Tulane University, along with developers 1532 Tulane Partners and SKK Opportunity Zone Fund I, LLC, announced in November a new phase in the redevelopment of the former Charity Hospital building, which will result in Tulane initially occupying nearly 350,000 square feet through a long-term lease. Over the next few years, the developers and Tulane will transform Charity, which has been empty since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, into a mixed-use complex with apartments, retail, educational institutions and other use, all anchored by Tulane’s academic and research presence.

ESPN selected the Tulane University Special Olympics (TUSO) program as one of the Top 5 Unified Special Olympics Sports groups in the nation and also named TUSO to its 2021 Honor Roll for intentionally promoting meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting environments.

“Developing the building in a way that is true to the roots and spirit of the historic former Charity Hospital has been a guiding principle for Tulane University since this project’s inception.”

As part of its commitment to support income growth and greater equity and economic well-being in the community, Tulane has raised its minimum wage for all staff to $15 per hour. The change in minimum compensation, from the current rate of $10.82 per hour, puts the university’s minimum wage at more than double the federal and state minimum. The university has also standardized student wages by raising the minimum hourly rate to $10 per hour from $7.25 per hour.

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Tulane will purchase five transit buses with electric vehicle technology. Charging stations will be installed to support them. The shuttle buses will service the regular university shuttle route that links the uptown and downtown campuses and affiliate programs. The new buses will be part of the university’s fleet in 2022. Staff will collect and analyze data on the performance and costs of the shuttle buses, with the goal of sharing Tulane’s experience with fleet managers in the region and at other universities.

The newest class of Tulane students entering this fall represents the most academically qualified students to be admitted to the university and the most diverse class to date. This is the fifth year in a row that the incoming class has broken admissions records for qualifications and diversity reach. About 26% of the admitted students — more than one in four — identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color, up from 17% in 2016. The average ACT score rose as well, to a range of 31–34 this year as compared to 29–32 five years ago.