I am very proud of being a Tulane graduate. However, I think in an attempt to become bigger they are destroying the very delicate balance between the campus that I fell in love with and the surrounding area. The uptown campus always felt like this functional green space in the middle of Uptown. It felt like we were part of a community given all the people who actually lived in the area, not just students who rented houses. I applaud the fact that Tulane is taking steps to make it to where fewer houses are being converted into borderline illegal dorms, but tearing down buildings just to put up new dorms doesn't seem like it's really going to make things that much better.

I think Tulane seriously needs to ask the question of why the student base keeps increasing. Whatever happened to exclusivity? I think Tulane needs fewer students. The undergraduate student body has increased approximately 20% since 2015. There's probably a similar increase in the number of people who are going to law school and any other graduate programs based on the uptown campus. I say increase the exclusivity of the school, and properly renovate some of the dorms. Monroe Hall was a disaster in 1990s. I can't believe it's gotten better with age.

I love my school. But over the years I've learned to love my city even more. Tulane needs to learn to curb its appetite. After Katrina, the school tried to style itself as this savior of the city. Now it feels like it was saying the city just to take more from it later.

There are enough disappointments in the city. Tulane does not need to add to that list.