Greetings to one and all! Vacations have ended, students have returned, parking is congested, so we know the new academic year is about to unfold around us. Let me begin the year with some items that will be useful and informative.

RECOGNITIONS

We begin the year with the good news that Creighton is again ranked the #1 comprehensive/master's granting institution in the Midwest. For the eighth time in 10 years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Creighton as the premier institution in its category in the Midwest. Congratulations to all of you! This accomplishment is due to your efforts in and out of the classroom and laboratory. Whatever role you play at Creighton, you are responsible for our attaining this accolade, yet again. Thank you for what you do to make our students’ experiences so positive.

At the same time, I am very pleased to note that the California Street Mall renovation has been awarded the coveted "Architectural Landscaping Citation" for the finest campus renovation on a college campus for the 2004-05 year. The Association of School and University Architects gives but one citation annually in the landscaping category! The same association acknowledged/awarded the Creighton University Campus Master Plan as one of the top three in the country for the 2004-05 academic year. We must be doing something right. We certainly have garnered the attention of folks beyond the campus! Be sure to take a stroll down the mall during some quiet time. I would also like to thank our facilities people and grounds keepers who have worked so diligently throughout the (hot) summer to maintain the grounds in such an excellent manner.

ADMISSIONS/ENROLLMENT

The construction scene is changing daily; a few highlights:

• The west end of the California Street Mall is almost completed; a water feature beyond Gallagher Hall will be operational in mid-September.
• The parking structures are moving forward. It is too early to tell what progress is being made because the footprints are so large. Judging from the size of the dirt mounds and the number of cement trucks working daily, I suspect we soon will start seeing progress.
• The footings are being poured for Phase II of the junior-senior town homes. The design is complete and construction has begun for an August 2006 completion date.
• The Skutt Student Center renovations on the lower level are on schedule. While it will be functional over this very busy weekend, some tweaking remains to be done before the project is completed. The new configuration has a much more open and easy flow to it.
• The Cuming Street conversion to two-way traffic is close to schedule. The ramp to Highway 75 and the two-way flow through 30th Street should be operational in a few weeks. The traffic flow will be much better and safer for vehicular and pedestrian traffic alike. The conversion of Burt Street to two-way traffic should be completed later in the fall.
• Please consult the CONSTRUCTION ICON in the upper left-hand corner of the online Creighton Today (www.creightontoday.org) for the most updated construction and parking information.

PARKING

It's pretty hard not to notice the two parking structures going up on campus. The structures will house a total of almost 1,100 stalls, with 640 located at 24th & Burt and 450 at 20th & Cass. The structures are scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the second semester in January 2006 and will provide significant relief to our campus parking situation.

A number of provisions have been made to accommodate parking needs this fall, including a series of temporary lots along Florence Boulevard (19th Street), serviced by a new shuttle route. Construction associated with the Cuming Street project creates additional challenges to moving about the campus, but this project should be completed at the end of September, resulting in long-needed improvements in the traffic flow in and around campus. Please exercise additional caution and patience when moving around campus this fall. Construction updates, temporary parking and shuttle information and associated maps can be found by clicking the construction icon in the Creighton Today (www.creightontoday.org) and on the Shuttle Services webpage (http://www2.creighton.edu/adminfinance/shuttleservices/).

Let me end by reiterating what I wrote to you in the last several updates. As the new year begins, parking will be a challenge. While there are more than adequate parking stalls, the distance from where you want to be may appear daunting, especially in inclement weather. However, the shuttle service has been enhanced and the schedules extended so as to make this as pleasant an experience as possible. I ask you to understand that we are going through this as a community. The results, come January, will be transforming. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Enjoy the new year!

P.S.

Just a reminder that the Omaha Symphony will be hosting a free concert at the Michael G. Morrison, S.J. Stadium on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

John P. Schlegel, S.J.
President