In ways that strike me as imaginative and remarkably selfless, students and faculty members work continually to make the world a better place�designing sustainable housing, developing non-invasive surgical techniques, revealing the link between poverty and disease, preserving our cultural heritage, creating works of art that challenge us to face difficult issues. Their efforts stem from the conviction that with the gift of learning comes the obligation to apply what we know to serve the public good.
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One faculty member recently observed that the University is a place where rigorous scholarship addresses the sort of problems that dog our days and haunt our dreams at night. This observation seems right and profound to me as I look back on a year in which members of this community received two Rhodes Scholarships, a MacArthur Fellowship, and even a Nobel Prize�the first held by one of our faculty since William Faulkner walked the Grounds nearly five decades ago. These achieve ments reflect the deep desire in our students and faculty members to confront problems that others find intractable. Their drive and determination benefit each of us.
By vigorously addressing the needs of a global society, we fulfill one principal goal of the Virginia 2020 planning process. Indeed, we are making significant headway in all of the Virginia 2020 areas, as this report makes clear. To elevate programs in science and technology, we have made the first of ten planned appointments of world-class researchers and begun construction of new laboratory space for the medical sciences. In the effort to create an ideal environment for the arts, we are completing the makeover of Fayerweather Hall for art history, moving forward on construction of Ruffin Hall for studio art, and planning the museum and concert hall�the center for the arts�that will form a new gateway to the University. Tracking the Virginia 2020 report on international initiatives, we are expanding study-abroad offerings, bringing diplomats and other distinguished leaders to the Grounds, developing collaborative research programs with universities worldwide, and (through membership in the global consortium known as Universitas 21) using new technologies to extend further our programs around the world.
Much of the University�s vitality in our time derives from its integrity in dealing with even the hardest issues, among them lingering racism and discrimination against those who were historically denied place or respect in universities of our kind. William B. Harvey, who joined us this year as the first vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity, shares our commitment to making the University an inclusive and supportive community for all who work, live, and study here. The arrival of Mr. Harvey, who has served for the past five years as vice president of the Center for Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity at the American Council on Education, fulfills a key recommendation of the President�s Commission on Diversity and Equity, which issued its report in October 2004.
For progress toward these and many other goals, we owe a debt of gratitude to our Board of Visitors. Through their actions and advocacy, the Visitors have taken the University in bold new directions while upholding the values that define its quality and character. We are fortunate that Gordon Rainey (College �62, Law �67), who stepped down after a wonderfully effective term as Rector, has agreed to head our new campaign. As chair of the Campaign Executive Committee, he is leading a distinguished body of alumni, parents, and friends in an endeavor that will position us where we belong�in the company of the world�s best universities. Now in its nucleus phase, the campaign has already raised more than $850 million toward an anticipated $3 billion goal.
As we celebrated achievements this year, we also celebrated anniversaries. The Curry School of Education, created by a visionary president, Edwin Alderman, observed its centennial. The Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and the University�s College at Wise, the legacy of another visionary president, Colgate Darden, both marked their fiftieth anniversaries. Madison House, the organization through which thousands of students engage in volunteer service, turned thirty-five. The Miller Center of Public Affairs is celebrating thirty years of shedding light on the American presidency. The Jefferson Scholars Program, which has brought us some of our most capable student leaders, is now a quarter-century old. Today, each of these schools and programs is thriving, and each adds immeasurably to the blessings Mr. Jefferson hoped his University would provide.
JOHN T. CASTEEN, III
President