Dear Members of the Seton Hall Community,

I am writing to offer my warmest greetings and extend a robust welcome to all of you as we embark on the 166th year of Seton Hall University. By now I hope you are establishing yourselves on campus, connecting with new or existing friends and colleagues, and preparing to embrace the opportunities that arise from a new academic year.

The beginning of every year is an exciting time of broad possibility; no more so than this year, when our University will enjoy more of the activities that make the college experience so meaningful. As we prepare to engage in the 2023 academic year, I would like to share some news of Seton Hall’s progress.

Our community is beginning to see the fruits of our multi-year strategic planning and actions. Our strategy has guided us in making decisions that strengthen our University’s foundations, enhance opportunities for students and faculty to thrive, and position Seton Hall for further success.

Investing in Students

Our students remain among the most hard-working and well-regarded in the nation. We are proud to welcome an extraordinary class of approximately 1,515 freshmen who were selected from a talented and diverse pool of 26,706 applicants — our largest applicant pool ever. These first-year students bring an average GPA of 3.68 (up from 3.64 last year) and hail from 41 states and 21 countries. Their diversity and dynamism is a blessing to us.

We continue to find new ways to live our mission, change destinations and transform lives by advancing strategic investments in students. Primary among these is a record level of University funded $158 million in scholarship support, including over $132 million for undergraduates and $26 million for graduate students.

True to our mission, we have increased the average awards given to Pell-eligible students by more than 25 percent over the last four years, in alignment with the college affordability goals of the strategic plan.

Growing and Recognizing Faculty

Further investment in students includes the addition of more than two dozen world-class teachers and researchers to our faculty — almost all of whom are full-time, tenure-track professors.

I had the pleasure of meeting them at New Faculty Orientation; they are highly impressive and eager to add to our already robust academic experience. Their arrival signifies the continued reallocation of resources to the academy.

While we welcome our new faculty, we will recognize our longstanding professors at the tenure and promotion reception and the Faculty Convocation. Both events are time-honored traditions at Seton Hall and opportunities to thank those who devote themselves to the academic endeavor.

Improving Our Campuses

Investments in physical spaces complement the classroom experience. As members of the South Orange campus have noticed, we continue to make great progress on the transformation of the Bishop Dougherty University Center. I am pleased to tell you the project remains on schedule and should be completed before the close of the fall semester.

Renovations to Boland Hall are nearly complete, providing a fresh and updated living experience in one of the University’s oldest residence halls. The relocation of the Office of International Programs will help advance the University’s global reach from its new home in Jubilee Hall. And Fahy Hall is replete with recently completed renovations, including classrooms, lecture halls, common areas and the TV studio.

Advancing Financial Health

Sound financial health makes such investments possible, and the University continues to receive external recognition and support, including a complimentary assessment from S&P Global Ratings, which noted the University's strong fiscal condition and strategic management.

Others are noticing. For example, a sizable portion of the University Center project has been made possible through the generosity of alumni and friends, with new gifts continuing to arrive each week. This is a strong statement about the ties that bind our community across generations. Graduates recognize themselves in our students, and act with firm purpose when asked to enhance the educational experience for today's Setonians.

We are continuing to seek, and secure, significant private and government support.

In the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, we raised the largest amount of gifts and pledges in our 166-year history. Additional state and federal grants will aid construction and academic progress, including a $3.6 million grant for the College of Nursing from the Department of Health and Human Services.

There is much more to report, but for now I wanted to give you a small sample of the many achievements we can look forward to advancing this academic year. Our efforts will sustain and accelerate our pursuit of Catholic academic excellence across all campuses. I look forward to keeping you informed about our progress and meeting you at Freshman Convocation, Faculty Convocation or the multitude of upcoming events on our three campuses.

Together, we are living evidence that the spark of knowledge ignited by Bishop Bayley in 1856 shines brightly today. You have my best wishes for a wonderfully exciting, blessed and fulfilling 2023 academic year.

Sincerely,

Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D.
President