News

UST’s future-focused leader didn’t delay when a window to D-I athletics opened.
Early in her tenure as St. Thomas president, Julie Sullivan decided it was a question worth exploring. Why had the Tommies athletic department remained in Division III, when the schools she viewed as its national peers — Catholic universities such as Marquette, Creighton and San Diego — all played Division I sports?

At the University of St. Thomas, a residence hall designed by famed Minnesota architect Cass Gilbert in the 1890s could soon be replaced by a $100 million science, technology, engineering, arts and math complex.

University officials have passed the midway point in fundraising and drafted initial concept plans that could replace Loras Hall — which was constructed as residences for St. Paul Seminary students in 1894 — with the new STEAM building.

The goal, said the university in a written statement, is interdisciplinary instruction that partners with community and industry on real-world problems.

The hall has yet to be officially announced as the STEAM site’s future location, but it’s a leading contender.

Carleton College President Steven Poskanzer will step down in July 2021, ending an 11-year presidential tenure with the college.

“This is a choice and a change of direction that I have been weighing for almost two years,” Poskanzer told the Carleton community in a written announcement. “I adore this college, and serving as its president has been far and away the best and the most fulfilling experience of my professional career.”

In notifying Carleton’s Board of Trustees today of his decision, Poskanzer said he plans to take a sabbatical and return to Carleton in 2022 as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science.

Members of the Gustavus community, I write today with an important update on course delivery, on-campus living, and the academic calendar for the Fall 2020 semester. After careful deliberation by the President’s Cabinet and Board of Trustees, informed by the thoughtful work of the Faculty Emergency Planning Committee and the COVID-19 Response Leadership Team, and in consultation with local and state public health authorities, we have made the difficult decision to begin the fall semester with only first-year students, new transfer students, and a small number of returning students living on campus. All other students will complete the first three and a half weeks (September 2-September 25) of classes in an online format while living away from campus. During this period, all classes will be online with the exception of First Term Seminars and CUR-100—Transformations, Values, & Identity, which will be taught in their currently planned instructional format. We know based on our recent survey about online learning that students overwhelmingly want to be back on campus. We want you here, too. We have been and will continue to strive to have all students who desire living and learning on campus this semester when COVID conditions indicate we can do so in a safe manner.

Capital Commentaries are now available for the following series:

Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority (University of St Thomas) Revenue Refunding Note, Series 2020A

Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority (University of St Thomas) Revenue Note, Series 2020B

Plans change with rising coronavirus cases

Only freshmen, new transfers and international students will live on campus and take in-person classes when the new school year starts next month, Macalester College announced Monday.

President Suzanne Rivera said coronavirus infection rates in Minnesota and parts of the country have increased since the St. Paul private school made its initial plans earlier this summer.