[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 93 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1275-E1277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 RETIREMENT OF REV. LEO J. O'DONOVAN, S.J. AS PRESIDENT OF GEORGETOWN 
                               UNIVERSITY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J. leaves Georgetown 
University on June 30th after twelve splendid and productive years as 
the president of the oldest Catholic university in the United States. I 
know I am joined by the Members of the House in recognizing Father 
O'Donovan's very distinguished service to Georgetown, to higher 
education, to this city, and to his Catholic faith.
  Father O'Donovan, a summa cum laude graduate of Georgetown College, a 
Jesuit institution, returned to his renowned alma mater, himself a 
distinguished Jesuit. He has led the University in the tradition of 
scholarship, faith, and service, as if it were second nature to him.
  I have had the opportunity to observe Father O'Donovan at work 
because I was a tenured member of the faculty of the Law Center when he 
became president in 1989 and have continued as a faculty member, 
teaching a course every year. I watched first hand as Father O'Donovan 
strengthened a university that was already acknowledged to be one of 
the best in the country, and at the same time, deepened its strong 
commitment to its religious mission and to this city.
  Father O'Donovan managed simultaneously to raise the university's 
academic standing and enrich the religious mission of one of the 
world's foremost Catholic universities. He leaves the University 
significantly expanded both academically and physically, with 37% more 
full time faculty, a 25% increase in library holdings, and a doubling 
of endowed chairs. Among the most significant capital improvements 
during Father O'Donovan's tenure are an $82 million renovation of all 
undergraduate housing and his initiation of a $169 million Southwest 
Quadrangle, which will contain new residences for undergraduates and 
for the Jesuit community. His signature especially is on the religious 
identity of the institution to which he has brought fresh and 
innovative emphasis.
  I am particularly grateful to Father O'Donovan for his leadership in 
making Georgetown an especially good D.C. citizen. These contributions 
have been plentiful and varied, from the University's D.C. Reads 
literacy tutors and faculty and student support for our catholic 
elementary schools, to the university's $1 million investment that 
helped launch a community bank, the City First Bank.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot pretend to summarize Father O'Donovan's 
magnificent accomplishments in a terse statement before the House or 
even in the longer statement of his accomplishments that I am 
submitting for the record. The achievements of the O'Donovan presidency 
will continue to roll out for years to come. Suffice it to say that in 
1989, the challenge for a top university was to find a top president 
and that after a dozen years, no one can doubt that Georgetown was 
fortunate to meet that high standard in the man who became its 47th 
president. Father Leo J. O'Donovan will always be remembered at the 
university, in this city, and in our country for his gallant and loving 
spirit and for his unique contributions to education and to the 
District of Columbia, while reinforcing the values of his religious 
faith in the institution he has superbly lead into the 21st century.

           Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J.--Leadership for Georgetown

       The Reverend Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J., became Georgetown 
     University's 47th president in 1989, 33 years after he 
     graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown College. A member 
     of the Society of Jesus since 1957, Fr. O'Donovan is a 
     specialist in systematic theology and holds advanced degrees 
     in theology and philosophy from Fordham University, Woodstock 
     College, and the University of Munster, Germany. At the time 
     of his election to serve as president of Georgetown, he was a 
     professor of systematic theology at Weston Jesuit School of 
     Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a visiting fellow at 
     the Woodstock Theological Center on Georgetown's campus, and 
     a member of Georgetown's Board of Directors.
       Under his leadership in the past twelve years, Georgetown 
     University has continued to flourish and grow as a world-
     class university with a vibrant Catholic and Jesuit identity. 
     As president, Fr. O'Donovan has sustained and enhanced 
     Georgetown University's traditions of scholarship, faith, and 
     service--advancing teaching and research, strengthening the 
     University's commitment to educating ``men and women for 
     others,'' and ensuring that Georgetown serves as a strong 
     non-profit citizen in Washington, D.C.


