Now that graduation has come and gone, some normalcy returns to the campus. The summer landscaping is nearly completed, summer school is up and running and many of you are thinking about summer vacation. I suggest these relevant updates are useful.

COMMENCEMENT

Thanks to all of you who worked so diligently to produce what may have been one of the most successful set of commencement ceremonies yet! From across all divisions of the University, staff, faculty, students, and administration came together to plan, prepare and orchestrate a memorable occasion for our graduates. The response from parents and students alike has been consistently positive.

Equally beautiful was the Baccalaureate Mass on Friday afternoon. Again, this was a team effort, which resulted in the most meaningful event of the weekend. It was a graced moment as some 2,100 people joined in a prayer of gratitude for the achievements of our graduates and the successes of the 2004-05 academic year.

CONSTRUCTION

A platoon of bulldozers now occupies the east side of the campus and determines the flow of traffic on Cuming, Burt and 24th Streets. Over the last months, I have informed you about the congestion and challenge that we will face during the construction of the parking structures. That reality is now upon us!

As promised there is a "construction update" available on the University website. Creighton Today features an icon that takes you to the most timely construction information. It will be updated frequently to keep you current on the most recent construction schedules and traffic patterns.

BEST PLACES TO WORK SURVEY

I wanted to take this opportunity to report to you on "The Best Places to Work 2005" survey. If you recall back in February, I asked our Human Resources division to promote this survey to our campus community. I am pleased to report to you that about 40 percent of us participated. Thank you for responding. It was gratifying to see that so many of us care deeply about our campus community. We care about our future, and we all want Creighton University to be the best working environment it can be. Again, thank you for the time and care you put into your answers. The results, feedback and ideas from this survey will help our entire campus continue to be one of the best places to work in Omaha!

At the end of this week, you will all receive a Human Resource Bulletin that is dedicated to the 2005 survey results. I have instructed Human Resources to point out both the highlights and the concerns that surfaced from this survey. A third section will compare Creighton’s results with those of other large employers (defined as 250 employees or more) who participated in the survey.

The real strength of any such survey is how one uses it to strengthen areas where we are doing well and improve areas that need attention. Some of the challenges we are presently addressing, while others will call for new initiatives and resources. Included at the end of the Bulletin is a list of six initial initiatives to address our concerns and to continue to strengthen areas in which we are doing well.

These initiatives are the beginning of a journey that we will take together. I am encouraged by many of the themes resulting from the survey, and I see opportunities where we can improve. I want to thank you in advance for your ongoing commitment to Creighton University; you each make a difference here! Together we will evaluate our progress, together we will check our pulse, and together we will find ways to make Creighton University THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE. I will update you periodically regarding the progress being made. Again, thank you for your participation in both the survey and in helping shape our future.

ADMISSIONS

As of Monday, the admissions numbers were looking very promising. We may well have one of the better subscribed first-year classes in recent times. The diversity of the class is looking very positive; that includes ethnic as well as regional diversity. The academic profile and preparation of the class is very impressive. A more detailed description of the class of 2009 will be provided in August. Enrollments for ALL of the professional programs are running at budget or better than our budget projections.

Enjoy the days of spring; take a walk on the California Street Mall and see the beginnings of the blossoms of summer.

John P. Schlegel, S.J.
President