New Orleans as hurricane Rita passes the gulf coast. Oil refineries are in danger and Galveston is could be destroyed; but preparedness is at a new high. No one is taking Rita lightly, and I think we will see an extraordinarily coordinated disaster effort. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco announced she wants 15,000 federal guard troops to help with evacuation procedures, as she encourages western Louisiana residents to go north. Reports coming in from Texas show that millions are still stuck in the Houston area, as highways are standing still for over 100 miles. The Army Corp of Engineers is saying even 3 inches can overwhelm the significantly weakened levee system. Most areas can handle 6-9ft storm surge, but any more will damage the levee system. Let’s hope Rita pushes west.

For the Future

2005-09-19T03:53:00.000-07:00

This isn’t about us. This isn’t about the next year, or even the next 5 years. Many argue that Tulane and New Orleans will never be the same. I happen to disagree with that, but that’s not my point. If you haven’t figured it out, I care about Tulane and New Orleans deeply. Some of you actually believe I’m a naïve kid, just here to cheer on my school, only to graduate in the next year. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not.

Go ahead and claim that Spring semester won't happen, or that "New Orleans is covered with E.Coli." It will be back because there are enough people who appreciate the importance of the experience. I care about New Orleans because of the experiences that I’ve had at Tulane over the past 3 years. I was introduced to culture, music, and independence in a cauldron of love and joy; as I witnessed Jazzfest and Mardi Gras. I started to comprehend hospitality, loyalty, and tradition; as I learned about New Orleans’ fascinating history. Most importantly, I met lifelong friends with whom I shared hundreds of unforgettable memories; as we experienced a side of life, a side of reality, that many will never see. Tulane brought us together, and New Orleans has been a canvas in which we all painted our own interpretations of life.

It can take away my house, and all my stuff, but the hurricane cannot erase my memory. I will never forget the memories I have from Tulane, and I will always use the life lessons that I have learned. And all I want in this world is for other people to have the opportunity to experience this. I can only dream that every college was as unique as Tulane. I truly wish that there was a college with a uniquely distinctive mix of people, such as those that I found at Tulane and in New Orleans. But there just aren’t many colleges like that, or for that matter, many places like that on Earth. I spent the summer traveling all over Europe, meeting wonderful people and experiencing remarkable cultures. However, nothing compared to the culture and community of New Orleans. No experience even comes close to the memories I have from my time at Tulane. That’s why I won’t let it go. And all it takes are people like me, people who believe in something, to make change. Conviction must come before unity. Unity will found our vision. Our vision will devise our objectives. Unified objectives will generate action. Many will work together to bring back the essential culture of New Orleans. Miracles will occur.

Let’s agree, New Orleans might not be the same for quite a long time. It’s a fact. But is that reason to give up? No. Should we just surrender and say, “New Orleans will never be the same?” Never. Do you care enough about this city to make a difference? Then do something. We must step forward into positions of leadership and say, “I will not let New Orleans fall by the wayside. I will not watch Tulane suffer as their student body diminishes. We will rebuild the community. We will restore the culture. We will resurrect the spirit of New Orleans.” Not for me, not for you, but for the future.

Pictures Prove There's Life at Tulane

2005-09-17T02:16:00.000-07:00

These have been posted on my site a few times, and I think everyone needs to see them. These pictures punctuate exactly what Scott Cowen has been staying, Tulane sustained very little damage at all. I think the real concern is the surrounding housing. The person who took these pictures shows there is significant mold in his house. However, if we can get in and assess damage, or have landlords do it, most places can be cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time. In the uptown area, the mold and water levels were relatively modest, so I think the effort will be substantially smaller than other parts of the gulf coast. I think we are moving from the hoping phase to the action phase. Therefore, I do plan to launch my non-profit fund next week, and get the word out on my reconstruction effort. Try to stay tuned, because I need your help to make these ideas come to life.

Pictures of Tulane

Brett

Return to 70118

2005-09-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

The rumors are rampant. The talk is clear. Scott Cowen is making the ultimate claim- we will be back in the spring. It’s hard for some to believe, that New Orleans will be up and running by January. My prediction is that around this time in January, we will be starting our first day of classes. President Bush gave a speech tonight in which he committed unprecedented and unmitigated support for New Orleans. I know that the amount of money and manpower that will be provided to the gulf coast will facilitate a speedy reconstruction. They can make progress in remarkable time if the federal government keeps their promise to support the reconstruction (and they will). The evidence proves my prediction to be pretty accurate.

Thus, Mayor Ray Nagin’s startling announcement that repopulation of New Orleans will begin next week. With so many negative reports from the news media, no one thought that we would be allowed back into the city as soon as next week. More importantly, the Mayor’s decision to allow people back into New Orleans was supported by an important EPA report that said it would pose little risk for people to return, although some of their evidence is still inconclusive. The Times-Picayune reported “on September 22, residents of the 70118 zip code, also Uptown, will be allowed to return.” The French Quarter will be open a week from Monday, also indicating there is significant progress. While the EPA data is still incomplete, there are many signs that point to the fact that the air is clean and the water is not. The water is still leaving a toxic residue in the mud that still must be cleaned. The big question is the drinking water. The water is still not suitable for cooking, drinking or bathing. Nagin claims that two hospitals will be opened for residents to begin receiving healthcare. Entergy claims that power has already been restored in three-fourths of the areas targeted for resettlement. There will be more soon.

The question is: will there be a New Orleans with only Uptown and the French Quarter? Will we be able to go help rebuild the areas that need it the most? How long will it take for those areas to come back?

I’m looking forward to a great spring semester, and that’s final.

