Happy Holidays!

December 12, 2019

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As we conclude the fall semester and 2019, I encourage everyone to pause and reflect on the wonderful work we have accomplished together here at Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Our year has been filled with making plans for the future. Our strategic planning process is nearing completion, and our new strategic plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees early in the spring. Likewise, our campus master plan is nearing completion and will be presented to the board in late spring or early summer. These two plans will guide our priorities, focus, and activities for years to come, and I am grateful for the time and thoughtfulness the entire campus has devoted to each.

We began the fall semester with energy and momentum. Enrollment was up for the second year in a row, and we experienced significant growth in many programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As a result of our aggressive recruiting efforts, our on-campus housing was at capacity for the second year in a row, as well. We have developed partnerships with neighboring apartment complexes and have increased the number of apartments we are offering through those arrangements. We are actively considering options for building additional on-campus housing to meet the growing demand.

Registration for the spring semester continues to be robust, and we are pleased to see so many of our students continuing toward completing their degree. Our faculty members, in particular, have played a significant role in helping our students with advising and registration. The success of our students is paramount, and we all play a critical role in helping each of them achieve their goal of a college degree and a fulfilling career.

We have had many other shared successes this year that are simply too numerous to mention here. There were two milestones, however, that will continue to play out during 2020. Our purchase of the Park 3000 property was completed in June, and in August it was renamed the Richard T. Doermer School of Business Building. Renovations are underway, and some business school offices will begin moving in next summer. In a much-anticipated move, Purdue Fort Wayne also accepted an invitation to join the Horizon League athletics conference, effective July 1, 2020. Our student-athletes are looking forward to competing in the new league beginning next fall.

As we prepare for the holidays and a much-deserved winter recess, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you do to make our university such a warm and supportive place to learn, live, and work. Our campus is a special place—made more special by each and every one of you.

I hope you enjoy a season filled with time spent with family and friends, and I look forward to seeing all of you back on campus in January.

Happy holidays to all!

Sincerely,

Ron Elsenbaumer
Chancellor