Trinity University President's Report, 2019-2020

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MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2019-2020


2019-2020 TRINITY UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT As I write this letter from my office in

Northrup Hall, I cannot avoid noticing the stillness and solitude that now reigns on campus. While this time of year typically moves at a different pace, I am struck by how this particular San Antonio summer feels. I’m certain that your routine and environment have changed in similar ways ever since COVID-19 arrived at our doorstep. Despite feeling frozen in time, intense activity is taking place at Trinity. Since before the Spring 2020 semester ended, faculty and staff have been planning for “what’s next.” As the situation has evolved locally, we’ve amended our plans and continue to do so today. COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the ways we teach, learn, and live. A reimagined Trinity for the upcoming academic year will require skills, technologies, and safety measures that we would never have envisioned a year ago. Oddly, we must make rapid and decisive changes, yet we must be patient knowing that there will be many twists and turns as the pandemic unfolds. The racial injustices our country is experiencing have also prompted us to accelerate enhanced diversity and inclusion efforts at Trinity. I look forward to receiving recommendations from our Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in late August, and we will work to prioritize for implementation the projects they identify.

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We grapple with these issues amid the backdrop of a significant budget shortfall caused by the pandemic. We have already made substantial budget cuts amid uncertain revenue forecasts, and we will continue to adjust these numbers as our financial picture becomes clearer. The budget and financials section in this report will give you an idea of the challenges we face. We are grateful for alumni and donor support and for the long-term impact of gifts that see beyond our current situation. We celebrate 2019-20 as a banner year of giving, with a 10-year-high alumni participation rate and a record amount of dollars given or pledged in more than three decades. These are difficult times, yet we remain ever hopeful. Trinity has weathered similar storms in the past and has emerged stronger, and I have no doubt that brighter days lie ahead. The 2019-20 academic year saw Trinity embarking on a process of change making to strengthen the student experience. As we adjust to our new context and as students voice new aspirations, we strive to make changes at a pace that leaves most of us breathless, while remaining true to our enduring excellence. Warm regards,

Danny J. Anderson President, Trinity University

3

150th Anniversary

4

Student Success

7

Community Engagement

8

COVID-19 Response

10

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

12

Faculty Excellence

14

One Trinity

17

Lifelong Learning and Leading

18

Budget and Financials

19

Campus Impact


150TH ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS AND MORE For more than 150 years, Trinity has transformed challenge into opportunity. Resilient, creative, and enterprising, we are heirs of a dynamic past and stewards of a promising future. In 2019, Trinity celebrated its historic 150th Anniversary with a campus-wide party, record-setting Alumni Weekend, and more. The celebrations wrapped up in the fall and winter, but our drive and vision remain fixed on a bright future.

Alumni Weekend 2019

A record-setting 1,500 graduates returned to campus to celebrate Trinity’s milestone anniversary. Alumni reconnected with professors at Fiesta with the Faculty, climbed Murchison Tower, and partied the night away on Oakmont Court. Reunion giving also set a record at more than $3.5 million.

Capping Off the Year

More than 100 undergraduate and graduate students became Trinity alumni during 2019 Winter Commencement, the final campus event of the University’s 150th year.

Momentous Music

In October, the Trinity Symphony Orchestra premiered Trinity, a threepart symphony written by music composition professor Brian Bondari and conducted by music professor Joseph Kneer. True to its namesake, Trinity is split into three movements, which roughly signify the past, present, and future: “Ethos,” “Pathos,” and “Logos.”

atch the symphony + Wonline at gotu.us/150symphony

2019-20 President’s Report 3


STUDENT SUCCESS

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE Admissions Implements Test-Optional Policy With many high school students facing canceled standardized test dates because of the pandemic, Trinity introduced a test-optional policy for undergraduate applicants for a 3-year period, starting with Fall 2021 applications. Applicants for first-year admission to the University are no longer required to submit any standardized test results to the Office of Admissions. Trinity will continue to review and consider test scores for those applicants who want to submit them, but any applicant can also choose to be evaluated only on high school grades, curriculum rigor, essays, recommendation letters, achievements, interviews, and contributions to their school and community. Trinity views this new policy as an opportunity to redefine achievement in a way that might have overlooked certain students in the past.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CLASS OF 2024 as of June 1, 2020

9,394 % ADMIT RATE 34 FIRST-YEAR

APPLICATIONS 2019: 29% 2018: 34%

661

2017: 41% 2016: 48%

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS ENROLLED %

40.4

UNDERREPRESENTED 4 Trinity University

MIDDLE 50% OF ADMITTED STUDENTS

1310-1470

Trinity Students by the Numbers Undergraduates.................... 2,532 Graduate students................ 164 Total student enrollment (Fall 2019)........................... 2,696 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT BODY Students from Texas............. 73.3% International students........... 4.2%

SAT

Countries represented.......... 44

29-33

Students who studied abroad................................. 236

ACT

3.6-4.0 GPA

Students of color.................. 33.3%

Average financial aid package per undergraduate student................................ $34,659 Institutional financial aid awarded by Trinity.............................. $65.6M


