Good afternoon. Welcome to the annual Founders Day Convocation and Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all of today’s award recipients and a warm welcome to their guests.
The purposes for calling you together are many. To cite but three: to thank you, to inform you, and to challenge you.
I begin by thanking you for what you have done and continue to do for Creighton University. Good things are happening here and all of you are a part of that success.
In what follows I hope to be both informative and challenging. I will briefly revisit comments from my 125th anniversary address, update you on the results of a recent Strategic Planning Retreat, and end by sharing with you exciting plans for future development. All of these are components of Creighton’s Willed Future!
We realize that higher education is changing dramatically. Creighton University has faced many challenges in its 126-year history, and each time, guided by its mission, it has courageously transformed itself-growing from a small, local school into a leading Jesuit Catholic university. Knowing this, we face the future with strong faith, renewed spirit and bold confidence.
Last year, I noted three general trends in the external environment that could not be ignored. These challenges have not dissipated in the past months.
1. Demographics as a first factor:
- Over the next decade, Nebraska will experience a 7 percent decline in high school graduates and Iowa will face an 8 percent decline. The same is true of all of our present feeder states. The growth will be in the western Sunbelt, Florida and the Southeast; that growth will be significant.
- By 2020, the minority population will be 35 percent of the nation’s population.
- By 2015, 64 percent of America’s student population will be students of color.
- Global terrorism will continue to have a negative impact on the flow of international students to America’s campuses
Obviously Creighton must address these factors as we shape our future enrollments. These challenges are real and not in our control. Recent success in enrolling new students is due to our managed approach to recruitment, while recognizing these trends.
2. Economics in another significant factor:
- Revenue shortfalls will continue to plague state budgets resulting in reduced support for state-funded institutions. These institutions will turn to the private sector to make up the shortfall. We are already experiencing this competition. At the same time, these institutions, experiencing the same demographic pressures as Creighton, will aggressively recruit the same students we do.
- Other economic considerations include college costs, affordability and access; the debt burden of our graduates; long-term endowment performance; fund raising opportunities for the shrinking philanthropic dollar; and the increasingly costly federally mandated regulations across all educational and health care institutions.
3. Technology is the third factor, changing the way we live.
- Technology is changing the face of the University. The reality is that the fundamental activities of the University are being deeply affected by ever-evolving technological factors.
- It has been noted: "Because information technology changes the relationship between people and knowledge, it is likely to have a profound impact on both the mission and function of the university." (Futures Forum 2003, p.13.)
Last year I stood before you anxious to move forward on many fronts; reminding all of us that we need to take "bold steps" to create the future. I want to take a moment to chronicle the steps we have taken together since then.
The engine driving our momentum has been commitment to academic quality and our focus on student-centered learning. I shared with you one year ago that we would place importance on assessment and academic quality. We are doing that. Through the VP for Academic Affairs Office, we are fully under way with program reviews and our important accreditation assessment for the Higher Learning Commission. The same thorough program review and accreditation preparation is taking place in the Health Sciences.
Guided by Prof. Wiseman and Dr. Enarson, joint academic fora bridge our campus and focus on an emerging theme for us, namely, "Connecting and Collaborating" between undergraduate and professional disciplines. The recent conversation between the law and medical faculties and the University-wide academic forum on April 26 affirms this point. It is also important to continue the conversation, presently enjoined by the Academic Council, surrounding the place of scholarship in the rank and tenure process.
A year ago, I told you that Creighton would place emphasis on enhancing and growing our core applications and campus infrastructure and take beginning steps to seamlessly integrate our learning community and build our Learning Network.
- To date we have implemented a unified email and calendar system.
- We have extended our wireless network, and we have been recognized as one of the 50 best campuses with wireless access.
- We have made major strides in the implementation of our student information system.
- And we have almost doubled our technology-rich teaching spaces.
Last February, I challenged all of you to help move Creighton from a position of regional dominance into national prominence in selected areas. We are making progress.
- The $50 million gift has propelled Creighton onto the national stage-largest gift from a living alumnus of any Catholic university in the country.
- The visit of the Superior General of the world-wide Jesuit order, Peter Hans Kolvenbach, garnered international attention and inspired us to greater collaboration around our Jesuit mission and Catholic identity.
- We received national rankings for quality education, student research opportunities, wireless access and service. Our most recent buildings have been cited nationally for architectural distinction (Hixson-Lied/Morrison Stadium).