Settling In

2005-09-15T01:27:00.000-07:00

Most of us have begun to settle into our new situations. Whether it be a university close to home, a university far away, or taking time off to pursue independent endeavors; it is safe to say that many are beginning to feel a sense of home again. At the same time, I could easily argue that many aren’t feeling a sense of home, but instead, a sense of pandemonium. Questions regarding graduation, transferring and most importantly, HOW WILL WE CATCH UP, are clouding our hearts and minds. Where do we begin to put our lives back together? Do we meet new people at our new school, or just try to find all the Tulanians? How much money is this relocation going to cost us?

The past few days have been uniquely difficult. I have to make a tough decision whether to drop one of my majors, as it is just too hard to catch up three weeks in four classes. Moreover, there is significant stress resulting from moving in a new place, getting acquainted with a foreign university and trying to sustain some type of social interaction. For me, this confusing state of mind has been mitigated by the support of the school that I am now attending, USC. While catching up (we started three weeks behind) has been difficult, the faculty and students have shown complete support for the 112 students from the Gulf Coast who joined USC classes. From the hundreds of emails I receive, it’s clear that many schools have done the same for other students. So to members of our host universities, I’m saying thanks. It’s been very comforting to have such great support from our peers and from the professors. Some Tulane students have even said to me that they feel like “celebrities” on campus. When wearing Tulane gear, everyone comes up to them. This new community is inviting, but it's not home. It’s unique but it’s not Tulane.

One hour of one of my classes was allocated to discussing the hurricane. With seven out of 30 students coming from Tulane, we had a great discussion about everything from the federal, local and state failures to feelings about our individual experiences. During the discussion, a few very interesting points were made. I stated that something about the Tulane community is different than the way it works at other universities. And then I think I figured it out. Tulane is very much made up of people from far away. I would say Tulane is one of the unique schools where many students don’t have the option to go home on the weekends. This compels us to make New Orleans our primary home. We actually develop a relationship with the city, and thus the people of Tulane, where we are comfortable with our environment. When people come to USC from out of town, they become a part of Los Angeles. When you go to New Orleans, New Orleans becomes a part of you. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing to come to Los Angeles, it’s just different.

Another interesting point was made by another Tulane student in my class. People asked us if we “lost everything,” and what that meant. The immediate response was no, most of us didn’t lose much of anything, and then we’d explain how many people’s lives will not be the same for many years, if ever. But the second part was the interesting point. A Tulane student said she didn’t care about losing some stuff, that there’s just no way we can when people lost everything. But she is upset about losing one thing- the experience. If anything, Katrina took away a good 4 months of memories, experiences, and relationships that we all know you just can’t get anywhere else. There is no replacement for the French Quarter, the streetcar, Voodoo Fest, Halloween in New Orleans, the Broadway party scene, ect. You can go to the best university in the coolest city, but I just can’t imagine you’d find even half of unique cultural features that make up New Orleans.

So my best advice right now is to hang in there. Some people are happy, some are still very depressed. Enjoy what you can of your new experience, whatever it may be. Things are truly coming together. The outlook for uptown has never been better. They say they are planning to open next week for people to come get some stuff. That would be extraordinary. We will be in New Orleans in the spring, and I can only imagine what kind of celebration will welcome us back.

Brett Hyman

Send Me Your Tulane Spirit Pictures

2005-09-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Katja , Malinda , and Jess living it up in the BU dorm

Take a picture of something that is Tulane-spirited and I'll post it on the site! Send pics to bnhyman@gmail.com.

Censorship?

2005-09-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

I have no deleted comments, even the ones I find wildly offensive. Please, feel free to do or say what you will. My most recent post is just trying to ENCOURAGE you all to speak respectfully to people you may not know. I don't know how many times I have to repeat, I don't care if you want to be negative about the situation, but there is a mature and productive way to get the administration to take action. Apparently that is too much to ask of some of these parents. Therefore, do as you will. Your attacks on my character don't really bother me, cause you really dont know me at all. I know, in my heart, that I'm doing the right thing. If you don't like it, then feel free to post that, anonymously or not.

Check back for a lot of new articles soon. They have already been written, I just wanted to let these posts marinate before I resume posting.

Brett

This Site Will Go On

2005-09-13T01:19:00.000-07:00

The time has come for me to make a tough decision. The short sidedness of just a FEW ignorant people has turned this site from a positive discussion about the Tulane community, to a ranting site with misinformation and purely malignant commentary. I’m disgraced that any of those people would call themselves members of my community, the Tulane community. The Tulane community is the wonderful group of people who showed support and love at the inception of this site. They have continued to care about the future of Tulane, despite the challenges it faces due to this catastrophe. This site's intent hasn’t changed, even though the situation has. We are still here to discuss the positive aspects of the Tulane community. But there are just too many people poisoning this site’s content, for me not to say something.

Do you have the right to question the people in charge? Of course. Do you have the right to answers to your questions? Undoubtedly. Do I mind if you voice opposition on this website. Not at all. However, you do NOT have the right to personally attack the administration and, more importantly, each other. Yes, there are questions to be answered, but there is a mature and respectful way to ask them. My Tulane Student Blog is for students, alumni, staff, faculty and parents to communicate about Tulane issues. Some parents have embarrassed the Tulane community beyond any belief, by obsessing about a few tuition issues, which are making positive progress each and every day. Certainly, you all have issues with the current situation, as it is extraordinary. I want you to have an opinion. I want you to have a place to voice that opinion, which is why I created this blog. But there is a tactful and productive way to get answers. Why do I have to explain to parents that ranting won’t solve anything? Isn’t that something we teach to a 10 year old child?

Other parents have been wonderful, many of which are communicating with me about how they appreciate my supply of useful information and analysis of the issues. To all of you, thanks for the kind words and please keep voicing your support. The site turned nasty when money came into the picture.

