2015 Economic & Community Impact
“Be men and women with others and for others, real champions in the service of others…”
— His Holiness Pope Francis
The University is a nationally recognized institution of higher learning that has been ranked among the top 10 regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report for 21 consecutive years. Since 1980 we have granted 28,985 undergraduate degrees and 10,437 graduate degrees. As a charitable organization, we give back to our students through generous financial aid, we contribute financially to the City of Scranton and Lackawanna County, and we open our doors to the community by providing numerous free events and resources.
This report reviews both the quantitative and qualitative ways in which The University of Scranton makes a positive economic and community impact on the City of Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Most numbers, unless otherwise noted, are based on the 2013-2014 fiscal year, ending May 31, 2014.
It is a point of pride for me, that the students, faculty and staff of The University of Scranton are part of the rich community of Northeastern Pennsylvania: they are residents and neighbors, dedicated employees, committed volunteers, and consumers of the region’s varied goods and services. Since beginning my tenure at the University, I have been committed to a transformational educational experience that is engaged, integrated and global. The ways in which our campus learns from, works with, and serves alongside the Greater Scranton community is integral to our academic purpose and to our Catholic and Jesuit mission. This report highlights the University’s economic and community impact. In January 2015, we were pleased to have received the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification, a recognition that honors not only the efforts of those on our campus, but our many partners in the community as well. The University is inspired by the life and teachings of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, who challenges us to “love and serve in all things.” The words of Pope Francis call us now to even greater service, when he entreated Jesuit schools to “work to improve the world in which we live” and to be “real champions in the service of others.” As we look to the future, we know that the health and well-being of the City of Scranton and The University of Scranton are forever intertwined, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration with our neighbors and partners.
Sincerely,
Kevin P. Quinn, S.J. President
The Jesuit Center engages University employees, including President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., to provide weekly volunteers for the St. Francis of Assissi Soup Kitchen.
Performance Music presents or performs an array of more than 25 concerts, recitals and guest performances. Performances are open to the public and free of charge.
An Educational & Cultural Asset
“We are glad to be able to share the gifts of this University with the Scranton community. From music and theatre performances to art exhibits and special lectures and discussions, these are events that help to enrich our lives.”
— Donald Boomgaarden, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
CAMPUS EVENTS PROVIDED FREE TO THE PUBLIC Every year the University hosts over 100 free events that are open to the public, including art exhibits at the Hope Horn Gallery, Performance Music concerts, as well as a variety of lectures and athletic events. Academic competitions in the areas of math, science and computing are provided to area school groups in addition to special workshops. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library, the leading academic library in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is open to the public. Residents of Lackawanna County who are borrowers in good standing at the Scranton Public Library may register to borrow books, free of charge. There are 426 registered Lackawanna County Borrowers. Of these, 201 list their city address as Scranton.
The Hope Horn Gallery presents art exhibits, hosts guest speakers, and conducts gallery workshops with local school and community groups.
The University Players offer a variety of plays, produced in collaboration with the Academic Theatre Program, that are presented to the community at a nominal charge.
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library is open to the public, with 426 registered Lackawanna County borrowers.
An Economic Engine
The University estimates that our economic impact on Northeastern Pennsylvania totals $282,932,643 for the 2013-2014 academic year. Since 1980, our impact on the City and the region amounts to $5.7 billion, including capital projects. Our estimate is based on established economic impact studies and formulas, including those used by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. For the 2013-2014 academic year, University of Scranton expenditures in goods and services were $134,091,300. Every dollar in University expenditures generates an estimated $1.11 worth of additional economic activity. STUDENT SPENDING For the past several years, the University, together with the other Lackawanna County colleges has conducted a survey of student spending. The survey has a special emphasis on downtown Scranton and is designed to provide information that can help to tap the economic potential of area students. Students were asked to estimate their weekly spending for a number of categories (e.g. shopping, dining, cultural events, entertainment, rent, utilities and groceries). According to a 2014 survey, University of Scranton students, which total over 6,000, reported spending an average of $1.2 million off-campus each month. PROPERTY & BUSINESS RELATED TAXES The University pays property tax in cases where the property has not yet been converted to educational use. Since 2010, for example, the University paid property taxes totaling almost $491,000 to the City of Scranton, Scranton School District, Lackawanna County and other municipalities. In addition, the Universityยนs business partners (e.g. ARAMARK and Follett) pay various taxes, including a $24,150 mercantile tax paid to the City & School District this past fiscal year. TAXES/FEES ON RECENT MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS The University has invested in more than 30 major construction projects since 1980, averaging nearly one major construction project per year. According to a 2014 study by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, the $47.5 million center for rehabilitation education, set to be complete in the summer of 2015, will have an economic impact of $87.7 million. The University has paid the following permit fees and building privilege taxes for the construction of these major buildings: DeNaples Center (campus center), Condron Hall (sophomore residence hall), Loyola Science Center, Pilarz and Montrone Halls (apartment and fitness complex), and center for rehabilitation education. FEE OR TAX
DENAPLES
Building Permits
$292,464 $232,603 $526,535
$253,629
$451,016
$1,756,247
Business Privilege Tax $167,432 $133,162 $357,262
$459,426
$100,936
$1,218,218
$713,055
$551,952
$2,974,465
Project Totals:
$459,896
CONDRON
$365,765
SCIENCE
$883,797
PILARZ/MONTRONE
REHAB CENTER
OVERALL TOTALS
In addition, the City requires the University to pay a Third Party Inspection Fee. These fees do not go to the City but rather to an independent contractor. The combined actual and estimated fees for the above projects are $542,208.
