ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥

March 7, 2022

Dear Members of the ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ Community,

Welcome back to our students! I hope you found the semester break to be restful and restorative. As we head into the last few weeks of the spring semester, I am pleased to provide the following updates.

Hovnanian Hall

I am very pleased to share that the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation of New Jersey has made a $10 million gift to ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥, which will support the renovation of Falvey Memorial Library, and establish the Hovnanian Family Endowed Chair in the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate within the ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ School of Business and the Hovnanian Fund to Support a Speaker Series. In recognition of this generous commitment, Cupola Hall in The Commons will be renamed Hovnanian Hall. A formal dedication for Hovnanian Hall is being planned for a later date. On behalf of the entire ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ community, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Hovnanian family for their generosity and commitment to the University.

Black History Month and Women’s History Month
I hope you all had an opportunity to participate in one of the many events and programsthat took place across campus in honor of Black History Month. I was delighted to see so many student groups, schools, colleges and University departments taking part in the celebration. From Dining Services and Athletics to academic programs and student associations, it has certainly been a University-wide celebration. Many thanks to all who were involved in planning these events for our community.

March is Women’s History Month, and the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership is sponsoring and co-sponsoring a series of events, conversations and more to celebrate women’s leadership throughout the month. For more information on the month-long celebration, visit the McNulty Institute website.

FY 2023 Budget

At its Feb. 8, 2022, meeting, the University's Board of Trustees approved the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023) budget, which includes a tuition increase of 4.25 percent. The tuition increase reflects and will help address the significant inflation present in the U.S. economy. The budget also continues the University’s ongoing commitment to undergraduate financial assistance—the budget for undergraduate financial assistance reflects an increase of 6.7 percent, supported in part by the recent increase in the value of the endowment. The budget provides for significant continued investment in the Strategic Plan, as well as programmatic initiatives. The University now provides more than $140 million in undergraduate financial assistance, an increase of $57 million—or 67%—over the past 10 years.

In February, Moody’s Investors Service raised the University’s credit rating to Aa3 (with a stable outlook) from A1 (with a positive outlook), noting ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥â€™s strong financial management practices and student demand in their commentary. The FY 2023 budget reflects the continuation of the University’s longstanding commitment to financial sustainability.

2020–21 President’s Report
The 2020–21 President’s Report is now available online. The report celebrates ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ students. During a time when, as a society, we were often told to put things on hold, our students continued to innovate, connect and create. Through the pages of the report, you will meet 21 student change-makers who embody what it means to be a ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥n, to take action and remain fully engaged in the world. The stories highlight an impressive sampling of our students’ remarkable accomplishments throughout an unprecedented and challenging year. I hope that you, too, will be inspired by these stories, as a reminder of what is special about ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥. Even in a year like no other, ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ns don’t stop. They lead with vision and purpose, setting a powerful example for our community and our world.

Resources for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response

Every ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥n plays a crucial role in creating a safe environment for community members to live, learn, work and visit. By doing so, ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ can be what our mission and the spirit of Caritas call us to be—a place where mutual love and respect guide all aspects of community life. As a University, we continuously seek to improve our sexual misconduct prevention and response efforts so that we may empower one another in our pursuit of knowledge and service to others. With input from members of our community, a redesigned website was recently launched to raise awareness regarding our resources and processes to help eradicate sexual misconduct and its harmful effects. I encourage you toget connected and learn more by taking advantage of this useful resource. 

Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Students
Once again, ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ has been listed as a top producer of 2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Students by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ had 11 students and alumni win Fulbright awards for the 2021-2022 academic year. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing U.S. colleges and universities are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education. .

ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ Athletics Success

I would also like to recognize the incredible efforts and achievements of our athletic programs. We have several teams and programs, who have won or are competing in BIG EAST championships, and several student-athletes competing in NCAA championships this week. Congratulations to all involved in making these programs a success, and best of luck as you compete this week! Go Cats!

Finally, while masking is optional on campus, the reasons why individuals may choose/need to wear a mask can vary widely, so everyone is expected to show respect in these situations. Therefore, all community members are asked to continue to have a mask with them at all times and put Community First.

Sincerely, 

Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA
President