USD President's Report 2004

R etired Admiral Stanley R. Arthur addressed "Ethics from th e Battlefield to the Boardroom," during th e Oct. 13 Stockdale Leadership and Ethics Symposium. Arthur is president of Lockh eed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando.

hosted th e court in 1977 when its Grace Courtroom opened, made the rece nt session a ce nterpiece of its 50th anniversary celebration . In the audience were hundreds of high school students the court hoped to interest in the law. The court didn 't pick small issues for its foray into San Diego, dealing w ith such weighty issues as whether th e mentally retarded should be spared th e death penalty. This year, th e volleyball team reached its highest-ever national rank- ing, notched 24 victories against only five losses, scorched through th e West Coast Conference with a perfect 14-0 record , hosted th e first two rounds of the N CAA Tournament at the J enny C raig Pavilion, became the first Division I team in USD hi story to reach th e fin al 16 of a nati onal tournament and boasted th e WCC 's Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Defensive Player of th e Year. T he squad eventually ea rned a No. 11 national ranking from the American VolleybaU Coaches Association , and won six times against AVCA top 25 oppo nents. The Toreros reeled off 18 consecutive victories before their final loss of th e season, in the Dec. 10 N C AA regional against USC, a two-time national champi onship team.

Meeting up with former classmates is always a highlight of each year's Hom ecoming festivities.

Alumni desce nded on the campus for tours, tailgate parties, a football game and other Homecoming acti vities th e weekend of Oct. 14. In addition to class reunions , there were special parti es for each decade 's graduates. The Toreros defeated Valparaiso 49-14 in th e Homecorning football game. The average age on campu s crept up as parents joined th eir sons and daughters for classes, receptions and Mass during Family Weekend, which bega n Oct. 22. The men's basketball team earned its first appearance in the 16-team Preseason National Invitation Tournament on Nov. 16, facing th e University of Ari zona Wildca ts. The annual alumni Mass and reception brought togeth er hundreds of alumni who celebrated Mass on Dec. 4 in Founders Chapel. The event was among several alumn i Masses hosted throu ghout th e natio n durin g th e holiday season.

The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments o n cases when it sat in special session at USD Dec. 7- 9. The law school, whi ch first

The volleyball team used its home-court advantage to make headlines and team history this yea r