May 2022 Board of Trustees Meeting Update

June 1, 2022 

Dear members of the SLU community,

On Friday, May 6, we concluded two days of meetings with the University’s Board of Trustees and the final board meeting of this fiscal year. The meeting was held Friday afternoon in a hybrid format, with a majority of trustees attending the meeting in person. I would like to summarize some of the discussions that took place.

We began the meeting by thanking three long-serving trustees who will be leaving the Board because their terms have ended. They have each served the University with dedication and distinction

• Keith Phoenix: 17 years of service
• Bob Fox: 16 years of service
• Martha Uhlhorn: 16 years of service

In my report to the Board, I shared that we will end this fiscal year with a strong foundation. That includes a budget surplus instead of a projected deficit; strong overall enrollment and growing graduate enrollment; and a continuing commitment to our mission, with the new Jesuit Center a symbol of the vitality of the Jesuit mission on campus.

I reiterated the importance of the recently announced Taylor Geospatial Institute, which will make St. Louis the center of the country’s geospatial research. This transformative and collaborative Institute — to be headquartered at SLU — was made possible by a legacy investment from community leader Andrew C. Taylor, executive chair of Enterprise Holdings.

The University’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, Accelerating Excellence: The Campaign for Saint Louis University, will end on June 30. It will surpass its $500 million goal, and we will celebrate the Campaign’s conclusion in the months ahead. Our trustees led this effort by contributing more than $100 million to the campaign. We should all be thankful for the generosity and commitment of our trustees.

As is the custom at the May Board meeting, the leaders of the Faculty Senate and Student Government Association made presentations to the Board. Faculty Senate President Terry Tomazic, Ph.D., reviewed this academic year from the faculty perspective, and shared some faculty priorities for the coming year. Outgoing SGA President Nandini Fonseca spoke of the SGA’s commitment to wellbeing and mental health support, as well as her appreciation for the inclusion of student voices on so many University committees.

Provost Michael Lewis, Ph.D., and Student Development Vice President Sarah Cunningham, Ed.D., shared with the Board the many ways the University is addressing the urgent need for holistic support for student mental health and wellbeing. They provided information about the unprecedented increase in the number of students requiring immediate interventions, and how we have added resources throughout the year. Dr. Lewis shared with the trustees the work being done by the Student Wellbeing Task Force — which includes representation from across our campuses — in developing a strategic plan to provide support for all of our students. The task force’s recommendations will be coming soon.

On the recommendation of Provost Lewis, the Board approved adding a professional doctorate in Aviation and closing the Master’s in Urban Planning program. These changes conclude the actions that were taken as part of the Academic Program Review that Dr. Lewis led. In all, 34 academic programs have been closed over the past several years as a result of the APR process.

Enrollment and Retention Vice President Kathleen Davis gave the trustees an overview of this fall’s enrollment trends, with overall enrollment — undergraduate, graduate, and transfer.

Research Vice President Ken Olliff shared that his division is developing a new five-year research strategic plan for the University to continue the growth of external research funding that SLU has experienced over the past several years.

The University began FY22 expecting to end the fiscal year with a $10 million deficit, mainly due to the lingering effects of COVID-19. But we were pleased to tell the Board that we will finish this fiscal year instead with a surplus in the range of $20 million. While some of the surplus came from one-time funding, like the CARES act, it still shows the financial strength of the University.

Vice President and CFO David Heimburger presented the FY23 budget for approval by the Board. It is a balanced budget that includes a 4% compensation pool. The trustees voted unanimously to approve the budget.

Reports were also made by the Governance, Medical Education, and Student Development Committees of the Board.

The board meeting concluded with the trustees hearing from three very successful members of our SLU community.

• Rebecca Townley, who this year was named a prestigious Truman Scholar, only the fourth Truman Scholar in SLU history. Rebecca shared her plans for a career in public service, along with her plans for acquiring graduate degree in law and public health.
• Andriana Montaño, Ph.D., who was recently inducted into the national Academy of Inventors. Dr. Montaño discussed her research into the causes and possible treatments for rare diseases, such as Morquio Syndrome, a debilitating condition which occurs in approximately one of every 200,000 births.
• Kevin Kalish, SLU men’s soccer coach, and midfielder John Klein, talked about the success of this year’s season, which saw the team make it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I College Cup Championship. Kalish said he is proud that six SLU players were selected in this year’s MLS draft and that he expects another strong team in the fall. Klein, the team captain who is studying for a graduate degree, talked about how the chemistry of the team helped them have such a successful season.

In conclusion, I want to share again how fortunate we are to have engaged and committed trustees who care deeply about the success of our students, faculty, and staff. It is my honor to work with them in moving SLU to even greater achievements in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D.
President