                          Academic Excellence

       Ranked among the top 25 universities in the nation every 
     year in the 1990s, as well as in 2000-2001, Georgetown has 
     continued to strengthen academic excellence and deepen its 
     longstanding commitment to teaching and research.
       Georgetown's outstanding students continue to achieve 
     distinction nationally, earning some of the most prestigious 
     awards in higher education, including 11 Rhodes Scholarships, 
     7 Marshall Scholarships, and 8 Luce Foundation Scholarships 
     since 1990. Georgetown's Law Center ranks first in the nation 
     in the number of graduates who go into public interest and 
     public service law. And 64 judicial clerkships have recently 
     been awarded to Law Center graduates.
       At the School of Medicine, students continue to perform 
     exceptionally well in residency assignments they receive 
     through the National Residency Matching Program.

[[Page E1276]]

     In 2000, more than half of graduating seniors received their 
     first choice for residency, and 80 percent received one of 
     their top two choices. These figures are higher than the 
     national average.


                          Support for Faculty

       Fr. O'Donovan has funded faculty-development grants for 
     interdisciplinary research and course development and made a 
     priority the creation of new endowed faculty positions. The 
     number of Georgetown's endowed professorships and endowed 
     chairs has doubled in the past twelve years. Among the new 
     chairs were the University's first in computer science, 
     music, and Japanese language and culture, as well as the John 
     Carroll Distinguished Professorship in Ethics, the Ryan Chair 
     in Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy, and a chair to support 
     the scholarship and teaching of a visiting Jesuit scholar.
       From Fall 1988 through Fall 2000 the number of Main Campus 
     full-time faculty (both tenure track and non-tenure track) 
     increased 37%. From Fall 1990 through Fall 2000, the number 
     of full-time faculty at the Georgetown University Law Center 
     increased 38%. Georgetown Law Center has the largest faculty 
     in the United States.


                        Research and Scholarship

       Georgetown's faculty include some of the nation's leading 
     scholars in a wide array of fields--from linguistics to 
     constitutional law to cancer research to health care policy.
       Georgetown was classified by the Carnegie Foundation for 
     the Advancement of Teaching as a Research I institution in 
     1994 and a Doctoral/Research-extensive university in 2000.
       From FY90 to FY99, research and development funding support 
     has increased by 119 percent.
       Georgetown's library holdings have increased by more than 
     25% in the past ten years.


                 Academic Developments and Innovations

       In the past 12 years, Georgetown has steadily expanded its 
     academic programs. Currently, there are more than 90 
     undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including 20 
     doctoral programs. In recent years, numerous new 
     interdisciplinary graduate programs have been instituted, 
     including programs in the neurosciences and molecular and 
     cell biology. The undergraduate curriculum has been augmented 
     by new minors in areas such as Catholic studies and 
     environmental studies, a new major in political economy, and 
     a joint program in Communication, Culture, and Technology. 
     New graduate and professional initiatives include the Asian 
     Law and Policy Studies Program at the Law Center, and an 
     International Executive MBA Program at the McDonough School 
     of Business. In 1995, the Main Campus also completed a major 
     reorganization of academic programs, incorporating the 
     Faculty of Languages and Linguistics into the Georgetown 
     College.
       Under Fr. O'Donovan's leadership, innovative academic and 
     philanthropic planning has allowed Georgetown to create a 
     number of new teaching and research initiatives, including:
       Law Casa, a center for research on Latin American law and 
     policy issues, and the Supreme Court Institute in the Law 
     Center;
       The Center for Clinical Bioethics in the Medical Center;
       The Center for German and European Studies, the Center for 
     Australian and New Zealand Studies, and the Center for 
     Muslim-Christian Understanding in the Walsh School of Foreign 
     Service; and
       The Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and 
     Service on the Main Campus.