Let me first affirm- everyone is obviously entitled to their money. You are right to be worried, confused and uncertain. I do NOT disagree with any of your opinions. I do, however, disagree with the way you present them. Do you think your tone resonates well in the outside community? What do you think the CNN producer is looking to do a story on? She wants to report about how disgustingly obsessed some of these parents are with their money. She will tell the world how some of you can’t just wait a day to see what Tulane does, but instead demand and command before even knowing that facts. We all know that this type of person is in the minority of our community. But why isn’t it clear from the site? The interesting thing is, I entirely believe there are plenty of people who are not in comfortable enough financial situations to handle this. It’s terrible we all have to go through this and I think this ranting is only hurting those who really need the help. Those who really need the help are going through the proper channels- the university. Yes, it is nearly impossible to contact them, but they all know that in due time, they will be able to get their problems solved.

I’ve been told to shut down this site. I’ve been told to shut it down by students! These students are people who are having their hopes of a Tulane future shattered their own parents. These students can’t bear to read what these so called “parents of Tulane students” are saying. How could you be a parent of a Tulane student if you hate the institution so much? How could you claim to support your child while brutally criticizing the institution that he or she loves? Maybe you should talk to your kids and get their opinions. If you as unhappy as you say you are, maybe you should take them elsewhere.

I had to seek out the advice of my wonderful parents in dealing with this situation. I was so hurt by the scathing attacks both on my university as well as on the leaders of my university; I really didn’t know how to respond. My parents read your comments and gave me two pieces of advice. The first, “don’t shut down the blog, keep it positive and the students will still benefit from it.” So I won’t shut it down. Instead, I will keep posting my articles and thoughts, and hope that the students can benefit from what I’m saying, if nothing else. The second piece of advice came when I told them that I didn’t know how I could write again, because your comments brought my spirits so low. They told me, “This isn’t about them; it’s about you and the students who care about Tulane. Read their comments or not, just don’t become one of them.” So I won’t, I won’t stop my belief in Tulane. I won’t stop my belief in a future New Orleans. I won’t stop believing in the wonderful community that makes up Tulane University.

Let me reiterate this argument. I am only speaking to a few parents who have truly crossed the line. Everyone is entitled to your opinion, and if you want to speak out against the school, you are welcome to do it on this site. But remember, you are examples of the Tulane community both to students as well as many people who are looking in from the outside. What do you want them to see?

Therefore, I’m going to continue this site as a resource for students. It’s going to get a bit more political as I start to talk about issues surrounding the relief effort. Expect to see some days with 2-3 articles. I’m still working on the non-profit organization as well as a concept to help Tulane recruit a 2010 freshmen class. Tulane, I’d like to share my ideas with you so email me.

To those who want to bring us down: if you hate Tulane so much, then take your business somewhere else. To those who love Tulane as much as me: join me by showing it on this site. Cheers to the future of Tulane University, to the future of New Orleans, and to a stronger Tulane community.

Brett N. Hyman

PS- If you really want to defend you comments, say who you are and put your email address after you comment. If we don’t stop the anonymous and mean spirited comments I will get rid of it as an option.

More Than Just a President

2005-09-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

My post last night was intended to create intelligent discourse on the possibilities and implications regarding the money issue. I stated very, very clearly that we shouldn’t judge Dr. Cowen or Tulane before we hear their policy and acquire all the answers to our questions. But what did some of you do? You judged them. I was thinking that this negativity would destroy the unity between the students and hurt our support for Tulane, until I realized the truth. About 75% of the comments that responded to the money situation in opposition of Scott Cowen weren’t written by students at all; but by the parents. Many of the comments were belligerent ranting, not intellectual discussion. Threatening Tulane and calling for Scott Cowen’s resignation will solve nothing. Expressing concern and discussing your side of the issue, on the other hand, will result in an equally accommodating response from the university. If you are not a student, you have little basis calling for Scott Cowen’s resignation. Other than this unimaginable experience, what has he done to make you think he is an unworthy president?

Let me first tell you what I know about Scott Cowen. He is truly amazing. He belongs at an Ivy League school; and he considers Tulane no different from one. Have you ever heard him speak? He’s engaging, articulate and straightforward. He understands the needs of the students, and works tirelessly to make Tulane more than a university, but a home. I don’t know of another university who is lucky enough to have such an involved president. He spends much of his own time walking around campus and interacting with the students because their input is important to him. He sincerely cares about his students and is fully committed to the Tulane family. Since I’ve been at Tulane, there have been no protests against him – not from one single group. This is wildly uncommon, as usually university presidents have trouble finding a balance between their academic requirements and the students’ need for a social life. He has improved the university beyond what anyone could have dreamed. The new business school is astounding, and the new school for tropical health will be revolutionary. He made Tulane a leader in the community. For example, when there was lobbying in Louisiana for a raise in minimum wage, Tulane did it before it was passed (and when it was looking like it might not pass). Scott Cowen works 7 days a week and probably 320 days a year. However, I had the fortune of seeing him speak to my TIDES when I was a freshman, and at Hillel every year. In other words, he takes time out of his busy schedule to work with small groups of students. I’d love to see another university president succeed in being half as personal.

Now let’s talk about Scott Cowen’s current situation. Do you actually blame the man? Do you really believe he has intention of screwing over even one person?? The minute people started ranting on my site, Tulane posted two important answers 1- everyone who isn’t enrolled in classes will be credited their tuition and 2- if you don’t head back to Tulane you WILL get your money back. Yes, the situation in regards to state school tuition is going to be difficult. But why couldn’t you wait until they posted that? Why did you have to blame Scott Cowen, as if he personally wants your money? Scott Cowen’s responsibility is to look out for the long-term viability of my university. This is what I pay tuition to have him do. And never would I ever make personal attacks against him for doing his job. He will come up with a plan, and I guarantee it will work for almost every single member of the Tulane community.