MEET A TIGER Natasha Muppala ’20 As a first-year, Natasha Muppala ’20 knew she would major in biochemistry and molecular biology to give her a solid foundation for medical school. She didn’t expect, however, to declare religious studies as a minor after taking several fascinating courses in the subject. Muppala calls the connection between medicine and religion unexpected but valuable, as some people use spirituality to cope with their illnesses. In the fall, she begins medical school at the A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Bobby Magee ’21 and Chris Stewart ’21 Student-athletes and finance majors Bobby Magee ’21 and Chris Stewart ’21 have built a device that will make motorcyclists nearly impossible to miss. Meet LuxTurn, a projected turn signal that flashes a powerful LED light onto an adjacent lane. Though the pair are not engineers, they took full advantage of the CSI Makerspace to create the turn signal, spending countless nights 3D printing prototypes of their product with help from Makerspace staff. The duo won the 2019 Stumberg Venture Competition, complete with $20,000 in seed funding, and are taking the next steps to patent their product.

Allison Wolff ’20 In May, Allison Wolff ’20 became the first person at Trinity to graduate with a double major in accounting and business analytics and technology. The recent graduate used this unique combination of accounting and analytic skills to draw the attention of corporate sponsors at Trinity’s Career Fair each year she attended. She landed an internship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2018 and with Dell the following year. After completing an internship with Ernst & Young, Wolff returns to Trinity in the fall to complete a master’s degree in accounting.

Virtual Conferral of Degrees Though the Tiger community could not gather in person to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Class of 2020, Trinity conferred degrees upon 514 graduates on May 16. Capping off their Trinity journey in a meaningful and memorable way, graduates were individually recognized through live ceremonies broadcast by the Tiger Network. Rewatch the virtual conferral on Trinity’s YouTube channel or at live.trinity.edu.

UNDERGRADUATE CLASS OF 2020 Awarded bachelor’s of arts: 274 of science: 273 of music: 5 Latin honors: 314

Phi Beta Kappa: 54 Graduated without debt: 54%

GRADUATE CLASS OF 2020 Awarded master’s

of arts: 23 of science: 51 of education: 21

2019-20 President’s Report 5


STUDENT SUCCESS

FORGING THEIR OWN PATH Many college graduates are entering unstable job markets, daunted by a future cloaked in unpredictability. Meet six Tiger alumni who have, in the midst of uncertainty, created their own certain paths.

Andrew Aertker ’20 COMPUTER SCIENCE

Gavin Buchanan ’20

MATHEMATICAL FINANCE AND ECONOMICS

Since winning $10,000 from the Stumberg Venture Competition, Andrew Aertker ’20 and Gavin Buchanan ’20 have continued to evolve their company, PATCH. They released two major developments in summer 2020: PatchRx, a medication tracking app; and a patented smart pill bottle cap for pharmacies to track patient medication usage.

Sarah Lovelace ’20

Rachel Daniel ’18, M’20

Sarah Lovelace ’20 is spending two years on the front lines of disease prevention, completing a fellowship with the National Institutes of Health. She is conducting research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to help create vaccines for HIV, influenza, and—you guessed it—the novel coronavirus, among other contagions.

Rachel Daniel ’18, M’20 is one of only about seven students selected nationwide for a prestigious postgraduate technical assistantship with the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Afterward, Daniel will work full-time in the audit and assurance division of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Houston.

BIOLOGY

ACCOUNTING AND SPANISH + MASTER’S IN ACCOUNTING

Daniel Matthewson ’20

Jacob Hurrell-Zitelman ’19

Daniel Matthewson ’20 began as a summer intern with SiteOwl in 2017, working his way up from there into a part-time, and then full-time, position. Matthewson spent his senior year as a salaried product manager overseeing a team of designers and developers. Since graduating, he now fully leads product development and a team of 15 developers for the security integration company.

Quick Sip Coffee founder Jacob Hurrell-Zitelman ’19 faced a pending shutdown this year after COVID-19 hit his business hard. Quick Sip lost nearly 80 percent of its revenue, including an entire month with none at all. But the 2018 Stumberg Venture Competition winner persevered with a breakthrough product placement: Quick Sip is now offered on all Central Market shelves.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

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BUSINESS ­– MARKETING


RANKINGS AND ACCOLADES Trinity’s academic and co-curricular environment is consistently ranked among the best in the nation by respected guidebooks and rankings each year.

41

#

1

RECLAIMED

#

in the West

The 2020 Distinguished Lecture was given by Gen. Stan McChrystal.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY LECTURE SERIES Trinity extends its engagement into the community by hosting major lectures and events on campus. Despite campus closure after spring break, Trinity still drew community members to campus earlier in the year through a variety of programming, including: Distinguished Lecture Gen. Stan McChrystal – Former commander of U.S. and International Forces and former leader of Joint Special Operations Command Maverick Lecture Judy Woodruff – Broadcast journalist, anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour MAS Álvarez Seminar Marcella Ochoa – Latina filmmaker Stephanie Valencia – Political strategist Matt Baretto – Professor at UCLA Distinguished Scientists Lecture Hakeem M. Oluseyi – Astrophysicist and cosmologist Flora Cameron Lecture on Politics and Public Affairs Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP – Prime minister of the United Kingdom (2016-19)

#

98

The Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education ranked Trinity the No. 41 liberal arts college in the nation.

