Dear University Community:
I write to inform you that I have today advised the University’s
Board of Trustees of my intention to retire as President of St.
John’s, effective July 31, 2013.
This month marks the 40th anniversary of my ordination as a
Vincentian priest. As I look back on my priesthood, I am struck by
the fact that I have spent 29 of those years as a university
president, 5 at Niagara University and then 24 here at St. John’s.
The challenges, satisfaction, and responsibilities of this position
have always been considerable for me; what we have been able to
accomplish together, as a University community, has given this work
meaning and value. And the spirit of collegiality and collaboration
that is the hallmark of St. John’s has made our progress possible.
Nonetheless, for quite a while, I have been thinking about when
would be the best time to relinquish the leadership role to
younger, perhaps more energetic, individuals. The urgings of many
members of the Board of Trustees and others persuaded me to remain
longer than I had originally planned. But the difficulties for
everyone during the past year have convinced me, after much prayer
and reflection, that the time to leave the presidency has now
come.
I do this with the firm conviction that the vision I held for
this institution has largely been fulfilled. The University has,
indeed, been transformed into a “new” St. John’s, with enhanced
facilities, expanded academic initiatives, and an increasing global
presence. The transition to residence life for what had been, for
129 years, an exclusively commuter institution has been achieved.
Construction or renovation of more than twenty buildings on both
the Queens and Staten Island campuses, including not only residence
halls but other major academic and recreational facilities, has
enriched the collegiate experience of all students. New academic
programs, many of them designed to provide preparation for emerging
professional opportunities, have been launched; distance learning
has been successfully implemented; and the core curriculum was
revised. Acquisition of the Manhattan campus, with its
distinguished School of Risk Management, and the Oakdale facility,
which has become a vibrant center for graduate study, has increased
the University’s presence and stature within the New York
Metropolitan area. The campus in Rome and the study abroad site in
Paris, along with faculty leadership in internationalizing the
curriculum, have enhanced the University’s ability to prepare
students for the 21st century.
For me, programs and projects to deepen and strengthen our
mission as a Catholic and Vincentian university have had special
significance. St. Thomas More Church, opened in 2005, stands
as the physical and spiritual center of the Queens campus. The
creation of the Mission Office and development of a broad array of
formation programs, including the Vincentian Institute for Social
Action (VISA) and the Ozanam Scholars program, have all served to
embed our Catholic and Vincentian mission—with its concern for
faith-based values, social justice, and service to the poor—ever
deeper into the fabric of the institution. The pervasiveness of
academic service learning, University sponsorship of Bread and
Life, and establishment of the Institute for Catholic Schools have
helped St. John’s to expand its mission within the broader
community.
Enhancing our fiscal profile has assured that we have had the
resources needed to accomplish our goals. I am pleased that during
each of the last 24 years St. John’s has enjoyed a surplus in its
operating budget. In March 2013, the University’s investment
portfolio reached $411 million, highest in our history. As a result
of the extraordinary generosity of our supporters, especially
alumni, our Institutional Advancement successes have been nothing
short of remarkable. Two successful capital campaigns, including
the first in the University’s history, have raised more than $300
million, and the Annual Fund has grown exponentially. Cash
donations to St. John’s have averaged in excess of $18 million
during each of the past five years.
I will leave the presidency cherishing many memories, none more
significant than those associated with the professional and
personal relationships that I have enjoyed. My interactions with
faculty colleagues have been warm and collegial. My own Cabinet,
the deans, the broader university administration, and the staff
have provided support and inspiration through their competence and
dedication. Trustees, alumni, and friends have shared not only
their financial resources, but their time, talent, and wise
counsel. And our students, the alumni of tomorrow, are the
best!
I end this message as I have ended so many others—by voicing my
deepest appreciation to all of the many members of our University
community who have worked with me during these many years to make
St. John’s stronger and better. Let me also take this opportunity
to offer my very best wishes to those who will remain to take the
institution on the next phase of its journey.