               Achievements in Admissions & Financial Aid

       As Georgetown's academic programs and faculty have advanced 
     in stature, the admissions process has become increasingly 
     more competitive. Georgetown accepts between 20 and 25 
     percent of its approximately 15,000 undergraduate applicants 
     each year and thus ranks among the nation's most selective 
     institutions.
       At the same time, Fr. O'Donovan has worked to ensure the 
     accessibility and affordability of a Georgetown education, 
     sustaining its need-blind/full-need admissions policy and 
     increasing significantly the amount of University funding 
     appropriated annually for undergraduate aid. Institutional 
     scholarship aid for undergraduates increased from $14 million 
     in 1989 to more than $34.5 million in 2000-01. Each year more 
     than 55% of the undergraduate students at Georgetown receive 
     some form of financial assistance. Including federal and 
     private, grant, loan, and work-study programs, Georgetown 
     awarded a total of $67.5 million in undergraduate financial 
     aid in 2000-01. Among the recent additions to financial aid 
     resources are the Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Scholarship for Peace 
     fund, established by a generous anonymous gift to enable 
     students from war-torn regions of the world to attend 
     Georgetown, and a special scholarship fund financed by the 
     Office of the President for graduates of District of Columbia 
     schools.
       In 2000-01, the Law Center again received more applications 
     than any law school in the nation, and more than 8,000 
     students applied for 171 seats in the School of Medicine. One 
     of every four medical school applicants in the country 
     applies to Georgetown. In addition, applicants' GPAs and MCAT 
     scores continue to be well above average. Average LSAT scores 
     of entering law students are in the 95th percentile 
     nationally.


                        Diversity at Georgetown

       In 2001, in an independent survey published in Black 
     Enterprise, Georgetown was ranked second among non-
     historically black colleges and universities as a place where 
     African American students feel that their aspirations are 
     supported. In 1999, the publication Hispanic Business ranked 
     MBA programs and law schools in terms of places where 
     Hispanics were most likely to succeed. Approximately 22% of 
     Georgetown's undergraduate class of 2004 are international 
     students and students from minority and ethnic backgrounds. 
     Each year Georgetown ranks either first or second among 
     highly selective private institutions in the number of 
     applications by African Americans.
       Georgetown's Law Center has become one of the most diverse 
     in the nation, second only to Howard University in the number 
     of African American attorneys graduated in the U.S. During 
     Fall 2000, minorities made up 29.3 percent of the students in 
     the J.D. program. The percentage of minority students in the 
     School of Medicine has increased from 20 percent in 1994 to 
     more than 28 percent in 2000.
       Of the undergraduate students enrolled during Fall 2000 who 
     indicated a religious preference, more than half (55.3 
     percent) indicated that they are Roman Catholic. About 23 
     percent reported another Christian denomination, while about 
     five percent indicated they are of the Jewish faith. About 
     three percent of the undergraduates stated that they are 
     Muslim, two percent are Hindu and one percent reported that 
     they are Buddhist. About seven percent indicated no religion 
     and about four percent indicated some other religious 
     preference. About eight percent of all undergraduates did not 
     specify a religious preference and about 2.5% indicated some 
     other religious preference.
       Georgetown also has made significant strides promoting 
     diversity within the faculty and administration. Among Fr. 
     O'Donovan's administrative appointments have been the first 
     women to serve as Provost, Dean of Georgetown College, Dean 
     of the School of Medicine, Vice President and Treasurer, and 
     Vice President and General Counsel.


               Georgetown's Catholic and Jesuit Identity

       Fr. O'Donovan has led Georgetown's efforts to develop 
     further the spiritual dimension of Georgetown's campus and 
     intellectual life. During the past 12 years, in addition to 
     the new academic centers listed above, the University has 
     launched innovative initiatives in Catholic Studies and 
     Jewish Studies. Georgetown's nationally recognized retreat 
     programs have grown significantly, offering a broad range of 
     retreat options to all members of the University community, 
     with specific retreats for those of the Catholic, Protestant, 
     Muslim, Orthodox Christian, and Jewish faiths. The University 
     has hosted a wide range of conferences, symposia, and 
     lectures devoted to religious issues and topics. Georgetown's 
     Third Century Campaign has set a target of $45 million for 
     initiatives related to Georgetown's Catholic and Jesuit 
     identity, including five endowed chairs in the Catholic 
     intellectual tradition.
       In 1995, Fr. O'Donovan initiated a University-wide dialogue 
     about ways in which the University might further deepen its 
     Catholic and Jesuit identity. As a part of that process, in 
     1997, he charged a faculty-led task force to make specific 
     recommendations about steps Georgetown could take to enhance 
     its identity for the future. That task force filed its report 
     in 1998. Fr. O'Donovan then invited the entire University 
     community to respond to this report and in May 1999 appointed 
     four faculty committees to begin developing implementation 
     strategies for some of the recommendations. Following the 
     work of the faculty committees, in September 2000, Fr. 
     O'Donovan launched a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing 
     Georgetown's Catholic and Jesuit identity. These included:
       Inaugurating a second chair in Catholic Social Thought 
     using a new endowment obtained by the University--the first 
     chair, inaugurated last academic year, is currently held by 
     the Rev. John P. Langan, S.J.;
       Promoting dialogue among faculty about Jesuit pedagogy 
     through the work of the Center for New Designs in Learning 
     and Scholarship (CNDLS), a new center that will make these 
     discussions a part of its overall mission;
       Supporting Jesuit recruitment through the establishment of 
     a standing committee of Jesuits and other faculty members;
       Enhancing faculty diversity with increased funding for 
     recruitment--Georgetown has already successfully recruited 
     three new minority faculty members; and