If you want to know what Scott Cowen has done, just ask any student. How many people do you know that are so attached to their college that they will wait, in a semester of hell, to order to go back? In 99% of cases, most kids would have transferred after the first day. Not at Tulane. Thousands of people have commented or emailed me directly, saying that they will be waiting for Tulane to come back online. Scott Cowen has not only shaped an institution for higher education, he’s created a community of people who love each other, and are unconditionally devoted to their university.

In conclusion, let me express my disappointment with such negative comments. And students, you need to speak up. I a proud to be part of Tulane’s community, and I would devastated if we were to lose Scott Cowen and his leadership. Tulane would never be same, especially at such a critical and vulnerable time. How could anyone even complain, when the obvious alternative is the collapse of Tulane as we know it?

Over the past years, Scott Cowen has worked hard to give us the experience of a lifetime; he is our leader through this tragedy and deserves everyone’s support and, at the very least, our respect.

Brett Hyman

PS- This forum is for private use only. No newspapers are entitled to use quotes in their ad, because this is meant for communication between members of the Tulane community only.

The $18,000 Question

2005-09-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

There's going to be a lot of attention to this issue very soon. I’m writing this blog to present some of my views on the issue, and hopefully get a lot of your views in response. The New York Times is planning to write some kind of story on this issue, and I think that when Tulane announces their official position, there’s going to be a lot of controversy. The issue at hand: the tuition money and whether we will see it again or not.. To some, it sounds ridiculous for rich kids to worry about their money when there are people who lost everything. But there are tons of people at Tulane who need their money very badly. Contrary to popular belief, there aren't very many people who can drop $18,000 without asking a question or two. I want to the focus on this site to still be regarding uptown and any information that I get, however I’m foreseeing a big fight over this in the next couple of weeks and I want everyone’s opinion.

The Chronicle of Higher Learning, in this interview, said 'Tulane plans to keep tuition revenue that it has already received from its students for the fall. (and quoted Scott Cowen as saying) "That allows us to have some source of revenue this fall, while we are closed."' I do not think this is Tulane’s definitive policy. I think, and hope, the policy will be flexible. There will be exceptions to it. There will be people who appeal it. There will people who “strongly dislike it.”

Let’s look at both sides. Tulane needs the money, there’s no doubt about it. They might have $600 million in the bank, maybe more, but that doesn’t mean they are supposed to spend it. They have a specific budget and have probably gone 10 times over it (in terms of extra unanticipated expenses that will not be covered by insurance). They have to pay their staff, faculty, expenses, new insurance premiums, and all sorts of other stuff. Without our money, Tulane could be hit pretty hard. But the implications are bigger than that. Tulane is the largest employer in New Orleans. Tulane is a world leader in scientific research. Tulane is the a community leader in environmental protection and in many, many other areas. So if Tulane is substantially affected, the impact can be enormous. We need Tulane to stay up and running; millions of people need Tulane to stay up and running.

However, should it be the case that we pay full tuition for a university that is sub Tulane? Should we have to pay money to go to a school that doesn’t have half as good professors as Tulane does? Well, maybe the question is, are we still Tulane students? If we are Tulane students, “visiting” another university, then essentially we aren’t going to any other university, we are still attending Tulane. It seems that the biggest issue would be for people who don’t attend classes. Is there any justification for Tulane to keep some of the money of the many students who opt to work this semester? (there’s no way they won’t give most of it back) What about part time students? Is there any justification for Tulane to keep the money of part time students?

The final word is that Tulane does not have bad intentions. They aren’t going to do anything without substantial justification. They will be understanding, they will be accommodating. Let’s NOT judge them until we heard the final policy. Let’s wait to see what they’ve got to say before we jump to any conclusions.

An amazing deal!

2005-09-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

We have gotten some great offers on this site, but this one is something you all will really love:

www.goclothing.com is offering 35% off ALL of their merchandise to Tulane students who are displaced by the hurricane. You can pick any thing you want (except sale items or close out items) and get 35% off your entire order.

Go Clothing is ready to take orders NOW! In order to get the discount use the coupon code "Tulane" and then provide your @tulane.edu email address in the customer notes section. Make sure you provide your other email address so they can confirm your order. Note: you must have an@tulane.edu email address to prove you are a student. Yes, they know the Tulane email addresses don't work yet. Enjoy, and make sure to thank them!

What are you doing this semester?

2005-09-06T02:56:00.000-07:00

Log on to this resourceful site to post your info and check up on your friends:

http://tulane.spatang.com/

Stay tuned for details on my innovative New Orleans Foundation, to be launched at the end of the week!!

Warm Waters

2005-09-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing an interesting argument. Although some may argue the implications, this should not be a political issue. The issue is global warming. I saw Stanford Professor Steven Schneider on Bill Maher the other night, and he brought up some interesting points. First, he explained that hurricanes only happen during summer and fall- times when the water is warmer than usual. He said that warm water is the energy behind a hurricane. Last week, the temperature of the water in the gulf was about 2 degrees above normal, allowing Hurricane Katrina to maintain category 5 status until landfall. The warm water also led to a massive storm surge caused the immense destruction of the gulf coast. Professor Schneider explained that the increase in temperature could have been caused by our “use of the atmosphere as a dumpster for our fossil fuels.”

Now, let’s put this in perspective. Those of you who disagree, I did some research and it seems like there isn’t much hard evidence actually linking our pollution to the increase in temperature. However, it seems logical to me. So whether you believe the argument or not, can we agree that the issue should be explored? If anything, we should probably spend some time, and inherently some money, on studying the true effects of global warming.

More Info Coming From Tulane

2005-09-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

While I know the info is scarce and vague at best, it seems that the Dean of the Freeman School posted some answers to questions. I'm going to post the link below.
http://brocktice.com:20000/abfreeman/show/QuestionAndAnswer

Check back later for the beginning of a series of commentary looking back on the evacuation and looking forward to the relief.

