Trinity University President's Report 2021-2022

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Trinity Community,

What an exciting time it is to serve as Trinity University’s 20th president. Thanks to the efforts of my predecessor, Dr. Danny Anderson, and many of you, Trinity is standing on a solid foundation, poised for even greater success.

This report demonstrates how Trinity has fostered student success this past year through enduring excellence, intentional inclusion, and perpetual discovery. As we begin this academic year, our students are more academically talented and diverse. Our faculty and staff are more capable and committed. And our alumni and friends are more engaged and energized than ever.

I join this institution at a significant moment as we celebrate our classification as a National Liberal Arts institution by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. This is an important milestone and one that we can continue to build upon in the coming years.

I am thrilled to immerse myself in what it means to be a Trinity Tiger, and I am excited by the multitude of opportunities that are in front of us today. Together, we will ensure Trinity University’s best days still lie ahead.

MEET PRESIDENT BEASLEY

• Trinity’s 20th president in the school’s 153-year history and first female president

• Formerly Vanderbilt University’s vice provost for Academic Affairs, dean of residential faculty, and an associate professor of communication studies

• Earned her undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt and Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin

• Married to Trey Beasley, with two adult sons

• Loves to travel, listen to live music, and lift weights

Vanessa B. Beasley President, Trinity University

IN THIS REPORT:

3 THE TRINITY STORY

Stepping onto the national stage

4 STUDENT SUCCESS

Prioritizing student access and experiences

5 CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

Valuing our diverse campus

6 SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Supporting the next generation of Tiger leaders

7 BUDGET AND OPERATIONS

Stewarding a balanced budget

Let’s get to work!

MAKING

Trinity University is celebrating its newly earned classification as a Baccalaureate Arts & Sciences institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As a result, Trinity moved to the National Liberal Arts category OF the U.S. News & World Report rankings this fall. The move better reflects Trinity’s core mission and positions the University for greater national recognition.

WHY NOW?

Trinity University has been No. 1 in the West for 29 of the past 30 years. Making the bold move to step onto the national stage reflects our commitment to playing a transformative role in the future of the liberal arts nationally.

Exceptional Student Profile

Trinity is home to the best and brightest, and the recent cohorts of incoming students prove it. Over the last three years, Trinity has seen a marked increase in quality and diversity of incoming students, and the Class of 2026 is no exception.

$1.7 Billion Endowment

The University uses a growing endowment—its value among the top 60 of all colleges and universities in the nation— to enable access to all of the benefits of a Trinity education, regardless of financial need.

Increased National Rankings

Trinity is on the rise in national rankings, including moving from No. 42 to No. 38 in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education’s list of the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, and from No. 98 to No. 89 in College Consensus’ list of the best universities in the nation.

Liberal Arts Colleges

nation

Liberal Arts Colleges

ALL

ACCESS

Inclusive Excellence Advisory Council

In 2022, Trinity University convened the Inclusive Excellence Advisory Council. This campus-wide group, consisting of more than 70 students, staff, and faculty, is charged with helping develop strategy and taking action related to Trinity’s Inclusive Excellence efforts. This initiative calls for actions of radical empathy by considering another person’s point of view in order to connect more deeply with them.

STRIVING FOR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence

Wilson Terrell Jr., Ph.D., has been named Trinity’s first-ever associate vice president for Academic Affairs for Inclusive Excellence. Terrell is tasked with helping Trinity foster an environment where people can connect across differences, act with radical empathy, and nurture enduring relationships. He moves into this new role in his 19th year with Trinity, where he’s served as associate professor of engineering science.

Dr. Deneese L. Jones Award for Inclusive Excellence

This new award is named after Trinity’s recently retired chief academic officer and recognizes excellence in inclusivity in the Trinity community.

The 2022 recipients were Shawne Stewart-Zakaria, director of special events for Alumni Relations and Development, and Jie Zhang, Ph.D., associate professor of Modern Languages and Literatures.

