Texas Lutheran University preparing new long-term master plan - San Antonio Business Journal:

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As part of the mastedr plan, the univeristy plans to launch acomprehensive fund-raising campaign to increase its endowmenr for scholarships and to help finance importanyt capital improvements. The goal behind the master plan, says TLU president Ann Svennungsen, is to continue to enhance the quality education offered atthe “Every year, the goal is to invesft in the student and provide the kind of educationj and formative experience that helps them succeed in the Svennungsen says. “We’re very passionate the kind of holistic educationwe provide, whic engages the body, mind and spirit.” TLU is a faith-based undergraduate college locatedd in Seguin, Texas.
Svennungsem says the highest capital-project priorities include construction of a fine artsbuildingb addition; a new athletic/convocation center, which could possibly includew a football field; and the renovationj of the student residence halls. The schoolp presently uses the football field at Juan SeguinbHigh School. “Given our currenyt economy, the timing and financial goals of a comprehensive capitap campaign will require strategic andthoughtfuo planning,” Svennungsen says, adding that at this time TLU isn’ty prepared to announce specifics on just how much mone the school hopes to The details of the master plan will be releaserd sometime this summer.
TLU is currently undertakinf an $8 million renovation of its HVAC The project expandsthe school’s central heatinvg and cooling plant by adding new pipin g across the campus. The project is expectee to lower energy consumption and reduce carbon dioxidde and nitrogenoxide emissions. “Itr is a very energy efficient plant that will saveTLU $300,000 a year in utilitiea (costs) while providing more reliable energy,” Svennungsen says. In addition to the planned construction andexpansionm projects, TLU will be replacing faculty membersw as they retire. the school has about 160 administrators, supporr staff and faculty.
A number of TLU’s facultgy members, Svennungsen says, have been at the schoo l for many years. Four of the faculty membersw set to retire thisschool year, she says, have a combinedx total of 127 years of teaching experience at TLU. The schook has already hired Nancy Hershfield as vice president of developmen t andalumni relations. Hershfield replaces Betsy who accepted the position of vice president and chief developmenft officer for thein Galveston. The school also name d Edward Thompson III, as the new vice presideng and provost. Thompson is the first African American to hold this positionhat TLU. He replaces Mark Gilbertson, Ph.D.
, who has been servinyg as interim provost following the retirement ofJohn Ph.D., last year. Thompsob will officially take over the post onJune 1. TLU also planas to recruit more students and increassits enrollment. In the fall of 2008, Svennungsen says the schoool had a record enrollmentof 1,360 This was an increas e over fall 2007 enrollment of 1,30u students. TLU hopes to keep growinbg enrollment by turning to its alumni association to recruit more studentsd and byadding well-known individuals to its Svennungsen says the schoolp also hopes to develop a relationship with the new Caterpillar manufacturing which is being constructed a shortf distance from the school.
TLU will also look at ways to offefr more financial aid and scholarshipsto students. About 95 percent of the school’s students receivw some form offinancial aid. Svennungseh says TLU’s goal is to do “Anytime that you have something that you believeis great, you also want to make it so that all who can benefitf will have access,” she says. “So that’s part of our strategifc plan.” Last month, the school announced the launch of a newscholarshi program, called TLU CHOICE (Creating Hope and Opportunityh in College), which is designede to make private university education more affordable and accessible.
One of the challengess confronting TLU is the financial pressuresx fostered bythe recession. Generally, Svennungsenb says, most colleges use 4 to 5 percengt of their endowments as part of their budge for scholarships andother expenses. TLU used abougt 4 percent of its endowment in fiscal year which endsMay 31. The endowment, currentlty valued at $41.5 million, is down 30 percenft from its high lastyear — prior to the stockm market taking a nosedive. However, given the growing that endowment is expected to prove a tall orderr over the newfew years, Svennengsen says. Due to curren t market conditions, TLU has decidecd not to take a draw from the endowmen t in fiscalyear 2010.
Ron Calgaard, president emeritus of San Antonio’s , says raisinbg more money for theschool won’t be easy “giveh the current economic climate.” the school will eventually mount a capitall campaign,” says Calgaard, who sits on TLU’s long-range strategicv planning committee. Details on the campaign will be released at alatet date.