Tuition and Other Issues

September 19, 2005 - 4 p.m.

New Withdrawal Deadline Announced

In recognition of the fact that some parents and students are still exploring options for the Fall '05 and Spring ‘06 semesters, Tulane University has extended its withdrawal deadline until November 1.

The university is keenly aware that some of its students realized a substantial financial hardship as a result of this unprecedented natural disaster. To assist those students and their families in the recovery process, the university will also extend the payment deadline for any fall tuition owed the university until May 1, 2006. Our hope is that by providing the opportunity to defer the fall tuition obligation without a finance charge, all of our students will be able to continue their educational program in January without interruption when the university resumes classes in New Orleans.

Finally, later this week Tulane will issue a statement regarding the spring semester. This statement will describe opportunities for students to continue their studies at Tulane University in the Spring of 2006.

September 13, 2005 - 6 p.m.

Academic Issues for Fall, 2005—Frequently Asked Questions—Tuition

Frequently Asked Questions—Transferring Credits/Courses and Other Academic Matters

September 9, 2005 - 2 p.m.

WITHDRAWAL DATE EXTENDED TWO WEEKS TO SEPTEMBER 27

As a result of Hurricane Katrina and the enormous disruption it created for Tulane University and its students, the university has extended the deadline for withdrawal to September 27th, 2005. This extension will allow students and institutions more time to make informed decisions about the fall semester based on the information provided in the FAQ to be posted next week.

Tulane University is a large and complex institution with 13,000 students in eleven different colleges and schools – each student has a different circumstance. It is virtually impossible to develop a general statement to apply to all students in all cases. However, we are currently in the process of drafting numerous scenarios to illustrate our tuition policy and how it will be implemented under this most unusual set of circumstances in an international research university. One of our scenarios will cover the case of a student that enrolled in an institution that required them to pay tuition. We will begin to post our FAQs on Monday.

Please use this extension to weigh your options carefully before making any decisions regarding your plans for the fall and spring semesters.

This website is the only official source of information about Tulane University.

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 - 7 p.m.

Special Notice Regarding Tuition Questions

As a result of the numerous questions about tuition that we have received from parents and students through asktu@tulane.edu, we are preparing a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that will be posted to this website no later than Monday, September 12 at 5 p.m.

We again ask for your patience as we compile this FAQ, as there are numerous questions and many details that must be ironed out. Currently we are reviewing the questions on our websites to identify the most general issues that need to be answered at this time, realizing we will not be able to address your individual issues for several more weeks. For example, the following are two frequently asked questions:

1. What happens if I paid my fall bill, which includes tuition, room and board, and fees, and did not attend another university or college this semester?

The amount paid will be credited to your spring bill.

2. What if I paid my fall bill and I decide not to re-enroll at Tulane University for the spring semester?

Funds paid to Tulane University will be returned to you as soon as is practical. However, at that point you will no longer be a Tulane student and it will be necessary to reapply for admission to Tulane University .

We anticipate adding to this list of questions and posting the answers no later than Monday, Sept. 12. Additionally, there will be an opportunity to participate in a live chat with President Scott Cowen tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT. during which he will address the issue of tuition.

September 8, 12:30 p.m.

Dear Tulanians and Friends,

As we near the end of the second week since the Tulane community suffered the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, I am even more positive that we will be able to reopen this spring semester. The basis for my optimism remains the tireless, nearly 24/7 work of our faculty and staff to see that even the most basic campus systems are restored to working order. Each new act of generosity on the part of students, donors, alumni and friends only helps renew our determination to restore Tulane to its greatness. In addition, I am convinced the federal government is now committed to rebuilding New Orleans as soon as possible and is prepared to allocate the resources necessary to achieve this goal.

I am particularly grateful for the outpouring of support that the Tulane community has received from my colleague presidents at colleges and universities throughout the country. For example, not only have institutions cared for and housed Tulane students impacted by the hurricane, many have agreed to enroll them on a provisional basis this semester which will allow them to return to Tulane in the spring and continue their studies without disruption.

Enrolling our students as visitors at no additional cost to the student beyond his or her original Tulane tuition is an incredible act of philanthropy on the part of my colleague presidents, because despite our many financial resources tuition remains a key source of revenue for the long-term financial health of Tulane. Without fall '05 tuition revenue, we would find it difficult, if not impossible, to reopen Tulane on schedule –retaining our key faculty and staff. To that end, I found it incredibly helpful that my colleagues in our national associations urged colleges and universities around the country to be sensitive to needs of Gulf Coast colleges and universities when it comes to tuition revenue [Read the statement].

However, I understand that financial circumstances and state law vary for institutions around the country, and that some colleges and universities – who in a few cases are enrolling hundreds of displaced students from the Gulf Coast region – may have charged tuition for various reasons.

It has recently come to my attention that some of our students have been asked to pay tuition at their host institution. Let me be clear: No Tulane student will ultimately have to pay more than they would have if they were at Tulane for the fall semester. Therefore I have instructed university financial staff to make sure this issue is resolved in a fair and equitable manner as soon as possible once we have access to our student billing records and the manpower to review and resolve each situation. Just be patient because it will take several weeks before we are able to address these issues. In the meantime, any student who had to pay two tuition bills should contact asktu@tulane.edu immediately and identify yourself as an affected student, giving us as much information as you can about your circumstances.

The needs of Tulane students remain a central priority as we work through these difficult days. Our students represent our greatest asset. I hope this matter has not caused additional worry or inconvenience in this already difficult time.

Scott Cowen

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