USD President's Report 2009

' Letter from the )President

hen l reflect on those institutions where l 1 ve served as president over the past two decades 1 l realize that in each case 1 their stories are a mix of comedy 1 tragedy and history. This perspective has been comforting during a time when so many colleges and universities are buffeted by the w ind shear of

our weakened economy. Here at USD 1

the most noticeable evidence has been felt through our interaction with

many students and their families seeking additional financial aid. Yes 1 our endowment is down while requests for more financial aid and more support for programs and equipment are up. Cranted 1 t imes are tough 1 but the experience of having led three institutions has taught me that 1 in every case 1 they survived and flourished despite moments in their narra- tives that were much 1 much worse than our current one. What sustained each of them was the recognition that everyone had to pull together to make it through the hard times. This is 1 of course 1 the case when it comes to the University of San Diego. When resources were scarce 1 as they were for many years 1 our community kept its collective focus on the important things and kept moving forward. Think about the origins of this university. Think of the nonstop labor of the sisters who opened the College for Women 1 teaching by day 1 gardening after work and supervising the student residents by night. Think about the many lay men and women who taught [aw in the even ings after a long day in the office 1 and then assumed teaching ass ignments 1 advising and committee responsibilities that tested their stamina and destined them to lives of frugality.