[[Page E1277]]

       Establishing a Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching 
     and Service to focus on expanding the ways that Georgetown 
     integrates research and service into academic life.
       To articulate the strong Catholic and Jesuit foundation of 
     the University, Fr. O'Donovan also charged a faculty 
     committee led by the Provost Dorothy Brown to draft a 
     University mission statement. In September 2000, Georgetown's 
     Board approved the mission statement submitted by the 
     committee and previously reviewed by the University 
     community.


                New Investments in Space and Facilities

       Throughout his tenure, Fr. O'Donovan has been dedicated to 
     developing strategies for effective long-term campus 
     development. More than $82 million dollars has been invested 
     in the renovation of all undergraduate student housing. In 
     Fall 2000, the University broke ground for the Southwest 
     Quadrangle, which includes a 780-bed residence hall, a dining 
     hall, an underground parking garage, and a new Jesuit 
     community residence. The $168.5 million construction project 
     is on schedule for completion in the fall of 2003. On 
     November 8, 2000 the District of Columbia's Board of Zoning 
     Adjustment (BZA) approved Georgetown University's 2000 Campus 
     Plan. The approval allows the University to proceed with 
     construction and renovation plans for all buildings proposed 
     in the plan, including modifications to hospital facilities 
     proposed by MedStar Health. New facilities for the sciences, 
     performing arts, and the McDonough School of Business are 
     also a part of the Master Plan, and major gifts for these 
     have been raised through Georgetown's Third Century Campaign.
       Recent campus development at the Law Center includes the 
     completion of the Gewirz Student Center, which provides the 
     campus' first on-site housing for law students, and the 
     opening of a new wing of the campus' central building, which 
     includes technologically advanced classrooms and seminar 
     rooms and expanded student activity space. Current projects 
     include construction of a new academic facility and health 
     fitness center on the Law Center property Georgetown 
     purchased two years ago.
       Important new strategic investments include the 
     acquisitions of the Wormley School building on Prospect 
     Street and the National Academy of Sciences buildings on 
     Wisconsin Avenue. At the Medical Center a new wing was 
     completed at the Hospital in 1993, and a new research 
     building was dedicated in 1995.


                  Growth and Achievements in Athletics

       During Fr. O'Donovan's tenure as president, Georgetown's 
     Athletic Program has regularly undergone reviews, has been 
     found in compliance with Title IX, and has received NCAA 
     certification. Georgetown instituted women's soccer as a 
     varsity sport and elevated women's lacrosse to a national 
     level sport. The University also expanded the number of 
     scholarships for women athletes. Men's lacrosse has grown in 
     stature to become a Final Four program, and, in 2001, the 
     football team began competing in the Patriot League. In the 
     1990s, fourteen different teams ranked in the top ten in the 
     nation, and graduation rates for athletes continue to be 
     outstanding. During the past 12 years, philanthropic support 
     has also increased significantly. Annual Fund contributions 
     to the Athletic Program have more than doubled, and two 
     endowed coaching positions and an endowed chair, the Francis 
     X. Rienzo Athletic Director Chair, were established.


