Tulane University cuts computer science, electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering

[Rumpltzer]

I'm a little surprised that they'd cute these core engineering programs...

Link

Tulane Engineering Is Latest Katrina Victim

On 19 May, Brian Williams, the only major TV network news anchor to report live from New Orleans in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, will return to address Tulane University?s class of 2007. Among the 2000 graduates listening to the NBC newsman will be a group sharing an unwanted distinction. They will be the last Tulane students to earn degrees in computer science, electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering. The programs, say the administration, were jettisoned in the interest of keeping the rest of the New Orleans university afloat.

The remaining engineering disciplines?chemical and biomedical ­engineering?have been subsumed into a conglomeration being called the School of Science and Engineering. Many alumni feel the title is spurious. ?They can name the new school whatever they like,? says Michael Lockhart, a 1987 electrical engineering graduate. ?But they?re really fooling nobody. An engineering school without the most traditional core disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical, civil, and computer science, is like a business school that doesn?t offer majors in accounting, marketing, or finance.

Nicholas J. Altiero, dean of the new Science and Engineering school, says the administration did the best it could under dire circumstances. ?Not everyone agrees with all the decisions that were made by the president and the board (and I expressed my disagreement when that announcement was made), but there is no doubt in my mind that their quick and decisive action saved our university.? Altiero is referring to the department closings, along with the dismissals of 230 faculty members and 2400 nonteaching personnel. The cuts are meant to reduce the operating budget, as the university faced an estimated US $200 million in recovery costs to restore its physical plant and, at the same time, a drop in revenues because of sagging enrollments.

Tulane?s engineering school has a rich history stretching back to 1894, when the College of Technology in New Orleans was formed. Naturally, Tulane?s engineering alumni are not pleased that the school is now defunct. Among the ranks of prominent alumni is Albert Baldwin Wood, an 1899 mechanical engineering graduate who invented the screw pump that made construction possible in the parts of New Orleans that are below sea level.

Another well-known alumnus is Yahoo cofounder David Filo, a 1988 computer science grad. In 2005, Filo and Netscape cofounder Jim Clark gave Tulane Engineering $60 million, the largest gift made in the school?s history.

Asked if there was more that the university could have done to keep the engineering school, John W. Holtgreve, a 1970 civil engineering graduate, said, ?I don?t know. I just know that I?m disappointed that the civil engineering school is no longer represented at Tulane? .

Other alums have even stronger feelings. ?Disap­pointment? My grade in heat transfer was disappointing,? recalls Elizabeth A. Bretz, a 1987 mechanical engineering graduate. ?I?m well beyond that.? Bretz, the acting managing editor of IEEE Spectrum, says she is angry that she?s received numerous pleas for money, ?but not a single letter of explanation from the administration.

Vincent Provenza, a chemical engineering graduate who is on the engineering school?s board of advisors, says narrowing the school?s scope was absolutely necessary. But he acknowledges that that?s cold comfort to many of his fellow alumni. ?It?s not a good feeling to know that the school you attended is no longer like it was before. But neither is the whole city.

 

[Canai]

Yeah, get rid of the programs that would lead to better protection against future disasters. :disgust:

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Canai
Yeah, get rid of the programs that would lead to better protection against future disasters. :disgust:

exactly what i was thinking

 

[mrkun]

Odd that they dumped all their Engineering. I would just dump all the social science stuff except Economics (I'm a bit biased there). =)

 

[timosyy]

Of all the disciplines ... why would you drop engineering

 

[Eeezee]

They dropped engineering but kept hard science (non-computer). Interesting move

I don't know anything about the engineering department there. If the department sucked, why keep it? It doesn't matter if you have an engineering department if the program is horrible.

 

[FleshLight]

Good riddance. Engineering is kicking my ass right now.

 

[Martin]

I'd love to know what happened to their sports program, football stadium etc.

 

[mundane]

Originally posted by: Martin
I'd love to know what happened to their sports program, water polo stadium etc.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: mundane

Originally posted by: Martin
I'd love to know what happened to their sports program, water polo stadium etc.

Ouch.

 

[Mo0o]

Engineering depts. probably cost a lot more to maintain than social science departments

 

[loup garou]

Engineering costs lots of money. Tulane undergrad has always been liberal arts heavy. They kept biomed & chemical which are their premier programs. Weird though thinking of all those classes those programs share with the cut programs.

Originally posted by: Martin
I'd love to know what happened to their sports program, football stadium etc.

Well, they kept them, of course, they have more potential to make money. They play football in the Superdome & Tad Gormley, though.

It's a private university. You're kidding yourself if you don't think profit is job one.


<--2 years in Tulane Biomed program

 

[Auryg]

Heh, when I was a junior in HS Tulane sent me stuff atleast once a week, up until halfway through my senior year.

Sometimes I got 5 letters a week. I don't know why, I live in MN and never showed any interested going there.

I bet they could save a lot of money cutting that crap out

 

[txrandom]

Originally posted by: Auryg
Heh, when I was a junior in HS Tulane sent me stuff atleast once a week, up until halfway through my senior year.

Sometimes I got 5 letters a week. I don't know why, I live in MN and never showed any interested going there.

I bet they could save a lot of money cutting that crap out

Lol, same here. I didn't even know where the hell Tulane was when I got a letter from them. I think I ended up getting a huge scholarship (maybe a full ride?) from them. I never really had an interest, but if I would of went, I'd be majoring in computer science. Glad I didn't go!

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: Canai
Yeah, get rid of the programs that would lead to better protection against future disasters. :disgust:

"Among the ranks of prominent alumni is Albert Baldwin Wood, an 1899 mechanical engineering graduate who invented the screw pump that made construction possible in the parts of New Orleans that are below sea level. "

Well, maybe it's for the better

 

[everman]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: Canai
Yeah, get rid of the programs that would lead to better protection against future disasters. :disgust:

"Among the ranks of prominent alumni is Albert Baldwin Wood, an 1899 mechanical engineering graduate who invented the screw pump that made construction possible in the parts of New Orleans that are below sea level. "

Well, maybe it's for the better

I think Archimedes actually invented the screw pump.

 

[Parasitic]

Well chemical and biomed will probably be the two engineering programs that can bring cash to the university.
And my guess is that the chemical engineering department will soon be dissolved into "biochemical engineering" and lumped as part of their biology department.

 

[bersl2]

Originally posted by: everman

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: Canai
Yeah, get rid of the programs that would lead to better protection against future disasters. :disgust:

"Among the ranks of prominent alumni is Albert Baldwin Wood, an 1899 mechanical engineering graduate who invented the screw pump that made construction possible in the parts of New Orleans that are below sea level. "

Well, maybe it's for the better

I think Archimedes actually invented the screw pump.

I don't think Archimedes quite had something as powerful as Baldwin's pump in mind.

 

[RollWave]

As long as the Med School stays open for business I'm happy.

 

[bersl2]

Originally posted by: RollWave
As long as the Med School stays open for business I'm happy.

Med school is big money. Of course they're going to keep it.

 

[RollWave]

Originally posted by: bersl2

Originally posted by: RollWave
As long as the Med School stays open for business I'm happy.

Med school is big money. Of course they're going to keep it.

Of course . The last thing they'd cut is their big moneymaker.