Trustees renew President Curran's contract

The University of Dayton board of trustees has renewed President Daniel J. Curran’s contract through 2012.
The first lay president in the University’s 156-year history, Curran is guiding UD through transformational times while preserving its historic mission and religious identity, according to Daniel Sadlier, chair of the board of trustees.
“He’s embraced the Marianist tradition and built upon it, garnering the respect of the campus community, the Marianists and the Dayton community,” said Sadlier, who led a campuswide evaluation process with a higher education consultant. “He’s facilitated growth in facilities, academic programs and national reputation. We’re excited about the leadership he provides.”
The Philadelphia native became UD’s 18th president on July 1, 2002.
“I’m committed to service and justice. The University of Dayton is a great fit for me,” Curran said. “When I read the history of the Marianists, I was impressed with their ability to be forward-thinking people, to read the signs of the times. My challenge is to effectively read the signs of the times and make decisions that will help make the University of Dayton an even greater institution.”
Under Curran’s leadership a master plan, currently under way, will shape development on a campus that now spans the Great Miami River. A new strategic plan will focus on strengthening UD’s Catholic and Marianist identity, diversifying the student body, internationalizing the curriculum, hiring nationally prominent faculty and building upon a learning-living environment that supports academic excellence.
During Curran’s tenure, UD has experienced strong momentum, including:
* record applications for the first-year class and record sponsored research for four straight years;
* the purchase of property from NCR, boosting the size of campus by nearly a quarter;
* new exchange programs with universities in China;
* new centers of excellence in nanotechnology and fuels and combustion;
* renovating academic buildings and constructing modern student facilities, including Marianist Hall and ArtStreet, the RecPlex and the sports complex that includes the Time Warner Cable baseball stadium and a softball stadium;
* initiatives including the nation’s first accelerated law curriculum, an MBA-ready program for engineering students, a doctor of physical therapy program, and a new requirement that all first-year students live in “learning-living communities” tied to their major or interest;
* opening the Dayton Early College Academy, a Dayton Public Schools high school on campus; and
* economic development partnerships, such as University Place, a development at Brown and Stewart streets that will include graduate apartments and retail outlets, and Courtyard by the Marriott, which will open soon near UD Arena and is believed to be the first hotel construction in the city of Dayton in two decades.
In the Dayton region, Curran focuses on economic development and high-tech issues. He chairs the Wright Brothers Institute board and serves on nearly two dozen others. Nationally, as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I board of directors, Curran helped shape academic reforms designed to improve the graduation rate of student-athletes. UD is a national leader in the academic performance of its student-athletes. It is one of 10 schools in the country with a graduation rate of at least 85 percent in men’s basketball.
“Dr. Curran brought a fresh set of eyes and a great deal of energy to the University of Dayton,” said Fred Pestello, provost and senior vice president for educational affairs. “He came with a strong commitment to Catholic higher education and quickly grasped UD’s Marianist approach to educating the whole person — the head and the heart. Since Dan assumed the presidency four years ago, the campus has enjoyed success on almost every measure.”
Paul Marshall, rector, echoed the trustees' assessment of Curran's deep appreciation for UD's religious heritage: ''He's a great builder of community and a man of faith. He promotes the Marianist charism by living it."