The construction of Pilarz and Montrone Halls added apartment-style housing for 396 students, as well as a new fitness facility and a dining facility/convenience store.
“Our institutions of higher education are an integral part of the economic ecosystem of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University of Scranton plays a major role in providing positive economic activity for the region through major capital investments, staff and student spending, and broad-based purchasing of local services and supplies.�
— Robert F. Durkin, President, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
Economic & Communit • Each year, the University offers more
than 100 free events to the public.
• The University had a $282,932,643
regional economic impact in 2013-14 — $5.7 billion since 1980, including capital projects.
• Students spend an average of
$1.2 million off campus each month. • Community organizations held more
than 5,400 events at the University since 2004.
• University employees and alumni make up
9% of the City’s workforce and nearly 1 in 10 City residents are students, alumni or employees.
• Last year, the University voluntarily
contributed $175,000 to the City and $58,500 to Lackawanna County — $3.1 million & $1.4 million respectively since 1983.
• The University has invested in more than 30
major construction projects since 1980.
ty Impact AT A GLANCE • 2,853 students contributed more than
175,000 hours of service in the region and beyond last year — 2.2 million service hours since 1997.
• Student, physician and nurse volunteers
in the Leahy Clinic provide free healthcare services to Lackawanna County’s uninsured residents — 1,638 patients in 2013-14.
• In 2013-14, the University awarded
more than $60 million in student aid.
• The Scranton Small Business
Development Center provided 506 consulting hours to 104 clients in the City of Scranton in 2013-14, with a total of over 11,000 hours in the past 34 years.
A Major Employer
JOB CREATION The University estimates that 1,768 jobs can be directly or indirectly attributed to our presence in the region. For each full-time employee at the University, we estimate that .68 additional jobs are created in the local economy. As of May 2014, the University employed 934 full-time faculty and staff, and an additional 220 part-time employees. Moreover, 2,817 alumni work in the city. In total, there are 3,157 University employees and alumni working in Scranton, making up 9% of the city’s workforce. EMPLOYEE-RELATED FEES & TAX PAYMENTS The University’s non-profit status does not cover all taxes and fees, especially as it relates to employees, who pay wage taxes and an annual local services tax, which was instituted to support the City’s emergency services.
2014 SUMMARY OF ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, FEES & TAX PAYMENTS OVERALL
TOTALS
Wage Tax for University Employees Living in Scranton
$569,609
Local Services Tax on University Employees
$89,050
Local Services Tax on ARAMARK & Follett Employees
$31,100
University faculty and staff join with students in a variety of community service activities.
Total:
$689,759
Among Scranton’s 924 full-time employees are 290 full-time faculty members.
A Partner with Area Businesses
Students visit downtown businesses on familiarization walking tour conducted in cooperation with Scranton Tomorrow.
Matthew Colgan, NBT Bank assistant VP commercial banking and Lisa Hall Zielinski, Scranton SBDC director, are pictured with participants of The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center StartUP series.