                     Major Administrative Projects

       With the rise of managed care, the decline of government 
     funding for health care, and other factors, Georgetown faced 
     serious financial challenges at the Medical Center throughout 
     the 90s. To address the Medical Center's increasing budget 
     deficits, Fr. O'Donovan established a strong focus on cost 
     cutting, revenue enhancement, and other management 
     strategies. In March 1999, he signed a letter of
       The partnership allows Georgetown to realize major 
     strategic goals:
       It preserves and supports the University's mission of 
     first-class medical education and research, as well as the 
     Hospital's Catholic identity.
       It transfers the clinical operations to MedStar, thereby 
     protecting Georgetown from future clinically-related losses 
     in an increasingly competitive health care economy while 
     providing the opportunity for future earnings if MedStar's 
     Washington, D.C., system meets certain financial targets.
       It saved 3,800 jobs in the clinical enterprise, and it 
     strengthens our relationship with the District of Columbia by 
     continuing to provide opportunities for employment and 
     medical care.
       In the past 12 years, Georgetown has made major investments 
     in improving the technological infrastructure of the 
     University and expanding the ways in which technology can 
     enhance teaching and research. Georgetown is among the first 
     universities in the nation to use the latest fiber optic 
     technology in its residence halls, all of which are now wired 
     for advanced computer and Internet use. In addition, 100% of 
     Georgetown faculty have access to the world wide web. Library 
     services include web-accessible catalogues and databases, as 
     well as a broad array of research assistance online. While 
     advancing its technological resources, Georgetown is also 
     moving ahead as a higher education leader on such innovative 
     projects as Internet 2.


                 Building Support for the Next Century

       In October 1998, Georgetown formally launched its $750 
     million Third Century Campaign, to support faculty, enhance 
     facilities and financial aid resources and strengthen every 
     area of the University. Based on its strong record of 
     success, the Board approved the increase of the campaign goal 
     to $1 billion in September 2000. As of December 31st, 2000, 
     the campaign already had secured more than $640 million in 
     gifts and pledges, including a gift of $30 million to name 
     the Robert E. McDonough School of Business. Established in 
     1996, Georgetown's Blue and Gray Society, which comprises 
     donors who give $10,000 or more annually to the University, 
     increased its membership from more than 780 in 1997 to nearly 
     1500 in 2000. The campaign effort will further bolster 
     Georgetown's endowment, which has already grown from $232 
     million in 1989 to more than $772 million in October 2000.


                  Contributions to the D.C. Community

       Georgetown's fulfillment of its commitment to the Jesuit 
     educational principle of educating ``men and women for 
     others'' has also grown in breadth and depth. Of the more 
     than 180 programs dedicated to community service, several 
     have been launched in the past decade, including:
       The Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and 
     Service, and the Center for Urban Research and Teaching on 
     the Main Campus;
       The Law Center's Office of Public Interest and Community 
     Service; and
       Collaborative ventures such as the Georgetown Public Policy 
     Institute's D.C. Community Policy Forum, a research 
     partnership between the University and District of Columbia 
     agencies.
       Fr. O'Donovan created a series of grants to support faculty 
     in their efforts to create new and enhance existing service-
     learning courses and to undertake research projects that 
     directly benefit the District and its residents. Two of those 
     grants expanded the work done by Georgetown faculty and 
     students in the Archdiocese's Catholic elementary schools, 
     which are also served by Georgetown's large corps of DC
       Fr. O'Donovan led the development of a comprehensive 
     strategy to build stronger relationships between the 
     University community and its surrounding neighbors. He 
     created the position of Assistant Vice President for External 
     Relations to promote improved communication and collaboration 
     between the University and the local D.C. community. In 
     recent years, Georgetown has decreased the number of 
     undergraduate students living off campus, instituted special 
     bulk trash pick-ups at the beginning and close of each 
     academic year, and advanced its plans to build a new 780 bed 
     residence hall complex.
       Finally, to serve the children of faculty, students, and 
     staff, the Hoya Kids Learning Center, a child development and 
     pre-school facility, was established in 1997 on the Main 
     Campus. Scholarships for families in need are funded by the 
     Office of the President.

     

                          ____________________