Commitment and Vision
At Jenkins’ inauguration on September 23, 2005, he stated, “My presidency will be driven by a wholehearted commitment to uniting and integrating these two indispensable and wholly compatible strands of higher learning: academic excellence and religious faith.”
More specifically, Jenkins has articulated a vision for the University that focuses on its being a pre-eminent research institution while maintaining its distinctive Catholic character and long-time excellence in undergraduate education.
During his first four years in office, Notre Dame has made significant progress toward its research goal, including selection as the lead university partner in the Midwest Institute for Nanoelectronics Discovery; the creation of Innovation Park, a tech park located adjacent to the campus; the distribution of $40 million in internal funds for five major faculty research initiatives (with another $40 million designated for five more projects); designation of the University’s Environmental Research Center in Wisconsin as a National Ecological Observatory Network by the National Science Foundation; and the construction of Stinson-Remick Hall of Engineering, a 142,000-square-foot (13,200 m2) facility housing a nanotechnology research center, the University’s new Energy Center, a semiconductor processing and device fabrication clean room, and an undergraduate interdisciplinary learning center.
Jenkins has taken action to reinforce his verbal commitment to the University’s Catholic identity, including the appointment of the Rev. Robert Sullivan as an associate vice president who assists Notre Dame’s colleges, schools, institutes and centers with their academic programs and initiatives that advance the University’s Catholic mission and character. Jenkins has led Notre Dame delegations during his presidency to the Vatican to meet with Church officials, including a brief visit with Pope Benedict XVI; to France to celebrate the beatification of Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the University’s founding religious community; and to Jerusalem to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the University’s Ecumenical Institute.
Although Jenkins has repeatedly vowed to maintain Notre Dame’s identity as a Catholic university, he has not been immune to criticism. More notably, his invitation to President Barack Obama to attend Notre Dame's 2009 commencement ceremony and receive an honorary degree was heavily criticized by some Catholics, including most American bishops, who opposed the invitation because Obama's stance on abortion differs from the official stance of the Catholic Church. He has also been criticized for other decisions such as allowing performances of The Vagina Monologues and showings of gay films on campus. Despite Catholic teaching on the subject, Jenkins' has declined to provide affordable health insurance for student spouses and children, with the result that high percentages of both are uninsured.
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Famous quotes containing the words commitment and/or vision:
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