When Dean Carole Haber steps down from her leadership role June 30, she leaves behind a School of Liberal Arts that is bigger, better, and bolder than it was ten years ago. Hired in July 2008 to chart a fresh course for the school—which was founded under a university-wide reorganization plan after Hurricane Katrina—Haber tackled the lingering challenges with vigor and determination. But it wasn’t always easy. “We absolutely did not exist,” she said of the SLA’s lack of identity.
Although trained as a historian, Haber’s grasp of the future was as detailed as her understanding of the past. With input from faculty and staff, she crafted a vision that sealed the school’s reputation as a paragon of innovation and a flourishing hub for the liberal arts. From that vision sprang what Haber considers two of her supreme achievements: the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South, founded in 2011 to celebrate the city’s gumbo of diverse cultures; and SLAMM—the School of Liberal Arts Management Minor, first offered in 2015 to teach management skills to non-business majors.
Haber also oversaw the rejuvenation of numerous doctoral programs; the creation of the Department of Jewish Studies and a PhD program in aging studies; and the establishment of several endowed chairs. In addition, she championed new summer programs such as the Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry option and the Mandel-Palagye Program for Middle East Peace. The SLA is now an academic powerhouse, teaching 43 percent of Tulane undergraduates and offering 47 majors as the largest of the university’s nine schools.
“I’m most proud of the community we created in SLA.”
To honor her service, the Dean’s Advisory Council is establishing the Carole Haber Dean’s Endowed Fund for Innovation. The fund will provide future SLA deans with the discretionary funds to launch ambitious new programs and courses, acquire key equipment and improve physical spaces for students and faculty. To contribute, contact Christiane Walker, Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts.
Haber’s commitment to Tulane remains steadfast. After a sabbatical, she will return as a professor. She also plans to turn her book The Trials of Laura Fair into a movie. Looking back on her many accomplishments as dean, Haber declared, “I’m most proud of the community we created in SLA.”
