Dear Assumption Faculty and Staff,
Looking forward to the hope of a fall semester with plans for an incremental return to normalcy, I wish to provide faculty and staff an update on recruitment efforts for the Class of 2025, the status of the 403(b) retirement match, a reminder about the vaccine requirement, and a sampling of our achievements in the past academic year, despite the trials of the pandemic. This message serves as a general overview with details to be shared in a
Town Hall Meeting (Password, Assumption) for faculty and staff on Tuesday, May 18 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
CLASS OF 2025 RECRUITMENT
Similar to several institutions of higher learning throughout the nation, Assumption is realizing lower than projected enrollment for the Class of 2025. Throughout the recruitment cycle, Enrollment Management reported a 20 percent decrease in applications as compared to the previous year. Not surprisingly, this figure held at the conclusion of the cycle. At present, the Class of 2025 includes 450 deposited students, less than the budgeted figure of 550. I have instructed the Enrollment Management Division to conduct a full assessment of recruitment efforts of the past year to identify innovative ways in which Assumption may enrich its efforts to yield more robust classes. While this recruitment cycle was certainly impacted by the unique circumstances related to the pandemic, the University’s leadership understands the need to ensure that retention remains strong and that summer melt remains as low as possible. In addition to implementing a strategy to discourage a summer melt, the Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and Student Success Divisions will continue to reach out to current and accepted students, reminding them of the transformative value of an Assumption Catholic liberal education.
BUDGETARY IMPACT OF THE CLASS OF 2025
The smaller than budgeted class has budgetary implications. Thankfully, federal funds the University received during the pandemic and will receive in the next fiscal year has favorably positioned Assumption’s financial standing for the upcoming fiscal year. However, the impact of the incoming class on the budget will be felt beginning in Fiscal Year 2023 and through 2025 when this class graduates. The University will face difficult decisions to successfully navigate anticipated financial challenges exacerbated by the results of this recruitment cycle and declining demographics. This situation will guide Vice Presidents as they begin a process of discovering greater efficiencies in their Divisions to reflect the needs and size of the institution. This process of identifying these efficiencies will begin during the summer with implementation, including the possibility of the elimination of positions, to take place throughout the upcoming academic year. As a reminder, if you are eligible for the Voluntary Early Retirement Program, there is still time to pursue this option.
RESTORATION OF THE 403(b) RETIREMENT MATCH & COMPENSATION INCREASE
To address the financial challenges of the pandemic and a significant loss of room and board revenue, the University suspended the 403(b) match for employees beginning October 1, 2020. The administration views the 403(b) match as an integral component of employees’ benefits package and I am pleased to share that the match will be restored effective June 1. Given the funding that will be available through stimulus dollars, we are also able to provide the 2.5% compensation increase included in the budget for all employees in September. Finally, to provide employees additional time to rest in preparation for the fall semester, most University offices will be closed on Fridays in July. Thank you for the personal sacrifices you made on behalf of our students and the University.
VACCINE REQUIREMENT
As a reminder, all students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated prior to their return to campus in the fall. While you may apply for an exemption, according to the guidance recently provided by the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group, colleges and universities must achieve a minimum 90 percent vaccination rate to effectively control “infections on residential campuses,” if the safety protocols are to be eased, thereby providing our students with a closer to normal experience this fall. Please upload to Medicat proof of your vaccination(s) once completed prior to August 2 when all employees are to return to campus if Commonwealth guidelines permit. (Instructions on how to post proof of vaccination to Medicat can be found on the AU Mobile App)
MILESTONES ACHIEVED AMID THE PANDEMIC
Despite the successive challenges and obstacles presented to faculty and staff as you adapted to carrying out your responsibilities amid the pandemic, there was much to celebrate in this past year:
- The transition to University status with five separate schools was completed.
- The Health Sciences Building opened, housing the nursing program, already one of the University’s most in-demand majors.
- Exceeding the $35 million goal of the Light the Way Capital Campaign, with more than $41.6 million raised to date as the campaign enters its final months.
- The formal beginning of our partnership with the Worcester Red Sox, which holds immeasurable promise and opportunity for Assumption students that is already being realized as the Greyhounds Baseball team played the first official game at Polar Park last Saturday.
- Countless on-campus events re-imagined in order to engage students amid the socially distanced environment, many of which are to become new Assumption traditions.
- Despite the restrictions, the University held in-person Baccalaureate Masses and a Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2021, with plans to celebrate the Class of 2020 this weekend with a combined Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Ceremony
- Perhaps the most important achievement was providing a residential experience and in-person learning for students who so desired and successfully making it to the end of the academic year.
- This was possible thanks to campus-wide compliance with the safety protocols and the .13 COVID-19 positivity rate for the spring semester
I have shared my gratitude with all of you on countless occasions throughout the past 14 months, but it bears repeating once again. Thank you. Thank you for your patience, your perseverance and your commitment to the success of our students and the timeless idea of a Catholic liberal education such as the one offered by Assumption University. Through the collective work of the University’s faculty and staff, we once again adapted, endured and will continue to thrive into the future guided and strengthened by our mission to serve and awaken in students a sense of wonder and purpose in their lives.
With gratitude,