Why I love Tulane

2005-09-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few things that I love about Tulane and New Orleans, feel free to post in the comments section what YOU love about the experience:

It's value of all types of music
The culture of the "Big Easy"
House of Blues
Audubon Park
100% Humidity
Ms. Mae
Red beans and rice on Monday
Bruff (well, we could probably live without it)
The TIDES program
F&M's on Thursday
David Lesmond
The greek system
The b-school not having class on Friday
Jambalaya and Gumbo
Potholes
Crawfish boils
Sharp and Monroe
"Party Buses"
50 cent night on Tuesday
The Brennan family restaurants
The same 15 songs playing in the boot
Beau Parent
The library social scene during finals
thefacebook
Broadway
B-school free pizza
Brass bands
The sound of the street car going by
Pregaming
Hearing people say y'all
Dough Bowl pizza
Parades

But most importantly, I am going to miss all of you, the students. No where in the world have I met the finest collection of people. When I moved to New Orleans, as a freshman, I became part of New Orleans and its culture. But quickly the tables turned, and New Orleans became a part of my life and my culture. New Orleans is a part of me.

My Foundation Needs You!

2005-09-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

My foundation for New Orleans is in the final process of planning, but we need some professionals who can volunteer a little time to complete the final launch. As of now, we are looking for people who are experts in the following areas, however if you feel that you have a skill that could be an asset to us, please email me immediately:

Lawyer with experience in exempt organizations
Urban Planning Engineers/Professors of Urban Development who have ideas and experience on New Orleans development (we need a lot of you)
Web designer- a good one
Graphic Designer
Publicist
Talent agents or managers with large rosters

Email me at BNHyman@gmail.com as soon as you can. THANKS!

A Dry Uptown

2005-09-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

The person who wrote the description of uptown sent me the below pics. Clearly, uptown will need only a little rebuilding, as the damage is just downed trees and debris. Apparently, this whole area faired very well.

New Pics

2005-09-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to whoever braved the waters to take these pics. Someone posted the link on might site so I dont know who to give credit to, but wow. These pics are from August 31st, and I am completely aware that all that water is gone now. I thought you all would like to see what it looked like for 1 day. All water has receeded back towards clairborne, and in some areas, clairborne is dry, so please don't let these pictures alarm you.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW

If we don't graduate together I'm gonna cry...

2005-09-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is going to be hard. Now that we have been faced with this decision to take classes or work or whatever you want to do, we need to talk about one important thing, graduation. If you haven't noticed, most of us seniors love each other. Sooooooo, when is graduation? Is there an inherent assumption that graduation has been postponed? Some people seem to want to graduate in the spring (I have no clue why anyone would want to go out into the working world), but what do we do about them?

I'm pretty set on staying for 2 more semesters, even if I take classes this semester. Why would I want to give up even one moment of the Tulane experience? So this posting isn't a call to action, because I realize that I have no right telling you what to do with your lives. However, I am going to cry if we don't graduate together, and that's the truth.

Message from someone who was at Tulane TODAY

2005-09-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

This was posted in the comments section and I thought was important enough to get to the front page:

"I WAS ON TULANE CAMPUS TODAY!!!
although the city is closed and guarded by the military, i got into NOLA today by putting on scrubs and using hospital badges to get into the city with my dad and a group of dr's from Baton Rouge (they are only letting dr's in). i made my dad drive me by my apt. to pick up my laptop and some clothes cause i left the city with nothing. we drove all the way down I-10 from BR to NO and exited at Williams Blvd by the airport..no the bridge is not messed up at all! we got off at williams WHERE THE ELECTRICITY WAS ON AND THE LIGHTS WORKED and went all the way down jefferson (which also had spontaneous working lights!!!!!) and got onto river road and took river road all the way to where the fly is and we turned on broadway. NO WATER...just trees and limbs down. my apt. is at Broadway and st. charles and everything is perfectly FINE! campus and all around was dry. we later took magazine to downtown (cause there are no trees on magazine so easy to drive fast). THE MEDIA IS SOOOOO OVEREXAGGERATING!!! uptown was perfectly fine...no looters, no broken in houses or cars, as i checked many of my friends apartments! there are some places with water still, including the causeway and parts of claiborne, ect, but is is not bad! the places the media keeps showing is like st. bernard parish, slidell, covington, and other places. after we went downtown to the convention center to help, we picked up my dad's friend's mother-in-law...this old lady who lives in kenner aqnd stubbornly didnt leave. she said there was 3 feet of water in the street last week, but it didnt get into her house and it was gone within 2 days...the streets were perfectly dry in kenner! N.O. looks the same...except for spots of flooded streets, downed trees, and power lines...and deafening helicopters overhead! haha. i saw it with my own eyes a few hours ago and just got back into BR. i took pics of st. charles and the front of tulane and some other areas (but not too much cause my camera broke). i will get them to brett and on this website by tomorr hopefully if my camera stops being reterted.
JUST BE SURE: TULANE COULD BE UP IN 2 MONTHS IF IT WANTED!!!...short of an atomic bomb there is NO WAY that what we consider new orleans (uptown, downtown, kenner, metairie) will be messed up still in 2 to 3 months...it will be perfectly fine!"

this was not just a joyride, we went to the convention center for 8 hours and brought medical supplies and helped...the uptown part was a total of 20 minutes, and we were going to use river road and magazine to get to downtown anyways. conditions were rough at the convention center, but the national guard came in yesterday in full force and EVERYONE at the convention center had food and water, although the conditions were dire as the hygiene was beyond belief. yes, i feel for the less fortunate in othere areas, but my purpose in sharing this was to give some hope to the many tulanians in the uptown area. on a final note, THE NEWS IS REPLAYING OLD FOOTAGE! fox just showed some stuff (flooded areas, ect) that were from 2-3 days ago! i was downtown today driving down a road (st. charles downtown) that fox news showed as flooded as of now! again, this is not to say the situation isnt bad...it is, but the media likes to entertain for ratings (sadly). please donate and give to the cause, but have hope too!