Additional faculty and staff awards include:

Distinguished Achievement Awards

Trinity Tomorrow Awards

Student Advocacy Awards

Meet the 2022 award recipients online at trinity.edu/news

HISTORIC SUPPORT

$25M $3M

Neidorff Gift is Largest in Trinity’s History

In Fall 2021, Trinity University announced a $25 million gift from Trustee Emeritus and the late Michael Neidorff ’65 and the Neidorff Family Trust for the University’s AACSB-accredited business school. This transformational donation is the single largest in the University’s history. In appreciation of the gift, Trinity’s business school was named the Michael Neidorff School of Business.

Beneski Parkway is Open and Welcoming

A $3 million gift from Ted and Laurie Beneski P’11, P’14 inspired the naming of Beneski Parkway, Trinity’s new front entrance to campus off Hildebrand Avenue. The parkway was dedicated in late August 2022 and provides a safe crosswalk and walkway from City Vista to campus.

Dicke Hall is Home for the Humanities

The 2021-22 academic year saw the construction of Dicke Hall, Trinity’s new home for the humanities. The building opened to students, faculty, and staff for classes and collaboration in Fall 2022, with its ribbon cutting, dedication and grand opening on Sept. 23.

ANNUAL GIVING UPDATE ENDOWMENT SUPPORT

2021’s 1869 Challenge smashed records. Support from athletic and Greek alumni helped catapult the University toward record-breaking giving goals and had a meaningful effect on increasing overall alumni participation, with $827,904 raised and 3,340 donors.

Trinity University is thankful for 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.

The J.R. Hurd Scholarship Challenge, a FY20 initiative to endow five new scholarships for first-generation Trinity students, inspired a new initiative this year: Lissa Walls ’80 has pledged $1M to match up to 20 gifts of $50,000 each, dedicated to scholarships for first-generation students.

Additional stories of generosity can be found online at trinity.edu/presidents-report

FIVE-YEAR GIVING TOTALS

$32.8M

$14.1M

$21.2M

$28.5M

AND

RESOURCES FOR RECOGNITION

Thanks to exceptional stewardship by Trinity’s executive team and the Operating Budget Task Force, Trinity continues to effectively manage its balanced budget in spite of a challenging economic climate, the persistence of COVID-19, and the continuing pressures facing all of higher education. While the 2021-22 budget included expense budget reductions of $10 million, the University proposed a 3% raise pool for employees, restore the retirement contribution match to 10% (effective 1/1/2022), and provide funding for a comprehensive staff compensation study.

$162.2M total revenues for FY23

increase of $13.9M from FY22)

$11M compensation budget increase

increase of 13.9% from FY22)

balanced budget was developed for FY23, but during Spring 2022 it became clear that the budget would need to be modified as a response to inflationary pressures. A proposal was developed to provide shortterm bridge funding through a special distribution from endowment minerals revenue in the operating budget. This revenue, totaling $5.3 million, ultimately supported a merit raise pool of 5.5% for faculty and staff (originally planned for 3%), which Trinity believes is a necessary response to current high inflation to ensure that we retain and attract faculty and staff talent essential to our mission. The special distribution also includes a reserve for mid-year budget adjustments, if needed. As has been practice for the last two years, the University reviewed the budget in late summer, and did not find any changes necessary to present a revised budget at the September Board of Trustees meeting.

SERVICE

Positive Outcomes Rate for the Class of 2021

as defined by NACE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Tigers in the undergraduate Class of 2021 achieved a 98% positive outcomes rate, the highest in Trinity’s recorded history.

Graduates are busy changing the world in new careers, graduate schools, fellowships, the military, and other ways. Employers increasingly value the problem-solving and creative thinking skills instilled in Trintiy’s students through experiential learning.

Meet alumni from the Class of 2021 and learn more about this record-breaking achievement at trinity.edu/presidents-report