- Creighton’s 2004 freshmen academic profile is ranked #9 of all Catholic colleges/universities in the country; that same profile ranks Creighton #5 out of all private Midwestern universities with enrollment over 3,000. We rank above some familiar household names.
- Creighton is recognized for national leaders in research in hereditary cancer, bone density, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
Add to that: record enrollments, solid retention, a healthy graduation rate, an increase in minority students, record-breaking fund raising, successful athletic programs, recognized faculty research and publications, enhanced external research funding, a healthy 17.4 percent return on endowment investment, a favorable year-to-date results in FY 04 and FY 05, continued generosity of service to the community, an online ministry that gets a million-plus hits monthly, and renewed respect locally and beyond. It is these elements and so much more that position Creighton to plan strategically for the future. These are the tools, the building blocks, for a Willed Future.
All of these accomplishments could not have happened without you. For that, I am truly grateful. Thank you!
Over the last year, the Cabinet and I have been working on implementing and refreshing our Strategic Plan, Project 125. Under the guidance of Drs. Tom Purcell and Scott Chadwick, and with input from all the deans and several faculty and staff experts, we have expanded our understanding of our internal strengths and weaknesses, and the threats and opportunities that we face.
On Jan. 25, the Cabinet met for a day-long planning retreat. Building on our understanding of the existing Project 125 priorities, we identified the most pressing strategic issues that we must address in trying to achieve our vision: "Creighton University will be one of the top five faith-based master’s comprehensive 1 universities in the United States and the Jesuit school of choice in its region."
- The first of four strategic issues that must be addressed immediately is enrollment.
How do we attract, admit and retain students with the desired qualities and in sufficient quantities to enable us to thrive as a university?
I touched on this challenge earlier: shrinking and shifting demographics, the browning of America, the geopolitical landscape and the vanishing male student all contribute to the timeliness of this issue.
This is of strategic importance because we are tuition driven; the consequence of a shortfall in admissions or retention is the very financial health and stability of the institution.
At the same time, if we do not attract and enroll students from the shifting minority populations, it is unlikely we will achieve our diversity objectives. I believe we need a diverse student population in order to thrive as a university. While there is no crisis in the offing, we must be vigilant and proactive in a strategic manner.
- The second strategic issue needing immediate attention deals with how we do our business.
How do we revise the University’s business model to decrease dependency on tuition and clinical income yet allow for opportunities to secure additional funding that will be allocated to prioritized programs to complete Creighton’s mission?
Underlying this issue is a cumbersome budget process that lacks transparency and is not necessarily linked to the Strategic Planning process. It works, but it could be better.
At the same time, our current business model is based on serving traditional four-year, full-time undergraduate students and primarily full-time professional and graduate students. Is this our future? That is an open question. I predict tuition and clinical income from such programs will not be sufficient to sustain our desired growth.
In our attempt to garner increased endowed chairs and program support, scholarship endowment and attract extramural research dollars, as well as additional transforming gifts, we will change the way we do fund raising. Our pool of potential donors is under-tapped as our horizons are expanding.
If we do not address this issue strategically, we risk losing donors to other institutions. We will not have enough revenue to meet strategic needs. Also our limited resources may be allocated sub-optimally.
- A third strategic issue concerns infrastructure.
How will we ensure that our existing and future infrastructures and support systems enhance our ability to fulfill our core purposes of student learning, patient care and service to the community?
The assumptions here concern technology not being effectively integrated into academic and patient care practices. Some infrastructure support areas are not adequately assisting these units in attaining their mission. There are only modest funds set aside and few systems in place to renew or replace existing physical infrastructure. At the same time, the most recent enhancements of our facilities have created positive momentum among our internal and external stakeholders, communities and potential students.
If we do not move on enhancing the infrastructure, that momentum could be lost. The University will operate inefficiently and with reduced effectiveness. Failure to address infrastructure issues puts at risk our ability to design and deliver living and learning environments that are adopted to future students’ unique learning dynamics.
- The last strategic issue needing attention focuses on research (and scholarship).
How will we increase the capacity for research, especially in biomedical and health science areas and in other appropriate areas across the University, so we can take advantage of extramural funding opportunities, improve our national stature and enhance student learning and patient care?
There are untapped sources of federal extramural research funding that match our areas of biomedical and life sciences expertise. Enhancing extramural research funding in the biomedical and life sciences areas will have a synergistic effect on the entire health science enterprise, as well as on the basic sciences and supporting core areas across the University.