Things looking brighter for New Orleans

2005-09-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

There are people uptown with active phone lines. 250,000 just got power back in Louisana. A massive line of helicopers evacuated the last of the refugees from the superdome by a massive line of helicopters. Things are looking brighter, but we still have questions. Where were these helicopers four days ago? Why couldn't they just come and drop some food and water? It's too bad these people had to suffer so badly because whoever is in charge couldn't get it together. Major commercial airlines are donating planes to fly out evacuees to major airports. The government has contracted major Carnival Cruise Ships to house some of the evacuees.

Now the real work can be done. This is what we expected to happen right when the evacuation was ordered. Without having to worry about the evacuees, New Orleans can be rebuilt. If the same amount of people who helped today also help with rebuilding, New Orleans can be back online quickly.

Until then, we gotta start working our end. I am writing a really cool plan on how everyone can get involved in their communities right away. I hope that Tulane contacts me to help me with any other ideas they have before I finalize it. Also, I am completing details to launch my foundation. Stay tuned for a lot more info.

Show me the money

2005-09-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

The big question on everyone's mind, where is the money? So every school is offering us free admission, going by the new policy "Do not charge tuition if the student has already paid tuition to the home institution; and if the student has not paid the home institution, charge the home institution's rate of tuition and remit that amount to the home institution." To be honest with you, I think we need to get a lawyer to decipher this jargon. Does this mean we will not be getting our money back if we do not attend class? Does this mean that we will have to pay full tuition if we attend to enroll part time or just take a few classes? (probably what I'm gonna do) Does this mean that we have to pay full tuition for a university that costs 1/5 the amount of Tulane? But most importantly, does this mean that "free admission" really isn't free? I have a lot of friends who are going "abroad" for free through Syracuse, or are going to a east coast school for free. Whats the point of doing that if we have to pay full tuition? MANY of the classes you will take probably won't transfer directly to the major you have. For example, if you go to a school and take General Education classes, but have a business major; you will be paying for an entirely worthless semester. Now, this is just my interpretation of the statement, but I really think its true.

Talk it over with your parents. Make sure they are willing to spend in the upwards of 40k for you to have this semester. If not, I still advocate getting a cool internship or working somewhere productive. Don't waste your money paying for a full semester if you aren't going to get a full semester's worth of credit. Let's get some info from Scott Cowen

The Freshmen Will Come Back

2005-09-03T01:53:00.000-07:00

To the Class of 2009:

You are faced with a decision of grave consequence. No one blames you for wanting your "first year experience," but I feel that Dr. Cowen should be giving you a bit more guidance and encouragement to make accomodations to return to Tulane in the spring. It seems that Dr. Cowen has built into his agreement with other universities that they will only take you for a semester. This is a good thing and let me explain why. If you all have to come back in the spring, you will, together. Some of you may try to get your old acceptances back at other universities, and basically fully enroll in another school. Don't do that. Most students won't have the opportunity to fully enroll or get their acceptance back, they will just be visiting students for the semester. This means you all will be compelled by your visiting institutions to return to Tulane for the spring semester. It means you will all be in the same boat. It means things will be relatively normal right after we get back. I hope you can see the benefits of this. First, it allows you to have a fabulous freshmen year, visiting another school and then coming home to Tulane with your classmates. Also, it helps Tulane! It helps prevent them lose a percent of their freshmen class, something than can be relatively devestating to Tulane's future.
So the solution is simple. Hang out at a university near home, if you can. Then everyone come back in the Spring. We, the older students, will guarantee a full freshman experience, plus you will all be in the same boat that you were in the fall. You all will return to Tulane as a unified class, ready to experience the wonderful party scene that is Broadway and the Boot.

I ask you to consider this,
Brett

The Bright Side

2005-09-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Dr. Cowen just annouced there is no fall semester at Tulane, and more importantly, Tulane has no plan to keep us all together. Is this distressing? I don't think so. Let's look at the positive aspects. He is willing to accept credits from all accredited institutions. This means we can go to any school we want to. I suggest that you all see if you can get into a local school and take a light load. While you are at school, spend some time figuring out how YOU can help the effort- not just to help New Orleans but to help Tulane. The first thing is obvoiusly donating to a charity, that's a done deal. Then consider how you can raise both awareness of the effort as well as the value of Tulane in your local communities. We need to establish a grass-roots campaign in everyone's local communities that will help us recruit new freshmen for next year as well as generate morale among current students. Currently, I'm working with a lot of people on two main things. First is to formulate a plan on how you can get involved with the efforts in your local communities- by raising awareness. Second would be to begin my foundation- which will coordinate a massive effort to raise money for victims of the hurricane and spread word about Tulane in the public eye. The foundation would need a lot of help fron every one of you, and with the amount of support you have already shown; I doubt that will be a problem.

Let's just hang on and slowly start to put our lives back together. Nothing is lost, everything is just on hold. I will post again soon, as I begin to start talking about the massive relief effort that NEEDS to take place. I hope you will all continue supporting this site, as I will update you soon with more info on the relief, and of course with any news I get about uptown.

Brett Hyman

More waiting...

2005-09-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

There's not much to say about the recent post from Dr. Cowen; except- don't lose hope. I expect them to come up with a detailed plan. Also, there will be new details coming out over the weekend about my foundation and how you can help. I am going to be interviewed by Fox News, which will probably be on later tonight (I will let you know). I will mention this site and how the spirit of Tulane exists in the thousands of people who read and respond to this site every day. Please keep the talk positive, and hang in there.