U.S. News and World Report ranked Trinity the No. 1 university in the West.

College Consensus ranked Trinity the No. 98 university in the nation

13%

The Princeton Review ranked Trinity in the top 13% in the nation for undergraduate education.

#

11

Trinity has been ranked No. 11 in the nation for CPA* performance

#

14

Ansh Khullar ‘20 and Ian Dill ‘20 were ranked the No. 14 debate team in the U.S.

*Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination

2019-20 President’s Report 7


COVID-19 RESPONSE

COLLABORATION BEHIND THE CAMERA

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg ’99 guides the city through crisis San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg ’99 has

spent the better part of 2020 leading San Antonio through the coronavirus pandemic. As the city continues to fight COVID-19, Nirenberg prioritizes early communication to his primary constituency—the public—to keep their heightened alert from edging into panic. During frequent TV appearances nearly every night, both Nirenberg and Judge Nelson Wolff offer guidance about social distancing, admonitions against hysteria, and even stern warnings when these measures are not taken seriously. These briefings depend on clear and consistent information, which, Nirenberg says, requires more behind-the-scenes collaboration than people may understand. “There were difficult conversations about data transparency early on in the reporting of our numbers,” Nirenberg recalls. To get everyone on the same page, his office gathered together media,

8 Trinity University

public health officials, and public information professionals to devise a strategy for more accurately sharing data and information with journalists. “We implemented their recommendations,” Nirenberg says, “and now Bexar County is one of the leaders in access and transparency of data.” Nirenberg, a communication major at Trinity, was elected mayor of San Antonio

“THE OVERALL MISSION OF A LEADER IS TO PROVIDE HOPE. IN FACT, THAT’S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MISSION.”

in June 2017 after serving two terms as a city council member. Before COVID-19 had entered anyone’s vocabulary, he was focused on combating historical inequality and generational poverty in the city. This inequality and poverty is now entangled in the pandemic, pushing already vulnerable families past their breaking points. “[These disparities] have been exacerbated by the fact that even meager paychecks have stopped coming in during this crisis,” says Nirenberg. He cites issues including the digital divide, food and housing insecurity, lack of access to transportation, and the struggle to earn a living wage. In July 2020, when the city was facing rising numbers of positive cases, Nirenberg stressed to his citizens that San Antonio will persevere. “The overall mission of a leader is to provide hope,” Nirenberg says. “In fact, that’s probably the most important mission.”


COVID-19 RESPONSE

EQUIPPED TO HELP

Trinity loaned four of its 3D printers to local startup Canopener Labs to help the

company produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for area health care workers. The 3D printers—normally housed in the Makerspace at the Center for the Sciences and Innovation—specifically help cut brackets that hold face shields in place.

Trinity partnered with Deana

Henk M’95, chief executive director of the Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC), to donate PPE from labs on campus to the GRMC and area physicians. Supplies donated included coveralls, surgeon’s gowns, boot covers, sleeve and arm protectors, head covers, gloves, face masks, and face shields.

Student startup Intersourcing

International LLC, a finalist in the 2018 Stumberg Venture Competition, has used its connections with overseas manufacturing to help with the PPE shortage. Sean Pan ’20, founder of Intersourcing, and Evan Murphy ’20, an account manager, imported 30,000 masks this spring for distribution to local hospitals.

Madeline Chaput ’21 (left) and Isabella Rizzo ’21

Tracing COVID-19 Isabella Rizzo ’21, a biology and Spanish double

major from Austin, Texas, began volunteering in the spring as a contract tracer for the San Antonio Metro Health District alongside fellow Trinity students Madeline Chaput ’21 and Lindsey Peng ’21. Contact tracers track the spread of COVID-19 by interviewing each patient infected with the disease, working primarily to get a list of people who may have been infected as well as determine how the virus was transmitted. In the summer, Metro Health offered Rizzo a full-time job in its department to help keep up with the rising number of positive cases. This experience has been surprisingly emotional for Rizzo. “With each person you’re talking to, this is their whole life you’re getting into with them,” Rizzo explains. “This whole experience has made me see how human everything really is,” she continues. “We can only prepare for the unexpected, but it’s not really until it happens that you can figure out how to go about handling it the best way.”

2019-20 President’s Report 9


DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

PRIORITIZING INTENTIONAL INCLUSION As Trinity seeks to take positive steps toward its aspirational value of intentional inclusion, we must be open to the realities of our own campus climate. We commit to implementing practices in pursuit of an inclusive campus where all students, faculty, and staff feel welcomed and valued. As a first step in this pursuit, the University partnered with the Diversity and Inclusion Office and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to gauge the current campus climate related to diversity and inclusion for Trinity students, faculty, and staff.

