Tulane celebrates inauguration of President Mike Fitts

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University, along with almost 100 delegates from universities around the country will join the Tulane University community to celebrate the inauguration of Mike Fitts as Tulane’s 15th president at 2 p.m., March 17 in McAlister Auditorium.

The ceremony will begin with a colorful, gonfalon-bearing academic procession from the Woldenberg Art Center across the Lavin-Bernick Center Quad to McAlister Auditorium. In addition to addresses by the mayor, Sen. David Vitter, University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels and Fitts himself, Dr. Michael White's Original Liberty Jazz Band and the student a cappella group Green Envy will perform. Faculty, staff and alumni will present commemorative gifts to Fitts. A party on the LBC Quad featuring music, food, drinks and games will follow. All are invited to attend.  

Since arriving at Tulane in July 2014 from the University of Pennsylvania, Fitts has increased cross-disciplinary education and collaboration at Tulane. This has brought scholars and researchers from different fields together to seek solutions to society’s most pressing problems while preparing a new generation to lead in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Fitts has also deepened the connection between academics and Tulane’s tradition of public service and welcomed first-year classes that are among the most academically qualified in Tulane’s history. He also launched a budget and operational reorganization to improve the school’s efficiency and effectiveness.

Inauguration Day will cap a weeklong celebration that will begin March 14 with a reception at the Tulane National Primate Research Center from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and a celebration at the Diboll Gallery in the Tidewater building on Tulane’s downtown campus from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on March 15. Inauguration Day events will begin with open houses at major Tulane centers beginning at 10 a.m.