CAMPAIGN CHRONICLE TRACKING CAMPAIGN GUSTAVUS | SPRING 2012 | Vol. 1 No. 2
An Investment in Excellence THE VALUE OF ENDOWED FACULTY AT GUSTAVUS
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Dr. Kathy Lund Dean, the College’s first Distinguished Endowed Chair in Leadership and Ethics
INSIDE: ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CAMPAIGN PROGRESS REPORT LEAVE YOUR LEGACY IN BECK ACADEMIC HALL OR THE WEST MALL MEET THE MAJOR GIFT COMMITTEE SPARK YOUR FIRE FOR GIVING SAVE THE DATE FOR FALL 2012 SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
premier institution of higher education like Gustavus must have premier faculty to ensure its success. Gustavus is proud of its world-class and award-winning faculty, who come from all over the world to shape the lives of our students. One way to strengthen the College’s ability to retain and recruit exemplary faculty, who combine thoughtprovoking teaching with innovative research, is through the creation of endowed faculty positions. Endowed faculty positions not only enhance the national reputation of a college, but they also aid institutions by providing funding for a portion or all of a faculty member’s position, enabling the institution to direct resources that would otherwise be spent on salaries toward other needs of the college. The gift of an endowed faculty position is truly an investment in teaching and learning — one of the three pillars of Campaign Gustavus — that lasts a lifetime and will directly impact the lives of thousands of students. “The purpose of endowed faculty positions is to provide an avenue for our generous donors to make a gift that connects our needs with their passion, in this case, their passion for a particular academic area of study,” said Gustavus Provost and Dean of the College Dr. Mark Braun. “Endowed faculty positions have impacts not only on students in the classroom and on the Gustavus campus community, but also beyond Gustavus,” said President Jack Ohle. “Endowed faculty will work within their fields of expertise to engage a larger, more general public in discussion of issues of importance.” The College is fortunate to have several new endowed faculty positions already in place. Generous donors Rev. Drell and Adeline Bernhardson, the parents of four Gustavus graduates, created the Drell and Adeline Bernhardson Distinguished Professor of Lutheran Studies in 1996. The position has been filled admirably since 1999 by Dr. Darrell Jodock, who has made countless contributions to the Gustavus community. This past fall the College announced the establishment of the Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music, thanks to a generous commitment from Jon and Anita Thomsen Young of Eden Prairie, Minn., who are both members of the class of 1977. Dr. Gregory Aune is the first faculty member to hold the position. His duties include representing and teaching choral music within the College; developing Gustavus
choral music’s national stature; and advancing that national recognition through teaching and developing vocal and choral music projects to the benefit of Gustavus. In March, Dr. Kathy Lund Dean was announced as the Distinguished Endowed Chair in Leadership and Ethics after a national search. The position was created in 2010 when six members of the Board of Trustees anonymously pledged $5 million to support the establishment of two endowed faculty positions in the College’s Department of Economics and Management. Dr. Lund Dean will be charged with growing academic courses, coaching and mentoring colleagues, building opportunities for student research and experiential learning, and externally engaging members of the business community to create internships. She will begin her duties at Gustavus July 1, 2012. The Gustavus Board of Trustees has established three levels of endowed faculty positions: Endowed Professor, Endowed Chair, and Distinguished Endowed Chair. An Endowed Professorship carries a minimum investment of $1 million and will support instruction in a particular field as identified together with the donor(s). An Endowed Chair carries a minimum investment of $2 million and will support instruction in a particular field as identified with the donor(s), and additional related extracurricular public colloquia, programs, and presentations. Endowed Professors and Endowed Chairs will typically be awarded to a current Gustavus faculty member. In both cases, the Provost, in consultation with the President, has the authority to make a three-year appointment with the opportunity for renewal. A Distinguished Endowed Chair carries a minimum investment of $3 million and will support the instructional, scholarly, and related work of a senior professor in a particular field as identified by the donor(s) for the benefit of the College, our students, and the extramural advancement of the professor’s field of research and scholarship. The person who fills this position will normally be identified through a national search, led by the President in consultation with the Provost, and may be appointed with continuous tenure. “The result of a Distinguished Endowed Chair is that everybody benefits, including our students, the academic departments, the campus community, and the greater public,” Provost Braun said. “The donor also benefits because they get to see the fruits of their gift making a real impact in society.” ■