WHAT IS TULANE'S "MASTER PLAN"?

2005-09-02T00:22:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting and waiting. The time is finally approaching. Grab your popcorn and sit by emergency.tulane.edu. Dr. Cowen is going to release his secret master plan within the next "48 hours."

Let me preface this blog by stating that I do think Dr. Cowen is an unbelievable leader and will actually come up with a feasible strategy for some students. But what do you think this strategy will be? Will he be able to relocate everyone to one campus or have to spread everyone out? I think he's going to have a plan to start school right away. Who will want to do this and who will want to stay home? A lot of people will be on both sides, but I think we need to stick together.

I'd advocate that if the plan sounds good, everyone should try to do it. Let's wait until he releases it before everyone starts deciding yes or no. It could be fun. Imagine being in a random city for the semester, but with a bunch of wild Tulane kids. We would run the city, and the school. Moreover, Tulane needs this support. If we show both the world and prospective students how much we love Tulane, I think they will realize that there is something magical about Tulane. I think that we can save Tulane simply by showing unmitigated support for any of their ideas, by at least considering whatever they come up with. Moreover, I'd like to say we should probably wait until this plan comes out before we finalize plans. I know that lots of people are talking about going to one school or another for the semester and then coming back to Tulane when they are ready. That’s fine, but let’s really consider the benefits of all going somewhere in Texas possibly TOGETHER, as opposed to spreading out all over the U.S.

Sometimes we forget that part what makes Tulane so special is the mixture of people who go there. Those of you who are older know this in your hearts. I would have a great time in the middle of the desert if I had a Boot and my amazing group of friends. How many of you feel the same? Hence, I appeal to the older people to remember this when they feel like transferring for the semester. Do you really need to go somewhere else, or are you willing to try something new? To the incoming freshmen, I recommend definitely partaking in whatever Tulane has to offer. You have NOTHING to lose.I hear freshmen say they want "a freshmen year experience." I totally agree, and I bet Dr. Cowen finds a way to accomodate it. And even if he doesn't, we should accept that sometimes everything doesn't work out perfectly. A little sacrifice in the name of Tulane will provide for a much more cohesive class (I think you all will be best friends). Regardless, I think Dr. Cowen will find a way to get all the incoming freshmen together. You will be with all the people who will be your future friends, and feel very at home when Tulane comes back online. I think if Tulane organizes something that keeps you together, or even splits you up a little bit- then it’s a blessing in disguise.

So let’s see what happens, hope for a miracle, and pray for Tulane’s ultimate comeback.

-Brett

THANK YOU EVERYBODY

2005-09-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for their unbelievable support for Tulane and my site. I created this site to fill a need for Tulane related updates for students, parents and faculty. You have sent me heartwarming emails regarding the site content and pledging your support. I hope you continue your support for Tulane as well as for New Orleans when they start asking for it. The American Red Cross is, of course, a wonderful charity that is accepting monetary donations now. However, we must not forget Tulane and its need, not for money, but for the support of its constituents. I will be starting a foundation that is aimed not just as raising money for Hurricane victims, but also aimed to raise awareness about wonderful Tulane University. More info to come soon. Until then, keep it up.

Sincerely,
Brett

Exciting News From Uptown

2005-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

This description of uptown was recently sent to me in an email, and it sounds very positive:

My brother, Drew, is still in his home at Napoleon and Annunciation (he's got plenty of food and water). He's got a fully functioning land line, so I've been in frequent contact with him (I'm in St. Louis).
Yesterday I posted his observations upon walking through uptown. Here's today's report:

Drew went to help evacuate some hospice patients at St. Charles General Hospital this afternoon (after he learned of a call for volunteers), so he didn’t have time to do an extensive walkabout today (plus it rained lightly for a few hours). But he did get around a bit: he went Magazine from Napoleon to Amelia St. up to Prytania and Prytania back to Napoleon. As he reported yesterday, there is no significant damage (only one building on Prytania had significant damage). Water has receded from St. Charles several blocks towards Claiborne (it never got south of St.
Charles), and they’re still evacuating people at St. Charles and Napoleon – there are lots of buses.

During his walk he saw no looted buildings anywhere. No evidence of vandals or roving gangs. Increased presence of National Guard and police. Uptown seems quiet and peaceful.

Drew cannot stress highly enough how on his walk through major and side streets he has not seen any looting or suspicious activity. Perhaps if somebody left a 12-pack of cold beer on their front steps, it would go missing, but other than that, there has been no looting of residences that he has observed. Drew expects that looting is probably happening in some places, but it is grossly exaggerated by the media. Most people in Uptown are simply not that desperate.

Both of us hope everyone reading this is safe. Our hearts goes out to those who are still waiting for rescue, food and water. I wish I could bring it to you myself.

News Article About Schools

2005-09-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Below are articles about schools that will accept or host Tulane students until the damage is clear:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1087501

Please don't make any final arrangements until we hear Dr. Cowen's "master plan." I feel like we really need to consider whatever he offers (see the next post).

(picture of Tulane students enrolling in Kansas)

My problem with FEMA

2005-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

They are failing on a massive scale. Turn on CNN or FOX, people are dying inside of the superdome. I just watched a clip of a kid going through trash and looking for food. Are you kidding? This is FEMA’s purpose. FEMA is allocated millions upon millions of dollars each year to train, prepare and execute plans like this. Why are people starving? How could there be so many relief failures? Refugees need medicine, food and water. With just these basic essentials, turmoil would not take place. I completely blame the one agency that’s sole purpose is to prepare for national disasters. The violence and unrest needs to stop. The governor should call on the federal government to bring in more troops to stop this insanity. Once we evacuate the last of the refugees, we can begin rebuilding the city that we remember in our hearts.