KEY TAKEAWAYS OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY CAMPUS CLIMATE SURVEY Survey distributed in Spring 2019

32.4

% of almost 3,500

response rate out community members

Compared to other small institutions, Trinity has:

Of the respondents:

slightly higher levels of satisfaction with the campus climate for diversity and equity

78

slightly higher rates of disparaging remarks

49.9% of faculty | 26.8% of students 45.7% of staff/administration

69 44 66

%

were overall satisfied with campus climate.

%

felt a sense of belonging or community on campus.

%

felt that all community members experienced a sense of belonging or community on campus.

%

perceived tension on campus related to differences between individuals and groups of people.

South Asian Lesbian African-American/Black

are the top 3 groups* of individuals who have experienced discrimination and/or harassment on campus *in all of these groups, females especially reported discrimination and/or harassment

Most common sources of disparaging or insensitive remarks: Student to Student Faculty to Faculty

Political affiliation is the most-heard topic of insensitive or disparaging remarks on campus

Being Ignored is the #1 form of harassment or discrimination on campus. Followed by being the subject of insensitive remarks, and being stared at

1) on-campus housing 2) classrooms 3) dining halls, recreational spaces, or athletic facilities top locations students experienced discrimination or harassment

To view the survey results in full, visit gotu.us/IntentionalInclusion. 10 Trinity University


BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE As the University recognizes its 151-year history and grapples with the realities of our current

climate, we are more aware than ever that fundamental, lasting change starts from within—as individuals and as a community committed to learning, action, and growth. We must be both transparent and accountable in the ways in which we stumble and we succeed. To address the challenges recognized in the climate survey, Trinity has begun initiatives for 2020-21. Here is what is ahead.

Fostering Dialogue on Campus In June 2019, Trinity was one

A Diversity and Inclusion Task Force will prepare recommendations to create and maintain an inclusive campus culture, based partly on feedback from faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Trinity will secure annual, ongoing diversity and inclusion professional development for campus community members by the end of 2020.

Trinity will enhance the diversity and inclusion orientation provided to new students.

Trinity will hire a new director for Student Diversity and Inclusion, a position reconfigured to prioritize student needs.

Visit Trinity’s dedicated Diversity and Inclusion website for updates at gotu.us/IntentionalInclusion.

In November, Trinity joined the nationwide celebration for firstgeneration college students. The annual celebration commemorates the role these students play in cultivating a student body with diverse thoughts and experiences.

12

% OF TRINITY STUDENTS ARE

FIRST-GENERATION

of 25 colleges and universities among 700 member organizations of The Council of Independent Colleges selected to participate in the Diversity, Civility, and the Liberal Arts Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. Sessions at the Institute explored demographic trends reshaping the 21st-century campus and addressed the implications of these changes. Upon their return, Trinity faculty and administration applied teachings from the Institute to foster conversations on campus about inclusion through initiatives such as a symposium, workshops, and a resource guide.

Strengthening Workplace Culture Trinity released results from

its first-ever Gallup Employee Engagement Survey in 2019 in an ongoing effort to foster high engagement among employees. Results showed that overall, faculty and staff are incredibly proud to work at Trinity, and they find meaning and purpose in their work. However, the University identified two specific areas in which it needs to show improvement: finding new and better ways to reward and recognize hard work and dedication, and identifying opportunities for growth. 2019-20 President’s Report 11


FACULTY EXCELLENCE

DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AND RESEARCH Education Course Dispels Disability Stigma Through Inclusion

Trinity faculty are passionate teachers, active researchers, and caring mentors. Their commitment and diligence are strengths for the University, helping students develop the skills required to enter the market and succeed in post-graduate plans.

Individuals with disabilities are often stigmatized

and marginalized. One Trinity course strives to change these mindsets by preparing future teachers to focus on inclusion. Taught by education professor Heather Haynes Smith ’97, M’98, “Understanding Learners with Exceptionalities in School and Society” is not like the typical “introduction to special education” course. The first indication is in the title: Smith prefers the term “exceptionality” to “disability” to account for all students who may struggle with learning. “Society uses labels that can be very stigmatizing,” says Madison Carolin ’20, a psychology major who is now pursuing the Master of Arts in Teaching at Trinity with a supplemental certificate in special education. “The course is an introduction to the complexity that is often just boiled down to two words—special education—which is another label that can be limiting to students and their abilities.” “Most introductory courses in special education use a textbook and cover a different disability every week,” says Smith, who has taught the course in some form for the past 10 years. “I began refining the view of disability categories in a way that focused on strengths, characteristics, and instructional accommodations and modifications, which helps students in the course recognize equity issues and frame their learning and goals around social justice.” For the service-learning component of the course, students partner with a local organization to expand their worldview outside the classroom. “This course reflects the reality that people with disabilities are marginalized in all spaces, not just schools,” she says. “It is my hope that the learning in this course stays with my students in whatever their future careers are.” 12 Trinity University

The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations awarded Trinity a $275,000 grant to help

department chairs address University needs and develop their leadership skills. Extending through May 2022, the funds will support 10 department chairs who will each direct a project to create institutional change of their own design.

