20 19 Aurora University President ’s Report
A Message from the President
I
am writing this letter just before Christmas 2019, knowing that this report will arrive in your mailbox after the new year dawns. The temperature is slated to drop quickly over the next few days and already the wind gusts are perturbing the lights strung in anticipation of the holiday. Our students are home with their families after a busy fall semester, and faculty soon will submit grades. My “to do” list is long this time of year, but I can’t resist a few moments of shared reflection. As we turned the corner after our 125th anniversary celebration into a new chapter, we asked ourselves important questions about the university. Why, we wondered, is AU continuing to post strong academic, enrollment, and financial results when so many other good colleges and universities are struggling? Certainly, our faculty and staff work very hard. Our students are ambitious, and our donors are generous. Ultimately, all of us are united in pursuit of a singular purpose. We aspire to change the lives of our students (and their families and communities) through learning. Our passion for this mission is authentic and enduring. We are not easily distracted or confused or divided. We know that a high quality AU education will prepare graduates for lives of meaning, service, and leadership. And we continue to make the sacrifices and decisions vital to keeping AU affordable. This season, as in all others, I am so grateful for my colleagues and for you. Let’s do it all again in 2020!
Rebecca L. Sherrick, PhD President
West Suburban Enrollment (Fall 2019) Grand Total
Institution
Aurora University Benedictine University Concordia University Dominican University Elmhurst College Judson University Lewis University North Central College North Park University Olivet Nazarene University Saint Xavier University Trinity Christian College Trinity International University University of St. Francis Wheaton College
3,004 3,768
6,246
2,317
4,401
1,046 3,633 6,176 4,317 3,029 2,922 3,453
2,888 6,359
1,233
17:1
2019 | Fast Facts
Student-Faculty Ratio
74% Freshman Retention Rate
5
1,074
813
35
Bachelor’s Degrees
Master’s Degrees
Doctoral Degrees
44
Top Five Majors by Enrollment » Nursing
139
Number of Majors
» Social Work
» Business Administration
Number of Full-Time Faculty
» Criminal Justice » Psychology
School of Social Work
893
Internships
693
Internship Sites in 22 States
Football
Women’s Volleyball
93%
Women’s Indoor Track and Field and Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field
Nursing Pass Rate for NCLEX-RN Exam
Men’s Soccer
Men’s and Women’s Golf
2019 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Champions
Year in Review
+2.6
Strong Fiscal Health Each year, the U.S. Department of Education classifies every institution of higher education in the United States using a score reflecting its degree of financial responsibility. The score, a composite of three reported ratios, ranges from -1.0 to +3.0. A score greater than 1.5 indicates the institution is financially responsible. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, Aurora University’s composite score was +2.6, ranking the institution in the top echelon of financial stability.
Winning Sports Teams Aurora University athletics experienced a series of accomplishments throughout 2019. Eight AU teams won Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) championships, and 10 teams participated in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship tournaments. The fall of 2019 marked the first time in more than a decade that the Spartans competed in the NCAA football playoffs, and junior quarterback Gavin Zimbelman was named one of five finalists for the 2019 Gagliardi Trophy, the premier individual award in NCAA Division III football. The award recognizes excellence in athletics, academics, and community service.
Student Success
A record four AU nursing students served on the Student Nurses Association of Illinois board of directors, including holding the president and vice president posts.
Student Success AU Chorale and Chamber Choir performed in six towns including Louisville, Kentucky, in 2019, and will embark on its first overseas tour in May 2020 as part of Study Beyond to Ireland, singing in churches and universities across the Emerald Isle.
Fast Track to Graduate Degree AU has ambitious plans to expand its lineup of Plus One programs, a fast track to getting a graduate degree in just one year. The program began in 2018 with the Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration degrees. Enrollment rose from 33 students the first year to 53 students in 2019. In 2020, the program will expand to include the MS in Exercise Science and the MS in Digital Marketing and Design. AU is also offering a five-year track to completing a BS in Exercise Science and MS in Athletic Training. Student Success Initiative AU enhanced its commitment to helping students create meaningful lives and successful careers with the launch of the new Student Success Initiative. Unlike the typical model that treats academic advising and career services as two separate activities, the Student Success Initiative takes a holistic approach by helping students build their lives around what matters most to them. With four Center for Student Success locations, AU meets students where they are at, weaving together academic advising, vocational exploration, and career development into a seamless experience. By working with students well in advance of commencement and throughout their first year as alumni, AU helps students chart their path to success.
Student Success The first group of therapeutic recreation students graduated and 90% secured employment in their field within one month of graduation.
Renovated Music Center and New Parking Deck AU works hard to improve the college campus each year. Over the summer, AU renovated and expanded the Roger and Marilyn Parolini Music Center, adding a new rehearsal hall and six new acoustically controlled, soundproof practice rooms. Meanwhile, as enrollment has soared, the demand for parking at the main campus has increased. To accommodate the university’s expanding population, AU opened a $12-million, four-story parking deck with spaces for more than 500 vehicles. George Williams College Pathways to Discovery For students who show potential to succeed in college and beyond, but whose academic record falls short of AU requirements, AU introduced the Pathways to Discovery Program at the George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The purpose of this innovative program is to help motivated students develop the blend of skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes necessary to earn a college degree. The first cohort of 17 students began in fall 2019. Students work closely with faculty and staff dedicated to their success. They live on campus, earn academic credits, and have the opportunity to transfer to one of AU’s other campuses or to complete their degree at GWC.
Student Success Early childhood special education with ESL/bilingual graduates earned a 100% pass rate on the Illinois Licensure Testing System exam, and all landed teaching jobs upon graduation.
2019 | Fast Facts Number of Students at Each Location
AU Draws Faculty from Top Graduate Schools » DePaul University
» University of California, Irvine
» Georgia Institute of Technology » University of Chicago » Indiana University
» University of Florida
» Loyola University
» University of Illinois
» Northern Illinois University
» University of Iowa
» Northwestern University
» University of Notre Dame
4,657
Aurora University
330
George Williams College
189
Woodstock Center
» Pennsylvania State University » Vanderbilt University
1,070
AU Online
» Purdue University
Faculty Honors
Lisa Fredenburgh, chair of music, associate professor of music, and director of choral activities, was named the Roger Parolini Distinguished Associate Professor in Music. Shawn Green, professor of marketing, was named the Vernon H. Haase Distinguished Professor in Business. Jessica Heybach, chair of the Doctor of Education program and associate professor of education, received the 2019 Marcus and Mark H. Trumbo Excellence in Teaching Award—AU’s top faculty honor. Chetna Patel, chair of physical sciences and professor of chemistry, was named the Keith and Elizabeth Smith Distinguished Chair in Science and Mathematics. Lynn Spellman White, chair of accounting and professor of accounting, was named the Kieso Distinguished Professor in Accountancy.
Fall Enrollment 2000–2019 6,246
2,383