Student aid is the biggest recipient of Generations
By LAURA ROMPF
In Focus Writer
State-of-the-art facilities. Smaller class sizes. More financial aid. New library collections.
While money donated to the University often goes unnoticed by the student population, the $1.06 billion pledged during the recent Generations Campaign will impact the daily lives of students both now and in the future.
"This campaign was called a campaign for Notre Dame students and a lot of planning went in to make sure it is exactly that," said Richard Warner, director of Campus Ministry. "It will make a large difference in the education of Notre Dame students."
The campaign outlined six different categories where aid is needed: students, faculty, libraries, colleges and institutions, physical facilities and current operations.
The top priority was undergraduate financial aid. More than $164 million was raised for scholarships and, as a result, the University has been able to dramatically improve its financial aid packages over the last decade.
"I never used to hear people talk about Notre Dame as a place where they got exceptionally good financial aid," said Father Tim Scully, executive vice president. "Now I hear sometimes we give them the best package. That is a massive sea change, I think."
There have been big changes in student aid, but that is hardly the only area in which Generations is changing the face of Notre Dame.
The Library
"The Generations funding will do great things for the library," said Jennifer Younger, director of University libraries. Younger said $8 million will go to renovating the basement of the 14-floor tower and other funds will create 150 new endowed collections.
"The money from these endowments will go to enhance the library collections and impact technology. We will be able to offer new and innovative library services," Younger said. "It will have a tremendous positive impact on the ability of the library to provide information service to the campus."
Some of the endowments will add library collections in globalization, Irish studies, Mediaeval studies and critical technology, Younger said.
"The most tangible benefit for students will be the improved quality of the library collection — the books on the shelves, the available technology and the expanded electronic resources," Younger said. "It will positively change the design in a broad way the design of information services."
The Law School
The campaign's donations go beyond undergraduate education. One big beneficiary is Notre Dame Law School, which raised more than $33 million.
"Our plan for the funds will mirror that of the University's overall campaign," said Glenn Rosswurm, director of Law School Advancement. "We will increase financial aid for student fellowships, improve the library and create chair professor fellowships."
Rosswurm said nearly one-third of the Law School's fund will go to financial aid because the average debt for a Notre Dame law student is $62,000.
"Generations will make legal education at Notre Dame more affordable for students who have always dreamed of coming to Notre Dame," he said.
"To the extent we can alleviate the [tuition] burden, it will present a real tangible benefit to our students."
Rosswurm said the Campaign contributed $2.6 million to the Kresge Law Library. That money will contribute to new library collections in a range of subjects.
"Increasing the number of library collections enhances the library and is essential to be a top law school," Rosswurm said.
But perhaps the most substantial benefit to the law school is the creation of professor fellowships, according to Rosswurm. For example, the world's leading natural law theorist, John Finnis, will spend one semester a year at Notre Dame.
"The campaign created a chair position in the law school that attracted someone of his international status," Rosswurm said. "This is one of the largest benefits of the Generations Campaign within the Law School — to bring in world class professors."
The College of Arts and Letters
More than half of the credit hours earned each year by undergraduate students are taken in the College of Arts and Letters. Accordingly, many of the funds from Generations will benefit that college.
A number of chaired professors were added to Arts and Letters and the Endowments for Excellence will help with non-salary funding, said Mark Roche, dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
The financial aid benefits of the Generations campaign have already indirectly benefited the College, Roche said.
"It has helped us attract the most outstanding students which has improved the intellectual atmosphere in the classroom," he said.
Originally, Generations was supposed to create a doctoral program for the College, but Roche said a need for space arose.
"The new Theology and Philosophy building was not part of the original Generations Campaign, but as money was raised, new priorities arose," Roche said. "The College was given money for the new building instead of a new doctoral program."
Roche said the campaign's funding will pay for more professors, which in turn will reduce class size and improve overall education.
"I think it will make a tremendous impact," he said. "It will help attract the most outstanding faculty and students in the country, which enhances classroom learning."
Campus Ministry
On March 19, students will see a large benefit from the Generations Campaign: the new Coleman Morse Center, located between Badin Hall and Walsh Hall. It will house the First Year of Studies, athletic advising, and Campus Ministry.
"The new building will be absolutely superb," Warner said. "For the first time, we will all be in the same place — all our services will be in the same area."
Warner said the building will include a CSC satellite office, social space that will remain open almost 24 hours and food services that will be open on the weekends.
"Students can come to study, hang out or whatever. Our retreat teams can meet there ... We have office space on the first floor where our retreats will be centered," Warner said. "It's amazing what they have given us."
The building includes a new chapel, called Notre Dame Our Mother, which was donated by Tom Coleman, who also gave money to renovate the Basilica.
Besides the new building, Warner said Campus Ministry will benefit in other ways from Generations.
"The campaign provided support for our catechist program, where we send students out to teach CCD classes," he said. "It will also support our choirs and has added renovations to the Basilica."
Odds and Ends
Besides the library, Law School, College of Arts and Letter and Campus Ministry, the Generations Campaign will also benefit students in other areas.
Generations helped the Snite Museum add several new collections, said museum director Chuck Loving. The John D. Reilly collection provides the museum with old master drawings, the Lake family donated a major collection of pre-Columbian objects and the Ashbaugh family provided funding for an educational center within the museum. They also helped create an endowment for educational activities within the center.
Generations funding will help provide chemical abuse counseling, enhance fine and performing arts at the University, and helped pay for the $58 million Main Building renovation.
Overall, Generations exceeded all expectations, raising nearly $300,000 more than its original goal.
"Generations not only helped Campus Ministry, but increased financial aid to students, will improve the library, added chaired faculty members and created much needed space," Warner said. "It will make a large difference in the overall education of Notre Dame students."
All News Stories for Monday, March 19, 2001