Kimberley Phillips, psychology professor and director for

the neuroscience program, has been awarded a five-year, $1.4 million grant by the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Jennifer P. Mathews, sociology and anthropology professor,

was selected as a 2020 Piper Professor. Only 10 college professors in Texas are chosen annually for this honor, which recognizes superior teaching.


DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Sarah Beth Kaufman | Sociology and Anthropology

Distinguished Teaching and Research by an Early Career Faculty Member Andrew Kraebel | English

Distinguished Teaching and Research by an Early Career Faculty Member Tim O’Sullivan | Classical Studies

Distinguished Advising

Rubén Dupertuis | Religion

Distinguished University, Community, and Professional Service Peter O’Brien | Political Science

Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Creative Work or Activity

“BEST OF THE BEST” AWARDS

Recognizes exceptional contributions to teaching, scholarship or creative work, and service Angela Breidenstein ’91, M’92 | Education Jane Childers | Psychology David Crockett | Political Science Patrick Keating | Communication Mark Lewis ’96 | Computer Science Nicole Marafioti | History Maria Pia Paganelli | Economics Amy Stone | Sociology and Anthropology Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz | Modern Languages and Literatures Liz Ward | Art and Art History

Z.T. SCOTT AWARD

Recognizes the top educator at Trinity Benjamin Surpless | Geosciences

MURCHISON PROFESSORS

Recognizes exceptional achievement in teaching, research, and service Farzan Aminian | Engineering Science Amer Kaissi | Health Care Administration

TRINITY TOMORROW AWARDS

Recognizes significant contributions to Trinity’s educational mission Dania Abreu-Torres | Modern Languages and Literatures James Ivy ’78, M’82 | First-Year Experience Luis Martinez ’91 | Entrepreneurship Lauren Turek | History Wilson Terrell Jr. | Engineering Science

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT ADVOCACY Recognizes significant support of student success Christina Pikla ’04 | Financial Aid Jacob Tingle ’95 | Experiential Learning

Jacob Tingle Serves as U.S. Delegate for Sport Diplomacy Trip to Africa Jacob Tingle ’95, director for Experiential Learning and sport

management professor, returned from Tunisia in northern Africa with a fresh perspective on the power of sport and a deep appreciation for the country’s culture and hospitality. Tingle, Jillian Cready ’20, and seven other American professors, coaches, and sport entrepreneurs served as the returning delegation for a U.S. Department of State-sponsored cultural exchange with Tunisia in November. The exchange, which was the effort of World Learning, The Basketball Embassy, and the Sports Diplomacy division of the State Department, centered on developing and expanding “sport for all” programs in both countries. The delegation interacted with politicians and Tunisian coaches and entrepreneurs to promote health, community, and economic development in sport in Tunisia. “When you get young kids engaged in sports, they will learn how to be part of a community, work with people that are different than them, improve their long-term health, and have an enhanced sense of self that allows them to further their development in all areas of life,” Tingle says. 2019-20 President’s Report 13


ONE TRINITY

16.7%

alumni participation rate

10-year high 1.2% increase from 2018-19

TIGER GIVING Over the past year, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends came together as One Trinity in a time of great need. Even though they faced turbulent challenges themselves, Tigers rallied to give their time and money to Trinity students experiencing unexpected hardships in the face of a global pandemic. The result? Trinity reached a 10-year-high alumni participation rate in 2019-20 and a giving total of $27.7 million, the largest the University has seen in more than three decades.

1869 Challenge The Trinity community rallied together for 1,869 minutes in the fall to make a record-breaking 4,711 gifts. Together, they raised $556,016 for student scholarships, academics, athletics, campus life, and more.

Giving from the Heart The Raymond Judd Student Emergency Fund , named in honor of Chaplain

One Trinity Campaign Tigers closed out the fiscal year strong with 287 new alumni donors in May alone, securing a $55,000 match for the One Trinity campaign. For the month of May, the campaign focused on raising money for the Trinity Fund, which provides scholarships to students in need. 14 Trinity University

Emeritus Rev. Raymond Judd ’56, supports students with out-of-the-ordinary and lifealtering changes. In response to the coronavirus pandemic this spring, the Emergency Fund helped hundreds of students with expenses related to moving back home, transitioning to remote learning, and other unforeseen obstacles. Chaplain Alex Serna-Wallender ’08, M’09 says the fund has already met the needs of 275 requests for aid, totaling more than $110,000. A vital pillar of the Emergency Fund came from matching gifts, such as those made by Trustee and parent Ted Beneski, who committed $25,000 to match gifts to this cause, as well as alumni Chris

Scoggins ’95 and Jay Thomson ’93 and Shannon McTiernan Thomson ’96, who committed $20,000 towards matching gifts. Greek Alumni Foundations and Greek individuals also played a vital role, pledging $10,000 to the fund. “The latest crisis of COVID-19 has not affected individuals or families equally,” McTiernan Thomson says. “First-generation students navigating the challenges of college and being away from home have encountered significant obstacles to finishing their school year suddenly and without precedent. Both Jay and I have strong attachments to Trinity and the community that made our years there so memorable, and it was one way we felt we could give back.”


