In Capital Campaign, mission fund falls short

While it's up for debate whether Seattle University's Catholic identity is lacking, a capital campaign fund for Jesuit mission and identity was lacking in the amount of $8 million.

The university recently wrapped up a successful 5-year capital campaign, raising almost $20 million more than the original goal of $150 million.

Most areas, including the library construction project and other university developments, were well supported, but Jesuit Mission and Identity fund was glaringly under-supported, raising about $2 million of the $12 million the university hoped to garner.

Some might think the department was underfunded because Seattle U is sometimes viewed as not fulfilling its Catholic identity.

"Have you lost sight of Catholic principles and beliefs?" asks one commenter, who says she is an alumna, on a recent Seattle Times story about the university. She adds that the university has "deteriorated into a leftist university that not even our children would consider" and that Seattle U "will never see a dime from us!"

Though many commenters expressed similar views, administrators refute claims that Seattle U has lost touch with its Catholic identity.

"I am an alumnus, and I have not seen any shift away from our Jesuit or Catholic roots," says Steve Lundell, director of Alumni Relations.

Fr. Peter Ely, S.J., the vice president of Mission and Ministry, believes one of the major reasons for lack of funding was that the university didn't have a straightforward plan for the money.

"If you want to raise money," Ely says, "you have to have a clear focus."

Ely is working with Provost Isiaah Crawford and Mary Kay McFadden, vice president for University Advancement, on a new proposal for fundraising that will help make the plans more concrete and appealing.

Ely says this proposal would pull together a number of initiatives that are already underway, as well as further program funding.

According to Ely, some of the money would go to faculty to help in teaching the Jesuit Catholic mission. Ely would also like to use the funding to strengthen existing programs.
"I would like to see a stronger Catholic Studies program." Ely says. "It's a smaller minor, and I would like to see more students involved."

Ely believes the lack of funding, though disappointing, will not keep his division from reaching their goals.

"Every failure is an invitation to rethink things and come up with a better proposal," Ely says. "I'm not discouraged; we just have some work to do."