Tulane University

:Due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University has suspended all classes for the fall 2005 semester.

History

The University dates from 1834 as the Medical College of Louisiana. With the addition of a law department, it became The University of Louisiana in 1847, a public university. 1851, saw the establishment of an Academic Department, the forerunner of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Related Topics:
1834 - 1847 - Public university - 1851

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It closed during the Civil War; after reopening, it went through a period of financial challenges. Paul Tulane donated extensive real estate within New Orleans for the support of education; this donation led to the establishment of a Tulane Educational Fund (TEF), whose board of administrators sought to support the University of Louisiana instead of establishing a new university. In response, the Louisiana state legislature transferred control of the University of Louisiana to the administrators of the TEF in 1884. This act created the Tulane University of Louisiana.

Related Topics:
Civil War - Paul Tulane - 1884

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In 1885, a Graduate Division started, the predecessor to the Graduate School. One year later, gifts from Josephine Louise Newcomb totalling over $3.6 million led to the establishment of H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College within Tulane University. Newcomb was the first coordinate college for women in the United States.

Related Topics:
1885 - Josephine Louise Newcomb - H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College

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In 1894 a College of Technology formed, the forerunner to the College of Engineering. In the same year the university moved to its present-day uptown campus on St. Charles Avenue, five miles by streetcar from downtown.

Related Topics:
1894 - Five miles by streetcar

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An Architecture Department originated within the College of Technology in 1907. One year later, Schools of Dentistry and Pharmacy appeared, both temporarily: Dentistry ended in 1928, and Pharmacy six years later.

Related Topics:
1907 - 1928

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In 1914, Tulane established a College of Commerce, the first business school in the South.

Related Topics:
1914 - Business school - The South

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1925 saw the formal establishment of the Graduate School. Two years later, the University set up a School of Social Work.

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University College dates from 1942. The School of Architecture grew out of Engineering in 1950. The School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine dates from 1967.

Related Topics:
1942 - 1950 - 1967

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The student-run radio station of the university, WTUL-FM, began broadcasting on campus in 1971.

Related Topics:
Radio station - WTUL - 1971

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In 1998, the Associated Student Body of Tulane University voted by referendum to split the Associate Student Body (ASB) Senate into two separate houses, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA). Previous to the split, only one Executive Cabinet was elected and all student government meetings consisted of both undergraduate and graduate students. Now, each house has its own Executive Cabinet and Senate elected by its own students. USG and GAPSA meet separately to issues pertaining to their respective constituencies. However, the Office of the Associated Student Body President remained - the ASB President is a representative of every student on all of Tulane's campuses. This person is still elected by the entire student body of Tulane, both undergraduate and graduate students.

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USG and GAPSA come together twice as semester to meet as the ASB Senate, where issues pertaining to the entire Tulane student body are discussed. The meetings of the ASB Senate are presided over by the ASB President.

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The Jambalaya, Tulane's yearbook, published annually since 1897, published its last edition (Volume 99) in 1995, due to funding and management problems. In the Fall of 2003, the "Jambalaya" was reestablished as a student club, and in the Spring of 2004, the Centennial Edition of the Jambalaya was published. The staff now continues to publish a "Jambalaya" annually.

Related Topics:
Yearbook - 1897 - 1995

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In 2001 the Tulane Center for Gene Therapy started as the first major center in the U.S. to focus on research using adult stem cells.

Related Topics:
2001 - Adult stem cells

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In July 2004, Tulane received two $30 million donations to its endowment, the largest individual or combined gifts in the university's history. The donations came from Jim Clark, a member of the university's Board, and David Filo, a graduate of its School of Engineering. The gifts had particular significance, since Tulane had had one of the lowest endowments ($722 million as of June 2004) among the 62 members of the Association of American Universities.

Related Topics:
July 2004 - Endowment - Jim Clark - David Filo - June 2004 - Association of American Universities

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Effects of Hurricane Katrina

Tulane began to publicly respond to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina on August 27, 2005, with an initial plan to close the university until September 1. The following day, that date was extended to "no earlier than" September 7. University officials led an evacuation of nearly 400 students (one report said that the number was closer to 700) to Jackson State University, all of whom remained safe after the hurricane's passage and have returned to their homes if they are from outside the gulf coast region.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - August 27 - 2005 - September 1 - September 7 - Jackson State University

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On August 30, the university reported that "physical damage to the area, including Tulane?s campuses, was extensive" and conditions in the city were continuing to deteriorate. Power was out, water levels were rising, all city roads were blocked, and the "vast majority of our workforce" had left the parish in response to the mayor's mandatory evacuation order. By September 1 only a core group of public safety and facilities personnel remained on campus. Tulane president Scott Cowen and an "emergency team" relocated to Houston, Texas to coordinate planning for recovery. Tulane reported that security was being maintained on campus and that students' belongings were safe in the dormitories, which are intact.

Related Topics:
August 30 - September 1 - Scott Cowen - Houston, Texas

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On September 2, President Cowen announced that the University would cancel classes for the fall semester.

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The American Council on Education and the Association of American Universities urged their member institutions to help displaced students from Tulane and the area's other universities. Dozens of universities have already made provisions to allow Tulane students (and students from other affected colleges) to enroll as "provisional students" for the fall semester. Tulane will transfer credits earned through these arrangements when the university reconvenes.

Related Topics:
American Council on Education - Association of American Universities

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The football game scheduled for September 4 between Tulane and the University of Southern Mississippi has been postponed until November 26; however, the September 17 game between Tulane and Mississippi State University was held at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Related Topics:
Football - September 4 - University of Southern Mississippi - November 26 - September 17 - Mississippi State University - Independence Stadium - Shreveport, Louisiana

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All of Tulane's varsity sports teams, with the exception of cross-country, moved to five other universities in Texas and Louisiana, while continuing to represent Tulane in competition:

Related Topics:
Texas - Louisiana

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• Texas A&M University: men's basketball, women's swimming and diving, women's volleyball and women's soccer
• Texas Tech University: baseball and women's basketball
• Rice University: men's and women's tennis
• Southern Methodist University: men's and women's golf
• Louisiana Tech University: football

To help students graduate on schedule, Tulane is scheduling two academic semesters between January and June 2006. A regular spring term begins January 17, with a seven-week ?Lagniappe Semester? running from May 15 through the end of June.

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