27.7M

$

FIVE-YEAR GIVING TOTALS

Highest giving total since 1984-85

Thank you, Tigers!

Giving Where it Counts

$27.7M

Trinity is thankful for each and every gift from alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends. The University also recognizes and thanks the members of its Board of Trustees, constituents of these groups, for their generous and continued support.

$11.4M

6,000

Donors

$12.1M

$21.2M

6,192

Total Dollars Given

$14.1M

7,410 7,057

6,493

3,865

2,000 1,522

donors

Total Number of Donors

4,000

0

2019-20 DONORS BY THE NUMBERS

Number of Donors

7,410 6,079

IN GIFTS AND PLEDGES

1,734

1,917

1,833

1,736

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

15.0%

13.3%

13.4%

15.5%

16.7%

Number of New Donors

500

Current Students

12

Estates & Trusts

247 1,238 273

Percentage of Undergrad Donors

Trinity Receives $5 Million to Maximize Student Success and Access

Daniel Lubetzky ’90 Donates $1 Million to Education Department

Trinity takes pride in recognizing that each student brings diverse strengths and abilities to the University community. With a $5 million contribution from an anonymous donor, the University is one step closer to ensuring that all students receive equitable access to success. The gift will establish a $4.5 million Student Accessibility Services (SAS) endowment, and the balance of $500,000 is immediately available to fund new SAS initiatives. With this grant, Trinity will equip students to be their own advocates and create University-wide understanding and support to meet the challenges students face, while providing the equipment and training to support this deeply purposeful work.

Trinity University’s Department of Education received a $1 million gift from Daniel Lubetzky ‘90, executive chairman and founder of KIND Healthy Snacks. This gift includes an endowment that promotes social and emotional learningbased research and teacher preparation, as well as a partnership with Empatico, a free online learning platform founded by Lubetzky that connects classrooms around the world. Over a three-year period, the Department of Education will work with teachers and counselors in San Antonio-area school districts to use Empatico with their students.

Alumni

Faculty/Staff Friends Organizations

1,275

Parents

7,410

Total

Amount Raised

$27.7M in gifts and pledges

$6,349,216

Alumni

$9,153

Current Students

$440,424

Estates & Trusts

$134,428

Faculty/Staff

$722,908

Friends

$19,533,681 $498,515 $27,688,325

Organizations Parents Total

2019-20 President’s Report 15


REMEMBERING RON CALGAARD President Emeritus, 1979-99 Ron Calgaard, president emeritus of Trinity University, died April 10 at the

age of 82. Calgaard served at Trinity’s helm from 1979 to 1999 and was the longest serving president in the University’s history. Under Calgaard’s leadership, Trinity achieved national recognition for excellence in liberal arts and sciences education. During Calgaard’s tenure, the University focused its educational emphasis on undergraduate education. Calgaard transformed Trinity into a residential University that greatly improved the sense of community among students, raised admissions standards, and increased the diversity of the student body. Under Calgaard’s leadership, Trinity also became a national leader in Division III intercollegiate athletics, and the Commitment to Distinction capital campaign early in his presidency raised nearly $50 million. Calgaard invested significantly in faculty, and he added more than $100 million in new and renovated facilities to the Trinity campus. After his retirement, Trinity’s Board of Trustees celebrated Calgaard’s legacy through an unrestricted scholarship and a professorship in his honor, as well as a rededication of the new Ron and Genie Calgaard Performance Gymnasium. 16 Trinity University

Photo by Mike Single NHNZ

Cool to the Core Geologic field work has taken Asmara Lehrmann ’19 from the banks of the Llano

River in the Texas Hill Country to the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, but the Trinity graduate’s latest adventure has been her biggest—and coldest—yet. From January through March, Lehrmann, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in geology at the University of Alabama, lived and worked aboard the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer, a research ship studying the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica. Lehrmann was part of a team of sedimentologists and geophysicists studying the history of the glacier. “Each layer of sediment is like a page in a book that tells the story of the past,” she explains. The desire to gain a deeper understanding of history through geology seems to run in the family: Asmara’s father, Daniel Lehrmann, is a geosciences professor at Trinity who teaches courses on paleontology and sedimentary

Photo by Sarah Slack

geology. “Even though I tried very hard to be in a different sub-field of geology than my dad, I find that we are still quite similar,” she says. “I think we are both pulled to the beauty of another world revealed to us through fossils and the rock and sediment record.”