While Creighton is recognized as a national leader in undergraduate research, more could be done to systematically and strategically integrate research into the learning experiences across undergraduate and professional programs.
Of course, failure to address this issue will have negative effects on revenue, national stature and faculty retention. Failure to address this issue would also limit the opportunities for students to engage in collaborative research with faculty.
While there are other pressing strategic issues, the Cabinet settled on these four to be addressed in a systematic and strategic way in the months ahead.
We will integrate these newly identified strategic issues into the existing Strategic Plan, seeking input from all deans, department heads, faculty and staff to develop strategies and tactics to answer these issues and the questions they raise. We will refresh Project 125 on an annual basis, link the plan to our budgeting process, and infuse a strategic focus into our student learning, patient care and service activity.
With a vision articulated, this planning in place, and a resolve to acquire the resources necessary to achieve these lofty goals, all of us must be engaged to assure success.
As we view these strategic challenges, we must recognize that progress is being made in some of these areas. Since 2001, we have acquired five new endowed chairs, several endowed professorships, the Werner Institute for Alternative Dispute Resolution, and added 20 acres to the west and east campus. In addition, we have invested $100 million in the infrastructure - new construction, renovation, technology enhancements and campus beautification.
The Cuming Street Project will greatly assist the flow of traffic in and around campus. The walk to/from the Med Center campus will be safer and more aesthetically pleasing by August 2005.
The generous Christmas gift of $50 million from a grateful and enthusiastic alumnus will assist us in achieving our goals, as well as assisting us in raising the bar for other donors in the course of our next campaign.
Today, I am announcing three new initiatives that will significantly enhance the quality of campus life and the services we provide, while also addressing the foci of Project 125 and the Campus Master Plan. At the same time, it will raise the visibility of Creighton in Omaha and beyond.
- Because of the evident success and popularity of Davis Square, the construction of Phase II of the junior/senior town homes will begin in early summer.
- We will target a July 2006 completion date. The capacity of the buildings will be 300+ occupants.
- The site is the full block southeast of Davis Square presently occupied by the Murphy Building. The occupants of the Murphy Building will be relocated elsewhere on or proximate to campus.
- The project will be designed and built by Opus Northwest Construction Company. It will be funded by student rents and gifts.
- My predecessor, Mike Morrison, told me never to succumb to the siren calls of a parking structure. Well, sorry Mike, forgive my weakness! We will begin the construction of not one but two parking structures in May 2005.
- Capacity will be 1,100 stalls and new, more centrally located Public Safety offices.
- One structure will be sited along 24th Street, between Burt and California streets, and the other on the existing parking lot proximate to the Law School.
- They will be designed by HBA Architects and built by Kiewit Construction.
- Initial funding will be a tax-exempt bond issuance supported by increased parking fees and operating budget. (Yes, fees will go up!)
- Temporary parking capacity replacement will be secured proximate to campus and associated shuttle services will be required for the fall semester 2005. Suffice it to say that the cost of progress will be a challenging parking situation from May 2005 to January 2006.
- A third project is a Student Living-Learning Center that will creatively integrate traditional Student Services with Academic Support Services and leisure, recreational, classroom/seminar and meeting space.
- This will be a large building. It will serve as the front door and the living room of the campus.
- It will be located at the Epsen Hillmer site on 20th and California across Webster Street from Davis Square.
- It will be designed and built by Opus Northwest Construction Company.
- It will be totally funded by gifts, primarily drawing down an initial $25 million from our anonymous gift. Additional gifts will be solicited to address added cost and operating costs.
- Demolition/construction is to start fall 2005; expected completion in 2007.
Let me end with some closing observations.
While not being Pollyannaish, I can say with great confidence that things are going well; you are good and what you do for Creighton is good; our community is good.
We are ambitious but not over-stepping our mark, nor living beyond our means. (But we do sail close to the water.) We are not risking or mortgaging the future. We are enhancing our assets. We are investing in a future in which we can all be proud; a future in which each of us has a role to play.
We remain true to our mission and identity as a Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition.
Ours is a focused, planned and willed future!
To close, I cite St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, who wrote in the constitutions of the Society of Jesus: "The greater the good, the more divine the work."
There is great good being done by Creighton in its classrooms, laboratories, hospitals, clinics and service outreach. We pray our God continues to bless this enterprise and bless each of you. Thank you!