Uptown Slideshow

2005-09-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

Someone recently emailed me this slideshow which has pictures of uptown before and after the storm. Note that ALL of these pictures took place before the big flood that may have affected uptown. Regardless, the pictures show little structural damage to the major properties, just a lot of trees in the streets.

CLICK HERE FOR THE SLIDESHOW

Scott Cowen on the Today Show

2005-09-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Scott Cowen was on the today show, via phone, this morning. He was very optimistic about the damage to campus and would not conceed that this semester was cancelled. He did say that many other schools had been wonderful about being accomodating to students and he will "take them up on their offer." Matt Lauer said, "they are talking about a month before the water gets pumped out and more months before electricity is repaired, is school cancelled for the semester?" Scott said he wouldnt say that just yet. He also said that his concern was Freshmen and Seniors who he wants to keep on track. We should know within the next 32 hours what his big plan is, but I'm guessing he's gonna try to relocate somewhere else and/or try to do a condesed semester. He kept saying they just need time to reflect but should have an answer soon. I, for one, would not go to some random school in Texas. I would absolutely wait it out in LA either working or going to school there.

Don't Transfer!!

2005-08-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

I'm too tired to be persuasive, so I'm just gonna speak from the heart. Being in my fourth year at Tulane, I have developed a special relationship with both the school and the city. Even without a big time sports team, I have as much pride for Tulane as does a fan of UT or Michigan. The reason I picked Tulane when I was a freshmen is because I felt that they would go out of their way to give me the best experience they could provide. And they did. While I knew I'd be paying out the ass for school, I felt that I was getting my money's worth. Tulane will bounce back and fulfill this same promise. In fact, they will do everything in their power to make up for the terrible events that transpired. I bet there's a fantastic party right when we get back.

Tulane needs us. If too many us of transfer, they'll lose tons of money and it will bring them down, significantly. If anything, we could do a little good in life. We can help them recruit a class next year, or we can just hang tight until we get more news on relief efforts. If you must go, then you must go. But those of you that stay it wont just be for yourself, you'll be doing Tulane a great favor.

I hear about Freshmen trying to transfer, and I'm sure some will. But let me just urge to not to. Let me urge you to wait it out a semester, take classes somewhere else, or find a cool job around home. Life is full of expected situations, but go with your gut on this one. If you feel the love from Tulane that I felt when I was an incoming freshmen, then give it a chance.

Let me make you a promise, if Tulane isn't a life-changing experience, I'll buy you a drink at the Boot.

Jobs vs. Taking Classes

2005-08-31T21:48:00.000-07:00

I'd like to point out the value we can gain from taking a job in your field of interest. Since there's really no one to compete with, unlike summer internships, it might be very possible to secure an internship or job that is not entirely mindless. Spend some time sending out a well-written cover letter than explains your situation. I'd argue that an internship and/or job can be equally as valuable in your educational experience.

I'm not advocating taking classes at some random university. It might be just too much pressure for some people. Plus, you can probably get paid.

The Last Post is a Bit Confusing

2005-08-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

Why would they even infer, in his recent post, that school is coming back this semester? I've done a reasonable amount of research and I think it's safe to bet that New Orleans will not be a habitable city for 4-6 months. If you disagree let me know, I was arguing with my friend about this hours ago. I feel that it will be 4 weeks until the levees are fixed, then they need to get the electricity back to pump the water out. That'll be another 4 weeks. Then, they will need to clear the debris so they can fix the water mains and gas pipes (say 2-4 weeks for this). After this, the city will be somewhat habitable for workers, but all the buildings will still be damaged. Once water, electricity and gas are restored, workers can come in a fix all the windows, roofs and structural damage to the hotels and public facilities. This could take years, but hopefully some stuff can get done in a month. Then, I'd come back, stay in a hotel and evaluate the damage to my house. It would take another month (minimum) or two to fix the windows and roof that were at least mildly affected. Then we can move back in and start over.
You do the math.

ADDITION: New Orleans will not go "back online" until the whole city is habitable. The roadways will just be too clogged and infrastructure will be too strained trying to operate Tulane without having the rest of New Orleans available. How can I prove this? Tulane is the largest employer of people in New Orleans. Many of these people probably do not and will not have houses for quite some time. We've gotta have both sides of the city at least partly habitable to be back at school. Moreover, WE need places to live, and its just gonna take time to fix uptown, even if they are able to fix up the city in half the time of my predictions.

Enrolling in other schools

2005-08-31T19:10:00.000-07:00

Let's get the record straight. Everyone's talking about enrolling in schools in their hometowns. To me, this seems to be a viable option, however make sure you don't do something without fully checking it out. Tulane used to be a stickler about grade transfers, and I recommend everyone wait until they can talk to Tulane until we know for sure that this is possible. Assuming they are more leinent about transfer, they still may not like state universities and may only want major universties. It would be very annoying to enroll, pay and then be screwed.

I've talked to a few schools and some are willing to take students as visitor students. You basically aren't enrolled in the school, just visiting from another university (Tulane). Therefore, all your grades and crap just goes right back to Tulane. What does this mean? It means you dont have to apply to the school and get in. you can just start taking classes right away. Sweet.

Now this seems optimal, but I must stress that Tulane might not be down with that concept. They might say, "hey, we want you to come back and go to some weird school like jackson state." That would be terrible!

Post in the comments section about schools you know of that are interested. Also state about whether they have a business school- because a big problem here in California is that there are very few undergraduate business school. Check back for updates later

That's all for now,
Brett

The Picture Blog!

2005-08-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Check below for new pictures. Pictures will be added as they come in!
Below are relevant pictures from Uptown. Email me any more pics that you find BNHyman@gmail.com Feel free to comment.