Tulane University secures President Mike Fitts through 2023 academic year
Citing his transformative leadership and a host of achievements that have dramatically increased Tulane University’s national ranking and reputation, the Board of Tulane announced a new contractual agreement with President Mike Fitts that will run through the academic year ending June 30, 2023.
“These past few years that Mike Fitts has served as president of Tulane University have been nothing short of transformative,” Board of Tulane Chair Doug Hertz said. “Our national rankings have risen dramatically. Each year our incoming classes have broken records in terms of their academic achievements and their level of civic engagement. The diversity of our incoming classes has also increased substantially as Tulane is attracting top students from all backgrounds."
The university has consistently shattered fundraising records since Fitts’ arrival in 2014 and in December launched “Only the Audacious,” the university’s most ambitious quest to secure the future of its pioneering research; recruit and retain the world’s best faculty; increase scholarships and financial aid to attract the best students from across the globe; and build on the strategy to create a learning experience powered by innovation, first-hand experience and community service.
Tulane has also grown physically under Fitts, who served 14 years as dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School prior to becoming Tulane’s 15th president. The many major building projects under Fitts include the more than $35 million Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex; the transformation of Mussafer Hall into the central location for services dedicated to student success; the building of new residence halls and construction of The Commons, a three-story, $55 million, 77,000-square-foot marvel that will house a new dining hall, multipurpose meeting spaces and a permanent home for the Newcomb College Institute.
Hertz also pointed to Tulane’s dedicated faculty and staff and the leadership team Fitts has recruited and overseen. This includes, in the past three months alone, new deans in the School of Science and Engineering, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, the School of Architecture and the School of Liberal Arts, all of whom are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their fields.
“These academic leaders join other stellar appointments among faculty, administrators and board members dedicated to building on the momentum of the university’s historic recovery from Hurricane Katrina to create the Tulane of tomorrow,” Hertz said. “For these and other numerous accomplishments, I am proud to announce that we have secured President Fitts’ commitment to remain at Tulane. The Board of Tulane’s early action in securing Mike’s long-term commitment is a testament to how highly we regard, appreciate and value his leadership.”