LIFELONG LEARNING AND LEADING

IN THE TRENCHES To lead through the COVID-19 pandemic, creative problem solving, agility, and innovation are critical leadership skills now more than ever. These Tigers have stepped up to the challenge of developing flexible solutions in challenging and uncertain environments.

That Much Sweeter Pyar Seth’s short undergraduate career has set him up for a long,

productive future in academia. The 2019 graduate—a transfer student and Norfolk, Virginia, native—finished his bachelor’s degree in just three years, majoring in political science and an interdisciplinary second major in African-American studies. The summer before his final year at Trinity, Seth was selected to participate in the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) 2019 Ralph Bunche Summer Institute Scholar program. After graduation, he landed a place in APSA’s prestigious Minority Fellows Program. The fellowship aims to increase the number of scholars from underrepresented and minority backgrounds in political science doctoral programs. Seth is now attending Johns Hopkins University for his doctorate. “I want to be somewhere that folks are excited by the questions I’m interested in asking,” he says, emphasizing his intention to focus on Black political thought, emotions, and racial violence. “It’s been a privilege to work with a number of brilliant folks,” Seth says, “and it’s that much sweeter when they look like me.”

Matt Johnson ’99 directs supply chain strategy for H-E-B, where creative product sourcing, rapid production shifts, and inventory increases have helped keep more than 300 stores replenished. Facing supply chain shortages and struggling vendors, Johnson helps keep toilet paper, disinfectants, and other essential products available in H-E-B stores. Dr. Justin Glass ’91, P’21 directs the Family Medicine Residency program of

Idaho, where family medicine physicians train to work in underserved and rural areas. Glass traveled to Trenton, New Jersey, where patients needing treatment for COVID-19 had overwhelmed St. Francis Medical Center, a small facility in an underserved area. The center’s sole hospitalist received relief when Glass stepped up as second hospitalist for the center.

Monica Vargas-Mahar M’98 is the CEO of The Hospitals of Providence East

Campus, a 182-bed hospital in El Paso, Texas. As CEO, she is responsible for leading her team through the COVID-19 crisis by managing and overseeing all hospital operations and logistics on a daily basis to help her campus successfully navigate the pandemic and to help ensure the health of patients, team members, and the community. Curtis Ruder ’94, P’22 is navigating how to safely serve clients in the face of a

public health crisis. As chief financial officer for Meals on Wheels San Antonio (MWSA), Ruder is helping the organization hand-deliver hot meals to about 5,000 homebound, at-risk senior citizens, while protecting both these citizens and MWSA staff and volunteers. Portia Hoeg ’01 is the executive commissioner of the Centennial Conference,

which comprises 11 liberal arts colleges and universities. Hoeg is currently leading the commission through a period of rapid policy changes issued by the NCAA Division III in response to COVID-19. Emergency measures have been aimed at protecting student-athletes’ health, wellness, and eligibility in the face of uncertainty surrounding sports seasons. Drake Dukes ’16 developed two apps—one for the Dallas area and the other

for Wichita, Kansas—both aimed at supporting local restaurants. His apps aggregate information such as updated hours, menus, and delivery and curbside details, encouraging residents to support small, local eateries that may struggle during the pandemic.

2019-20 President’s Report 17


BUDGET AND FINANCIALS

SHARED STEWARDSHIP The decision to move to synchronous teaching and learning in March

2020 because of the COVID-19 crisis had significant impact on budget and finances for the 2019-20 fiscal year and beyond—an impact that will continue to be calibrated as our community adjusts Fall 2020 living and learning plans. To address this impact, Trinity analyzed operating budget reductions across multiple planning scenarios. By May 2020, Trinity estimated a gap in its operating budget of $22.7 million. President Anderson established the President’s Operating Budget Task Force in May, which was charged with proposing ways to close this gap. In June 2020, the Task Force identified FY21 operating budget reductions of more than $11 million, split over 13 reduction initiatives. To balance the remainder of the budget shortfall, the Task Force recommended using up to $11.8 million of rainy day reserves. With each recommendation, the Task Force referenced a set of guiding principles and a decision-making rubric that included the following measures: 1. Trinity’s highest priority is to continue to meet the academic and developmental needs of our current and future students and to deliver an exceptional student experience. The Task Force attempted to protect budgets that directly serve our students. 2.  Faculty and staff engagement is critical to the University’s long-term success, and the Task Force prioritized budget reductions in a manner that would have the least impact on employee morale. 3. The Task Force considered the impact of decisions across all stakeholders and addressed the potential for disparities in impact. The initiatives and subsequent balanced budget was approved by the Trinity University Board of Trustees in late June 2020. Some recommendations have already been put into motion, while others will be phased in with the guidance of Trinity’s Executive Leadership Team and department and office supervisors. As the national and local COVID-19 situation evolves, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the gap in the operating budget will increase over the 2020-21 fiscal year, as revenue will continue to be impacted by shifts to on-campus residency models, extending remote learning, and providing additional student scholarship support. The Operating Budget Task Force will remain activated throughout the 2020-21 fiscal year, continuing to identify recommendations to keep a balanced budget for this year and the years ahead.