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) SUPPORT IN SCRANTON With a service area that includes eight counties, the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been providing educational programs and no cost, confidential consulting services to entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a small business since 1980. In the past 34 years, the SBDC has provided almost 11,000 hours of small business consulting to clients in the City of Scranton alone. In 2013, the SBDC launched a collaborative Small Business Internship Initiative to match businesses with students. Since its inception, 9 small business internships have been completed, 4 are in progress, there have been a total of 97 student applicants, and there is a running list of small businesses interested in learning more about the benefits of offering internships. The following data points are specific to the City of Scranton for the period from June 1, 2013 – May 31, 2014: • 104 clients were provided with a total of 506 consulting hours. • $752,000 in approved financing was received by clients consulted in the City of Scranton, based on business plan development and projection assistance supplied by the Scranton SBDC. • 4 businesses were started. 9.5 new jobs were created. •2 DOWNTOWN ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE The University’s Office of Community Relations is currently in year four of its Downtown Engagement Initiative, which began in August 2011 and works to increase the interaction of students, faculty, staff and parents with downtown Scranton. Each year, the initiative draws more than 2,000 individuals downtown through over 15 special events and promotions. More than 85 Resident Assistants take part in a downtown tour and dinner as part of their summer orientation. Over 200 students participate in an annual “Downtown Scavenger Hunt” at the start of the academic year that includes over 30 downtown locations. Hundreds of parents attending Family Weekend dine downtown using the “Family Table” discount program. According to a spring 2014 survey, the initiative has led to a marked increase in student awareness and patronage of businesses in downtown Scranton. Based on a comparison of the 2014 survey and one conducted in 2011, more University students are going downtown to retail shops, restaurants and entertainment activities. The initiative has been particularly successful in increasing awareness among students of major community events such as First Fridays, which saw significant gains of 17%+ increases from 2011 to 2014.
A Good Neighbor The University of Scranton is proud to call the City of Scranton home. Nearly 1 in 10 “Scrantonians” are University of Scranton students, alumni or employees, accounting for 8% of the resident population and thereby benefiting the city with federal population-based grants. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS The University of Scranton meets or exceeds all of requirements for tax exemption in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, the University is the most consistent nonprofit in the City to provide an unrestricted, voluntary contribution. The University currently contributes $175,000 to the City of Scranton as well as $58,500 to Lackawanna County. Since 1983, the University’s contribution to the City have totaled more than $3.1 million and over $1.4 million to the County. SAFETY RELATED FEES The University also contributes to the City of Scranton through fees associated with fire safety. In the 2013-14 academic year, the University paid $36,000 in fees related to false fire alarms. USE OF FACILITIES BY COMMUNITY GROUPS Since 2004, the University has hosted 5,485 events by community organizations, waiving more than $649,095 in room usage fees. HILL NEIGHBORHOOD Home Program: Since its inception in 2003, through its $5,000 forgivable loan program, the University has helped employees purchase 28 homes in the Hill Section totaling $140,000 in loans and a total real estate value of $3,717,490. Camera Project: In the spring of 2015, the University installed twelve (12) video surveillance cameras at six (6) locations along Vine Street from Madison Avenue to Taylor Avenue. Through an agreement with the City of Scranton, the University incurs all expenses associated with the project and will make the video feed available to the Scranton Police Department. The estimated cost of this project, which will improve safety for the University and the Hill Section community, is $135,000. Lighting Enhancements: In total, the University has invested in lighting for 200 fixtures in 20 city blocks, with installations and fixtures costing about $40,000 per block, for a total of $800,000. In the fall of 2013, 22 high efficiency LED street light fixtures were installed in alleyways, increasing light levels and improving safety — a project totaling $20,000.
“Being in relationship with the University opens the Greenhouse Project to creative collaborations with the faculty, staff, and students who live where we live and share our cares. Access to the University’s resources and advisors, and the gift of enthusiastic student volunteers helps us grow a sustainable and healthy food community in Scranton’s Hill Section and throughout the city and region.”
— Jane Risse, The Greenhouse Project at Nay Aug Park
Revitalization Projects: The University invested $3.16 million in the multi-million dollar Mulberry Street Improvement project, which was completed in 2013 and conducted in collaboration with the City of Scranton to beautify the Mulberry corridor. In December 2014, The University of Scranton, Greenspace Properties and Hildebrandt Learning Centers announced a project to convert the former Madison Junior High School building at 528 Quincy Avenue into a state-of-theart learning center and apartment-style housing to serve the University’s growing population of graduate and international students. Beautification Activities: The University conducts a semi-annual “Street Sweep” that includes trash pick-up in the Hill Section, clean-up projects at Nay Aug Park and community gardens, and plantings and beautification in downtown Scranton, in collaboration with neighborhood and community partners. NEIGHBOR NIGHTS Beginning in the fall of 2011, the University has convened “Neighbor Night,” an event that allows Scranton residents, particularly in the Hill Section and downtown, to hear the latest University developments, ask questions and engage in discussion with University leaders. More than 30 residents have attended each of 7 events so far.
