I - SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN THE 21st CENTURY Gonzaga devoted more than $60 million to financial aid in 201112, and for the first time exceeded the total resources allocated for employee salaries and benefits, the spending category which historically claims the largest share of the University’s budget. This is a watershed shift, which signals a significant challenge as well as opportunity for Gonzaga. As the University advances toward an era of less affluent college-bound students, Gonzaga must deepen its capacity to fund financial aid through designated resources. The bulk of financial aid funding today is comprised of discounted tuition revenue. Only $5 million in financial aid originated last year from the University’s endowment or annual fund – a figure which must grow if Gonzaga is to strengthen the nimble culture essential for responding to changing needs in higher education. The solution, in largest part, is to develop greater capacity for scholarships through growth in the endowment. The University’s successes in financial aid are notable. Gonzaga’s financial aid strategy has responded over the past three years to the start of the recession in 2008, and has produced the most accomplished classes ever admitted. These freshman classes have shown average GPAs of 3.7 and higher; SAT, 1200; and ACT,
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Dillon Hall
Kennedy Pavillion