18 Trinity University

The University welcomed four new members to its Board of Trustees in the 2019-20 academic year.

Ruth Kelleher Agather artner at Rosenthal Pauerstein P

Sandoloski Agather LLP in San Antonio, Texas

Annell R. Bay ’77

Chair of the corporate governance committee for Apache Corporation in Houston, Texas

Jelynne LeBlanc Burley M’88

President and CEO of the Center for Health Care Services in Bexar County, Texas

Cydney C. Donnell

Julio S. LaGuarata Professor in Real Estate and executive professor and associate department head of finance at the Mays School of Business at Texas A&M University in College Station


CAMPUS IMPACT

TRINITY UNIVERSITY BOARDS 2019-2020

Board of Trustees Ruth K. Agather April Ancira ’02 Erin Baker ’99 Annell R. Bay ’77 Ted W. Beneski Jelynne L. Burley ’88 Stephen W. Butt ’77 Miles C. Cortez ’64 Janet St. Clair Dicke ’68 Cydney C. Donnell Douglas D. Hawthorne ’69, M’72 Marshall A. Hess ’88 Gen. James T. Hill ’68 E. Carey Joullian IV ’82 The Rev. Dr. Richard R. Kannwischer ’95 Christopher M. Kinsey ’79 Katherine Wood Klinger ’72 John C. Korbell Oliver T.W. Lee ’93 Steven P. Mach ’92 Robert S. McClane ’61 Melody Boone Meyer ’79 Michael F. Neidorff ’65 Thomas Schluter ’85 Thomas R. Semmes L. Herbert Stumberg Jr. ’81 Jessica Thorne ’91 Alumni Adviser to the Board of Trustees

Michelle Collette ’06

Synod of the Sun Representative to the Board

The Rev. Dr. James Freeman ’83

Alumni Association Board Michael Barrett ’00 Sarah Causer ’11 Brin Cole ’13, M’16 Michelle Collette ’06 Robert Devlin ’90, P’18 Jennifer Dewar ’02 Anh-Viet Dinh ’15 Trey Evans ’06 David Girault ’91 Manuel Gonzalez ’07 Jill Grace ’85, P’16 Allison Hawk ’88, P’19 Paul Hensley ’87 Charles Houston ’09 Nadia Islam ’12 Ruth Johnson ’90 Brad Little ’93 Troy McKinnon ’10 Trey Moeller ’93 Steve Muller ’89 Meggan Partain ’97, M’98 Will Paulus ’14 Matthew Pepping ’05 Karla Phillips ’92 Jonathan Plotnick ’08 Barbara Poenisch ’08 Patrick Pringle ’87 Patricia Pringle ’88 Kay Reamey ’84, P’05 Robert Robinson ’92 Derick Rodgers ’92 James Sanders ’98 Martin Schwed ’12 Adam Simmons ’09, M’10 Leon Waddy ’93 Jasmeen Waliany ’06 Eric Weiss ’68

Board of Visitors John K. Arnold ’93 Lyn H. Belisle ’72 Eric M. Bell Sardar Biglari ’99 James M. Blakemore ’77 Kenneth S. Chang ’92 Vannie C. Collins ’14 Deborah Doddy Thomas E. Evans ’84 Homero R. Garza ’71, P’07, P’13 Charles L. Gottsman ’69 Kay J. Hazelwood ’82 Leslie K. Hollingsworth ’88 Victoria Jennings ’67 Peter L. Jennings ’64 Lance G. Johnson ’95 Kenneth P. Keene ’91 Carolyn H. Labatt Grace Labatt David J. Mansen ’76 Todd O. McCracken ’88, P’18 David McGanity ’76 Lawrence P. Moon ’76 Heather M. Morlang ’98 Christi S. Morrow ’92 Susan M. Naylor ’84 Becky Pemberton ’88 Linda T. Peterson ’66 Donald R. Philbin Jr. ’84 Phillip B. Philbin ’86 Kristen M. Pratt ’95 William D. Rasco Katharine C. Schlosberg ’82 Cynthia L. Schluter ’88, P’16, P’18 Sebastien A. Solar ’05 Polly J. Spencer Barbara Anne Stephens ’66 Abigail L. Ulrich ’03 Karen M. Vaughan P’20 Scott G. Walker ’70 Christian M. Warren ’78 Lora K. Watts ’79 Philip A. Wetz ’73, P’11 Rebecca C. Young ’10 2019-20 President’s Report 19


Office of the President One Trinity Place San Antonio, TX 78212-7200 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

“Though our path forward is an unexpected one, we are all still moving forward together. I know this is not an easy time for any of us, but I believe we will come through it together, propelled by our spirit of innovation, sacrifice, and compassion for each other. As we remain a force in motion, our journey to success still lies along the same path it always has: a commitment to lifelong learning.” – President Danny J. Anderson Message to the Trinity Community March 20, 2020


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