Santa Clara University

The State of the University, 2004

President Paul Locatell, S.J.

February 24, 2004, The Mission Church

Today is a time to celebrate and congratulate you for making Santa Clara one of the top Catholic, Jesuit universities and top comprehensive universities in the U.S.

There are many outstanding qualities about Santa Clara and we can be even better by addressing honestly those things that need to be improved. The examples I will give along the way are only illustrative of the many great things that faculty, staff, and students are doing.

Let me begin with some reflections by two first-year students about their Santa Clara experience:

“I have never felt more accepted in my life. Fellow students, professors, and staff on the Santa Clara campus make me feel so welcome....Not only am I surviving and learning subjects such as Biology and Calculus, I am learning about different cultures, different ethnicities, and different races.”

“During my first five weeks on campus, I have met a wide range of people with many different points of views and experiences in the dorm, in class and at social events. I have already made a great group of friends. My first few weeks at SCU have definitely opened my eyes to a whole new world. I am learning a lot about issues I was never faced with or heard about. College is a wonderful learning experience and I think Santa Clara’s community is a perfect place for me to grow and learn.”

With these reflections as a context, I would like to reflect on three areas, and then say something about finances, fund-raising, and citizenship.

The questions:

• What does it mean to be a diverse, learning community of excellence?
• What is the student experience at Santa Clara?
• How do faculty make a difference in student learning and the curriculum?