School of Engineering Sophomores:

This is a follow-up to my previous message in which I promised more information on options available to this year's School of Engineering sophomore class. This weekend I met with President Cowen and Provost Lefton to discuss how we might assist you in planning for your future. I think that we have identified several courses of action that you may wish to pursue.

Let me first reassure you that your scholarships will continue even though your program of study may change. President Cowen has committed to maintaining your scholarship aid at its current level as long as you maintain the academic performance level required for your award. This will be the case even if you select another Tulane major outside of engineering.

As you know, Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering will become a part of the newly formed School of Science and Engineering. If you intended to major in one of these two fields, you will be able to complete your program at Tulane University without any difficulty. No action is required on your part if you continue to pursue one of these two majors.

If you are majoring in another engineering field, courses associated with your major will no longer be offered at Tulane after spring semester 2007. However, we do have a pathway for those of you who do want to complete your degree at Tulane University. It is described under option one below. I do hope you will give it serious consideration; we are committed to make it work for you. The four options to consider are:

One: If you would like to complete your degree program at Tulane, you should meet with your advisor when you return in January to arrange your schedule such that you can complete as many of your major courses as possible by the end of the 2006-2007 academic year. In academic year 2007-2008 you will be able to take required courses outside of your major at Tulane and we will arrange for you to take your remaining required major courses at the University of New Orleans. The details of the arrangement with UNO need to be worked out but you will receive a reduction in tuition to take into account the lower rate charged by UNO.

Two: You may decide to select any of the majors that Tulane will continue to offer. These are listed at: renewal.tulane.edu/students_undergraduate_majors.html. If you want to pursue one of these, please notify Associate Dean Andrew Martinez or Advisor Christi Longlois when you return in January. They will assist you in making the change.

Three: If the preceding options are not acceptable, you may decide to withdraw from Tulane University at this time and enroll at another institution for the spring 2006 term. President Cowen has agreed to extend the deadline for withdrawing from the fall term until January 17, 2006 for second-year engineering students whose programs are being phased out.

Four: Since the full curriculum will be offered until the end of Spring 2007, you can postpone any decision to transfer mid-year and continue your course of study at Tulane. Tulane will have staff available to assist you with transferring to other institutions.

I hope that you will carefully consider your options before making a final decision. All of us in the School of Engineering are ready to assist you when you return in January. If you want to discuss the options now, please feel free to call 504.865.5764 to speak with Dean Martinez or Christi or contact them via email at martinez@tulane.edu or clongloi@tulane.edu, respectively.

Dean Altiero