White Paper: Why Preserve Newcomb College (Mar. 2006)

White Paper

By Lena Juarez
Newcomb Class of 1991

PRESERVE NEWCOMB COLLEGE

BACKGROUND:

In 1886, Josephine Louise Newcomb bequeathed her fortune to establish a college in New Orleans, Louisiana with the express purpose of educating women. Consequently, the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College at Tulane University was founded as the first degree-granting college for women within a university in America. The Newcomb coordinate college model was later duplicated at other higher education institutions such as Barnard/Columbia, Brown/Pembroke and Douglass/Rutgers. More than a century after the College’s inception, Newcomb has flourished and grown. In May 2005, Newcomb proudly granted degrees to almost 500 women and enjoyed an active alumnae base of more than 22,000, representing all 50 states and several foreign countries.

Today, in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University is considering dynamic changes to the current coordinate college structure. These changes must include a powerful role for Newcomb College and her continuing mission to prepare young women as leaders of the 21st century.

NEWCOMB COLLEGE IS UNIQUE:

Newcomb College is the first degree-granting women’s coordinate college in the nation. Her academic and co-curricular programs continue to emphasize the development of educated women leaders.
• Newcomb College has an independent dean, degrees and diploma as well as a sense of community for all women studying the liberal arts and sciences.
• Newcomb’s independence guarantees that her students’ voices are heard within the governance structure of the larger university.
• Newcomb serves as a national role model for women within academia through her female dean, program directors and academic administration.
• Newcomb has a strong, active, and devoted alumnae base, who contribute to the College, validating the “Newcomb Experience” for future students.
• Newcomb College is the only coordinate institution in the Deep South, representing women throughout the region.

PRESIDENT COWEN’S PROPOSAL TO DISSOLVE NEWCOMB:

Tulane University President Scott Cowen has proposed a “Renewal Plan” which was initially passed by the Board of Administrators on December 9, 2005. The Renewal Plan proposes a total reorganization of Tulane’s academic structure, sports programs, operations, staffing and capital projects. A key part of the plan collapses the current undergraduate college system and rearranges several components, including the suggested dissolution of Newcomb College. It is noteworthy that the Faculty Senate, Dean’s offices, student government, alumnae/i, and other community stakeholders were not consulted or allowed input into the drastic changes proposed within the plan. Since the Board of Administrators’ vote, many disparate groups have indicated strong disagreement with the Renewal Plan.Deep dissatisfaction has been evidenced in several ways, including:
• A student rally on January 29, 2006 and subsequent comments at a Town Hall Meeting.
• Large scale demonstrations on February 14, 2006 by students from all colleges at Tulane University.
• Concerns raised by the American Association of University Professors in their letter to the Tulane Administration dated January 26, 2006.
• A joint student-alumni petition calling for the reconsideration of the Renewal Plan. This petition includes signatures from approximately 2000 supporters.
• A deluge of e-mail messages registering protest sent to the official Tulane website at traditions@tulane.edu.
• Negative publicity surrounding the Renewal Plan has appeared in the New Orleans Times Picayune, New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fox News and others.

PRESERVE NEWCOMB COLLEGE:

As publicly acknowledged by the university administration at the Town Hall Forum on January 27th, there is no financial advantage for Tulane University with the dissolution of Newcomb College. Rather, Newcomb’s preservation is critical to the preservation and economic vitality of Tulane University. (cf http://renewal.tulane.edu/traditions_forum.shtml )

Here is why:
• The number of women seeking admission to Newcomb College continues to increase; 53% of the applicant pool to Tulane University are women.
• Newcomb alumnae consistently donate to the College in the belief that young women should receive the same quality education they did through the “Newcomb Experience.”
• The coordinate college system remains unique and sets Newcomb College and Tulane University apart from their competitors. By providing a women’s college within a co-educational university, female students are offered the best of both academic structures.
• Maintaining a vibrant, successful College and University is key to the redevelopment and economic revitalization of New Orleans, Southern Louisiana and the Gulf South. The College and University serve as an economic anchor and largest private employer in New Orleans. They act as an incubator for small businesses which serve the student and staff populations, drawing highly educated citizens to the city and region, and by generating future graduates. Sadly, Hurricane Katrina is being used as a rationale to dilute the intent of Mrs. Newcomb’s gift and to use the current endowment of approximately $41 million for the entire university.

NEXT STEPS:

The Board of Administrators met in New Orleans on March 14-15, 2006. Since they did not reverse their decision to close Newcomb College, the Renewal Plan dissolves Newcomb College effective June, 6, 2006. This would end a 120 year tradition of providing women opportunities in higher education. We must stop this tragic mistake. We must maintain the current coordinate structure of Newcomb and Tulane Colleges.

Consider the following:

1. The radical restructuring of Newcomb College, Tulane University and the related changes to university governance, academic and co-curricular programs should include input from all constituencies. The Board of Administrators must fully deliberate the wide-sweeping plan and its ramifications.

2. Many alumnae have already expressed deep dissatisfaction with the proposed elimination of Newcomb College and threatened to end their financial support to Tulane University if Newcomb is dissolved. Tulane can ill afford such a misstep.

3. Newcomb College and the coordinate system at Tulane University offer something unique to prospective students, rather than a homogenized undergraduate experience that can be obtained at other institutions.

4. The Secretary General of the Association of American University Professors has given his opinion that the academic changes (such as eliminating Newcomb College) made by the Renewal Plan should have been reviewed by the departments and schools affected, and do not appear to be the result of need to alleviate financial exigency.

CONCLUSION:

The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College is the oldest coordinate college in the country, providing the advantages of woman-centric education within a coeducational university. As a single-sex institution in the Gulf South, Newcomb provides important educational, leadership and economic opportunities to women in this region and beyond. Let us preserve this legacy and not let her rest in peace.