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| Pride of Place
By Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., J.C.D. 1990, President |
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Sometimes, when you have been in the same job for an extended period of time, you run the risk of boredom or burnout. As I move forward in my eighth year as president of Catholic University, however, I feel the opposite. I am more excited than I have ever been about the state of our university and the continuing promise of its dynamic growth. My enthusiasm springs from a number of intersecting sources. One is the core academic component of our university. I wish you could have been with me at our retreat in early June when each academic dean presented a status report and laid out concrete plans and a vision for the future. Without exception, the presentations were inspiring as the deans demonstrated how their schools continue to excel in academics but have the potential to become even better. Data confirms this academic excellence. Soon after he arrived last year, W. Michael Hendricks, our vice president for enrollment management, conducted a careful analysis of our prospective and current students. The data he presented to university trustees and administrators showed that CUA continues to compete with top-tier universities for excellent students — but that we must continue to work hard to remain among the best. Another reason I feel so energized is that over the past 18 months we have strengthened our already stellar senior management team with the addition of Julie Englund, our treasurer and vice president for finance and administration; Robert Sullivan, our vice president for university development; and Mr. Hendricks. And, finally, last year’s 49-acre land acquisition is making us think about how we will use our space. We have so many wonderful options to ponder for our 193-acre campus. All of these factors put a spring in my step. Taken together they lead me to this conclusion: CUA is on the cusp of profound, positive change. As long as we continue to be wise stewards, the only question is how quickly this historic change will transpire. I know that many of you care deeply about the university. You have given generously to the “Competitive Edge” campaign to upgrade our athletics facilities and programs, so important to all of us at CUA. Some of you ask me how we intend to use the land we have acquired, how the university is evolving, how solid its academic offerings continue to be. I want you, as alumni, to understand and share my enthusiasm. I wish that I could take each of you on a personal tour of campus and into planning meetings. Since I can’t, I am doing the next best thing. In the pages of this magazine we are kicking off an occasional series of articles called Pride of Place, so that you as alumni can better know the state of your alma mater. In this issue, on Pages 10–15, we focus on our core academic mission as seen through the eyes of our provost and several deans, on CUA’s place in the business of higher education and on some preliminary plans for the university’s campus of the future. In the next issue of CUA Magazine, our Pride of Place article will make the case for the transformation of Cardinal Hall (the former University Center, shown on the cover of this magazine issue) into the university’s new gateway building. This is a transformation that is imperative for our future success, but one that will not occur without alumni support. Why are we calling this series Pride of Place? To demonstrate how proud we continue to be of Catholic University and to let you know that your CUA degree continues to be as valuable as it was when you graduated. We hope you will reciprocate by giving support of Catholic University |
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