Scott Cowen
Scott Cowen, president emeritus of Tulane University, is the author of Winnebagos on Wednesdays: How Visionary Leadership Can Transform Higher Education. From his Q&A at the Princeton University Press blog:
What’s up with the title? I’m intrigued.--Marshal Zeringue
The title emanated from something that happened in the spring of my first year as president of Tulane, after an undefeated season for our football team. I made the coach an offer he couldn’t refuse—and he refused. He said he was leaving for Clemson, where the program was so spectacular that fans lined up their Winnebagos on Wednesdays in anticipation of Saturday games. That’s when I realized Tulane was, for various crazy reasons, in the entertainment business, and we weren’t on the A list. For me, the anecdote became a metaphor for all the absurdities and challenges confronting higher education, and started me thinking about how to stop the madness and tackle our problems.
Why did you write the book?
We’re obviously at a tipping point in higher education, with rising skepticism about its value and escalating demands for accountability, affordability, and access. It’s a moment to take stock, and I finally...[read on]
