As the academic year winds down in Winona, with commencement slated for Saturday, April 29, and with adult learners continuing their Saint Mary’s education wherever they are along their path, it is a good time to celebrate the progress made and reflect on the many months of good work completed. The year-long effort to advance the strategic plan, create financial stability, and establish a runway for future growth remains grounded in our mission and focused on how we can best serve our current and future students.
At convocation in August 2022, Father Burns noted three areas of concentration key to advancing our strategic plan and financial operating goals:
- Academics
- Enrollment
- Philanthropy
“We would not be able to look ahead with confidence to a hopeful future if not for the herculean effort of so many across the university,” said Father Burns. “In light of the continuing and harsh realities facing all sectors of higher education, particularly private education, we have forged ahead and created our path. We are well aware of the need to change and evolve or risk failure. We knew we needed to take quick and thoughtful action; we did just that this past year, and now we are well-positioned to meet our targeted growth goals and ensure financial stability.”
The president soberly noted several recent headlines that are cause for our communal reflection while being an affirmation of the difficult decisions Saint Mary’s made last year at this time. Those headlines include:
- “Plunging enrollment, financial woes, trustee exodus. Whittier College confronts crisis” (3-31-2023 L.A. Times)
- “Iowa Wesleyan University to close at end of academic year” (3-28-2023 KCRG-TV)
- “Catholic colleges cut humanities programs, citing student interest in other fields” (3-24-2023 National Catholic Reporter)
- “U seeks $97.5M more from lawmakers.” SUBHEAD: “Half the money would help cover decreasing enrollment and resulting tuition shortfalls” (3-11-2023 Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- “College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University to phase out 8 majors, 9 minors” (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 3-10-23)
- “Marymount University cuts English, several other majors.” SUBHEAD: “The Catholic university in Northern Virginia says it is restructuring to expand fields that draw more student interest.” (The Washington Post, 2-24-2023)
- Presentation College Will Close (Inside Higher Ed, 1-18-23)
Our accomplishments to date and future success rely on how well we continue to advance work in academics, enrollment, and philanthropy. The work will require coordination, priority setting, metrics, and clarity around the needs and wants of our students and employers seeking their many skills, gifts, and talents. High-level next steps in these focus areas include:
- Academics — Implement the new general education curriculum; continue to provide students needing teach-out support; imbue all programs with character education and virtue formation; organize optimally to serve student needs through technology, resources, and process improvements; refine and clearly articulate the value differentiators of our programs.
- Enrollment — Track progress diligently now that we have solid goals and metrics in place; increase data access to improve understanding of prospective students’ behaviors and needs; optimize targeted efforts to reach those students most likely to seek what we offer; work closely with marketing and communication to coordinate brand messaging, which drives awareness and interest in the university and its offerings; develop, execute, and optimize an enrollment plan for each school leveraging the gifts of academics, marketing/communications, and enrollment leaders; reach more adult students including those seeking online-only educational options; work consistently to reach our 900 undergraduate student goal and re-establish our place in the adult and graduate education space.
- Philanthropy – Build on the momentum of our largest-ever $25 million gift commitment; generate the $100 million challenge match set as a condition of the anonymous historic gift benefactor; maximize all benefactor giving with an eye of meeting mutually-beneficial goals for benefactors and the university.
Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees supports the priority work in the three areas noted by Father Burns and applauds the significant progress made that is advancing the university’s goals. It also recognizes that implementation and continued efforts are needed to maintain the great momentum underway.
“Strides have been made in all three priority areas as set by Father Burns and endorsed by the board toward the goal of achieving financial stability and serving students, as Saint Mary’s has always done extremely well,” said Terry Russell, Chair, Board of Trustees. “Congratulations to the entire faculty and staff of Saint Mary’s. In light of the challenges the university is facing, Father Burns will continue spending significant time and attention on philanthropy and thought leadership to positively impact the reputation of Saint Mary’s. Strong leadership in academics and enrollment management with the recent hires of Dr. Max Bonilla and Dr. Michael McMahon brings confidence that all three key priorities will continue to advance as they have this year.”
“While there remains much to do, I am also mindful of the many activities, events, and celebrations to be planned or that are being worked on to celebrate where we have come from and where we are headed. I continue to be mindful as well of the need of each one in this community for well-deserved rest, rejuvenation, and enjoyment especially with your families and friends.” said Father Burns. “The work accomplished to date, over the past year, has truly been momentous. We are ahead of the curve in terms of securing the bright future we share. None of this would be possible had we not been living Jesus at the center of our hearts and of our university, which remains a clarion call and the reason for our hope.”
