As we begin the new academic year, welcome back to the faculty and welcome to all new members of the Creighton community. By all indications the new school year has gotten off to a good start.

I want to thank all of those folks who assisted with freshman welcome and orientation events. Parents and students alike were very appreciative of the highly professional, yet personal, way in which they were welcomed to the campus. There were many laudatory comments about the personal care they experienced, as well as the appearance of the campus and landscaping. So thank you!

I also want to thank our Facilities and Public Safety staff for an excellent job under some challenging conditions.

As we begin the 2003-04 academic year there are several updates that will be helpful to all of you.

• Dr. Cam Enarson, MD, MBA has been hired as Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice President for Health Sciences. Cam comes to Creighton from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He will be on board at the end of September. With this appointment the executive team is complete. “We are ready to roll!”
• You should have heard by now that Creighton has been ranked the number one “Comprehensive University in the Midwest” by US News and World Report. This is the sixth time since 1996 that Creighton was ranked “numero uno.” What is of equal interest is that we were also ranked in the top 39 schools—nationwide—in a new category focused on undergraduate research and creative projects. Thanks to all of you who continue to do an excellent job as teacher-scholars-mentors.
• If the campus seems a bit more crowded this fall, it is! We have a significant increase in first time students (+17%), retention was good, and all of the professional programs are well subscribed. The exact census will be reported in a few weeks. Thank you, to all of our Admissions and Financial Aid teams across the University.
• On the construction front, the renovations of Rigge Science and the Criss buildings are progressing on or near schedule. Some completion dates will be later in the semester or in early January. Your patience is appreciated. But I do want to thank the faculty and staff of those two facilities for their input into the renovation project. The end result will be worth the wait. It has been, by and large, a positive exercise in cooperation across divisions.
• The soccer field is “in play.” Creighton’s nationally respected programs now have a genuine “home field.” The stadium and additional infrastructure will take shape as the year progresses. The game on Friday, August 29th should not be missed!
• September 2nd is the official birthday of Creighton College. So come celebrate with lunch and cake on the mall. There will be a 10:00 a.m. press conference to launch the official start of the CU 125 celebrations, to unveil the University’s Campus Master Plan, and other significant announcements. All are welcome!
• Creighton’s mission is to educate women and men to be leaders in their careers and professions and to be of service to the world community. Throughout this 125th year of celebration of Creighton’s existence, we will be collecting information about Creighton’s community service locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. This information will help all of us understand the impact the Creighton family had 125 years ago when Creighton opened its doors on September 2, 1878. Please complete the surveys for information that will be issued by your Community Relations Contacts in your area. The data will be collected in December 2003.

Again, welcome to the new academic year. As I told the freshmen, this will be a memorable, exciting and energizing year for the entire Creighton community.

John P. Schlegel, S.J.
President