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Across the Aisle Panel Provides Opportunity for Bipartisan Discourse

Louisiana Senators Patrick Connick and Gary Carter Jr. sit in a classroom in RMH for a panel discussion
Louisiana Senators Patrick Connick, a Republican (left), and Gary Carter Jr., a Democrat (right), speak at Across the Aisle, a gathering organized by the Tulane School of Architecture and Built Environment.

march 6, 2026
BY Emily capdeville

As part of the school's ongoing lecture series celebrating the third edition of The ReView: Common Good, Louisiana Senators Patrick Connick (R) and Gary Carter, Jr. (D) joined faculty Liz Camuti, John Renne and Josh Lewis for a panel discussion focused on infrastructure. Provost Robin Forman introduced the speakers, pointing to the ways that Tulane is at the forefront of promoting civil discourse among people who may disagree.

Robin Forman introduces senators in a large room in RMH
In his introduction, Provost Robin Forman pointed out the strides taken at Tulane to foster the kind of dialogue exhibited at the event

Forman highlighted recent Tulane initiatives like the Future of Energy Forum, the State of the Nation project, the New Orleans Book Fest at Tulane University and the recently announced Tulane Center for Civil Discourse. These programs, events, and organizations seek to promote connections and consensus-building rather than division.

Tulane Faculty moderate a panel on infrastructure and the common good
School faculty, from left, John Renne, Josh Lewis, and Liz Camuti, moderate the discussion about Infrastructure and the Common Good

While the panel focused on infrastructure, one of the main focuses of study within the School of Architecture and Built Environment, its relevance expands far beyond the school, as issues related to infrastructure impact all aspects of people's lives, from health and happiness, to economic security and physical safety. The panel speakers articulated the intersecting involvement of government, business, and education in the creation and maintenance of high quality infrastructure among communities. The event included a robust question and answer session with attendees.

The audience at the Across the Aisle event
A large audience attended the event and posed important questions for the speakers.

The panel discussion was featured in Tulane Today, highlighting the School's commitment to addressing the needs not only of its immediate community members, but also the Tulane, New Orleans, and global communities as well. You can read more on the Tulane University News Page.

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