First year students host a “Back to School Bonanza” for area children as part of Fall Welcome Weekend activities.
Students pick up trash as part of a semi-annual “street sweep” in areas around campus.
A Catholic & Jesuit Institution Committed to Service
“[The University of Scranton’s] application documented excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement”
— Carnegie Foundation in the announcement of the University’s 2015 Community Engagement Classification
Students, faculty and staff of the University are involved in hundreds of community service and volunteer programs that have a positive impact on the region and the City of Scranton. The University has received national recognition for its community service activities. It is among just 361 colleges in the nation, and one of only 24 colleges in Pennsylvania, to have earned in 2015 the highly selective Community Engagement Classification designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Scranton has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll every year since 2007. In the 2013-2014 academic year alone, approximately 2,853 Scranton students provided more than 175,000 hours of volunteer service, much of it in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Since 1997, students have contributed 2.2 million hours. STUDENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS The University’s Community Outreach Office works regularly with over 120 Scranton area non-profit organizations to engage students in addressing community needs through special programs including: spring and fall break service trips; food, clothing, holiday gift and blood drives; SMART mentoring program with the Scranton School District; FIRST (Freshmen in Reflective Service Together) week-long program; Safe Trick or Treat and Easter Egg Hunt for area children; and Community Christmas Day breakfast for Scranton residents — the 6th annual in December 2014 was our largest yet with 690 guests from the Scranton area and 125 faculty and staff volunteers. In August 2014, volunteers from the class of 2018 welcomed more than 1,000 area children and their families for a “Back-to-School Bonanza” held on Courthouse Square. COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING Throughout the academic year, faculty engaged students in community-based learning as part of their course work. In the 2013-2014 academic year, 107 community-based learning classes were conducted. 1,753 students engaged in academic community-based learning for a total of 26,873 hours. This included 1,258 majors from the Panuska College for Professional Studies, which requires 40 service hours for graduation. More than 70 faculty from 13 different academic departments engage students in these courses in a variety of service activities related to their academic study and in collaboration with community partners.
A total of 208 students volunteers and 152 faculty/staff members participated in the 2014 Thanksgiving food drive.
The University hosts several high school academic competitions, including the annual Kane physics competition.
The Leahy Clinic provides free “nonemergency” healthcare to uninsured Lackawanna County residents.
LEAHY COMMUNITY HEALTH & FAMILY CENTER Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured: Since opening in 2007, the Leahy Clinic has provided free health care services to uninsured Lackawanna County residents who may otherwise forgo health care, or seek care inappropriately in hospital emergency rooms. The Clinic operates Thursday evenings year-round, and Tuesday & Thursday during the academic year, with 13 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners and 11 community nurses and University of Scranton nursing student volunteers, and more than 33 physicians providing services off site. Specialty Clinics including Dermatology and gynecology are offered throughout the year. Other clinics offered include Physical Therapy and Behavior Therapy on Wednesday’s by appointment. In 2013-2014, 138 students contributed 2567 hours; 1638 patients were treated in the medical clinic and 283 patients received physical therapy and counseling; 850 prescriptions dispensed; and 303 immunizations administered. University of Success: Each year, this college readiness program provides an intensive two-week summer academic experience on the University’s campus for 20 local public school 8th grade students, with ongoing programming for a total of 77 students in 2014-2015. University of Scranton Education students volunteer to provide mentoring and support for students through high school. In 2014, 14 students graduated, 13 of whom are attending a college or university. Presently, ten Success alumni attend The University of Scranton, and nine have received a scholarship as a result of the program. Other Leahy Center Programs: University faculty and students provide a range of other services through The Leahy Center. The Peacemakers Afterschool Program, led by Counseling Department faculty, is offered on Friday afternoons for 6 weeks each semester, connecting 10 student mentors with 20 multicultural children ages 9 to 13. 20 University students provide 600 hours of service along with 35 hours by university faculty. Shoplifting Group Intervention program in partnership with the Lackawanna County Court system provided support to 20 community offenders and involved 14 students. The Alice V. Leahy Food Pantry & Clothing Closet, run by student volunteers, offers nonperishable food and personal care items, operates Mondays and Fridays. In 2013-2014, 331 Families were supported by the pantry. Other services include a nutrition and community health clinic, Flu clinics and health fairs, and parenting classes.
Office of Community Relations • Scranton, PA 18510 • 570-941-4419 Subscribe to our Newsletter: community@scranton.edu For additional information about the University’s Economic & Community Impact, visit scranton.edu/economic-impact