Addressing Georgetown faculty at his final faculty convocation on Wednesday night, University President Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., announced a two-year extension to the Third Century Campaign and a $250 million increase in projected donations. In the context of gratitude toward dedicated and accomplished faculty, he spoke on some of the most pressing issues facing the university.

The extension will bring the campaign, which started in 1995 to $1 billion. The Third Century Campaign is aimed to increase the university’s endowment and fund several construction projects. His speech touched on several sensitive issues that have been present at the university since last year. Seizing on the ever-present millennial theme, O’Donovan referred to the coming months as “a time of renewal at our 211-year-old academy,” and spoke of the past year as “a series of painful incidents … an incredibly emotional period.”

O’Donovan stressed the university’s efforts to deal with last year’s intolerance issues, mentioning the revised Student Code of Conduct, anti-defamation training for Department of Public Safety officers, the adjustments made in the New Student Orientation program and the recently obtained grant for greater understanding of multicultural differences. He credited the students with “standing strong,”electing strong leaders” and “getting organized.”

O’Donovan maintained a strong theme of diversity throughout the speech, claiming that “diversity and academic excellence are mutually sustaining values.” According to O’Donovan, the university has recently extended job offers to three prospective minority faculty members.

The newly revised mission statement, read formally by O’Donovan for the first time, also reflects the school’s reworked sense of purpose. The brief statement describes Georgetown as “Catholic, Jesuit and student-centered,” and mentions the university’s commitment to diversity.

The faculty convocation is held specifically to honor those who have been with the university for 20 years. Twenty-six faculty members with backgrounds as diverse as biology and law received gold medals for their full-time commitment to teaching as well as academic pursuits. Eighteen men and women received silver medals for part- time commitments.

The speech also focused on Georgetown’s financial problems and the recent merging of the Medical Center and MedStar Health. Claiming that the merger “preserves the mission of a first class medical education,” he stressed the move’s economic benefits.

Economics proved to be the focal point of O’Donovan’s message when he announced the extension of the Third Century Campaign, the university’s largest fundraiser in history. Citing the fact that the university has already raised $100 million beyond its originally projected goals, O’Donovan said “It just doesn’t make sense to stop a campaign with such momentum.”

The campaign will be extended from 2001 to 2003, with an increase in projected donations from $750 million to $1 billion. O’Donovan mentioned “a large and unmined core of major donor prospects” who the university would be targeting.

O’Donovan spoke to the need for more funds as well as the university’s plan to obtain them. Calling the fundraiser a “meat and potatoes campaign,” O’Donovan mentioned the need for such basic improvements as better salaries, financial aid and facilities.

“We are competing with institutions with double, triple, quadruple our university’s endowment per student,” he claimed.

In light of the university’s constant need for money, he credited faculty for the school’s continual rise in stature and prestige since the 1970s. The school’s prestige, he claimed, has also been furthered by sustained investment in specific areas, most significantly international affairs, ethics and biomedical research.

“My own goal for this year,” O’Donovan said “is to work with [the faculty] to position this university for still greater academic distinction.”

O’Donovan concluded his address by reminding faculty of the institution’s uniqueness, grounded in its Catholic identity. In mentioning the continued recruitment of Jesuits, a newly established chair in Catholic social thought and a new center for social justice teaching, he stressed the school’s commitment to its unique roots.

“We are, objectively speaking, a national treasure,” he said.