TU SPH&TM INHL and HSM Dept Merger

Dear Dean Buekens and Faculty,

As concerned students, we are petitioning the reorganization of the International Health & Development (INHL) and Health Systems Management (HSM) departments. We understand that health systems management and leadership are integral parts to any public health discipline as well as know that many public health problems are global health problems. However, this does not mean that the departments should be pooled. Joining the two departments will debase both.

While some of us were hesitant to act on the rumor that these two departments were combining at the end of the spring semester, we now see that we should have acted while we had the chance. The currently enrolled students of these departments as well as those enrolling for the fall semester are key stakeholders and should have had a voice in this decision. Many of us applied to Tulane SPH&TM specifically because of the strong, unique, and highly recognized INHL or HSM departments. This issue should have been addressed at a Deans Hour or another public forum before receiving emails about confirmed decisions.

We the undersigned are unhappy about the recent merger of the Health Systems Management and International Health & Development departments. We kindly ask that this decision be reconsidered. If this decision can not be reversed, we ask that all students be notified of the benefits and stipulations of this new program as soon as possible.