Statement from Rick Dickson, Director of Athletics
Dec 8, 2005 | General
Dec. 8, 2005
"Today, I will face more than 100 of the best ambassadors this university has, and tell them that there are no longer opportunities for them as student-athletes at Tulane University. I will inform dedicated and successful coaches that this university can no longer sponsor their programs. Their athletic careers at Tulane are victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"Fortunately, six of our core programs will go forward.
Nonetheless, today is a day of great loss. As far as I am concerned, no student-athlete is any more important than any other. Since my arrival here almost six years ago, my philosophy has been that every student-athlete who wears the Tulane uniform is treated equally. That's why this day is so difficult.
"The accomplishments of this group speak for themselves - four of these teams won Conference USA Championships last year and two finished in the Top 16 in the country. Over the last four years, they have brought home 10 league championships. Academically, we are talking about our top students. They are the standard-bearers!
"Today's decisions were difficult ones for the leadership of the university. Over the past three months, I have seen that the issues we face in athletics are miniscule compared to the problems facing our city, our state and the university as a whole. Athletics is a small piece of a very large puzzle.
"But today, that's little comfort to the 100 young men and women whose worlds have been turned upside down."
