So, I am taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming about my experiences, and instead will be commenting on a couple of things back home. This is partially me stalling because I have some big news that should be coming soon, but is not quite ready to be shared. However, this is mainly because I have opinions, and, since this is my blog, I am going to offer them.
The first thing is very recent. I was informed by my dad yesterday (and by e-mail about an hour later) that Scott Cowen, the president of Tulane University, has announced that he will be retiring. While there have been many people who took issue with his time in charge, I can honestly say that the man did more for the University and the city of New Orleans than could ever be fully stated. Many complain about the decreased quality of our athletics, but under Cowen, the baseball team got a beautiful new stadium, the Fogelman arena has been improved immensely, and the new football stadium is under construction. Our basketball team, while not a powerhouse, has been getting more and more competitive every year. Our football team has a coach who has made the team better in just one year and showed what he can do as a recruiter already, bringing in a substantial amount of talent. Our women's basketball team is competing at a high level. Our volleyball team has been down the last couple seasons, but that's largely the result of losing their coach. Baseball has been a bit shaky, but has also consistently been competitive in C-USA (this past season excluded), coming just shy twice under Cowen from being national champs. While these may not be great, this is all impressive for a school whose main focus is on academics. And that's where Cowen's next criticism lies.
Yes, our rankings have been falling. But part of that plays into the methodologies of those rankings (often having a bias towards larger universities). Yes, he's taken some heat for closing down the engineering department. But that department was very expensive and subpar, compared to the rest of the university's departments. The decision was actually made prior to Cowen, but he was the one who acted, and honestly, this was a necessary move, especially post-Katrina. Our b-school and school of architecture are ranked among the best. Our polisci department may not be the best, but it pulls in some very respectable instructors for a reason. The Payson Center (and idev department) are doing very good work. The school of public health and tropical medicine have such a high reputation that some of their resources have been sited on multiple occasions since I joined the Peace Corps.
However, Cowen's biggest impact might be his role in fixing Tulane's position in the New Orleans community. It was his leadership that established service learning as a graduation requirement. It is Tulane that is the largest private employer in the city. It is Cowen's doing that Tulane students (myself included) dedicate so many hours on helping the city and volunteering in the community. And while many are still skeptical about Tulane students (Mardi Gras behaviors often don't help our reputation), Scott Cowen has done a lot to improve Tulane's reputation and the reputation of its students in the city.
So, President Cowen, while I will most likely be unable to attend any farewell events, I would like to take some time to offer my thanks for all you have done for me, my university, and the city of New Orleans. While we all knew it would happen eventually, your retirement is a huge loss and you will be missed. Also, thanks for the coffees.
So, with that out of the way, I would like to comment on one more thing. As many of you know, equal rights for same sex couples is something I feel passionately about, because of the many homosexual friends, family, and co-workers I've had over the years, and because, as I was raised believing, it is my duty to God and my country to help anyone who is being wronged if I can. There's a reason I include that last part. It is straight out of the Scout Oath ("On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country..."). So, I'm guessing you think you've figured out where I am going with this, and you are probably half right. It was big news last week when BSA removed its ban on homosexual Scouts, and as an Eagle, I was proud to see a step in the right direction. But I took 2 issues with it. The first was that it is not enough, since it doesn't go far enough, leaving the ban on homosexual leaders in place. The second reason I take issue with it is that there is the perception that it was a move largely motivated by outside pressures, and doing the right thing should NEVER require outside pressure, especially from an organization like BSA, which has all it's boys promise to "help other people at all time," and be "courteous," "kind," "friendly," "trustworthy," and "loyal."
Which is where I am really going with this. Shortly before BSA's vote, the Peace Corps made an announcement that they intended to allow same sex couples to apply for the couples slots offered to married volunteers. In order to sidestep DOMA and the many states that still allow discrimination in their marriage laws, in place of a marriage license, PC is taking, I believe, signed affidavits or civil union certificates to confirm the unions. What really struck me about this, though, was that there was no public debate. In fact, it seemed to come out of the blue. Which made me proud to be a PCV, knowing I am working with an organization that truly wants to do the right thing because it's the right thing to do, not because they feel any sort of political or financial pressure to do it.
Of course, this will pose challenges. Slots for couples are already limited and there are many countries where PC cannot send these couples for safety and legal reasons. PC has already made statements that they well take laws against homosexuality and instances of violence against homosexuals into account when placing these couples. Still, at least one group is trying to do the right thing, and I think they deserve applause for it (and no, I'm not being told to say this). Equal is equal, and all people, whether gay or straight, male or female, black or white or yellow or red or green or blue, Christian or Jewish or Atheist or any other belief, deserve to be treated equally and shown the respect they deserve for the person they are, not the differences they were born with. So, bravo BSA for finally starting to do the right thing under pressure, but more people need to take a page out of PCs book and start just doing the right thing for no other reason than it's right.
Well, that's that. I could go into more stuff (including disgusting and laughably misinformed comments I heard about Jews by an American Christian preacher on an American news show I saw here when talking about BSA, but that one would mostly be angry, and I'm not in the mood for an angry rant). So, instead, I'm going to go back to playing soccer with my host siblings. Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and once again, Scotty C, thank you for everything.
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