At the semiannual meeting of the Board of Trustees, held Tuesday, May 14, University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis highlighted many of the achievements of students, faculty and staff and explained the ways in which the University is navigating its current financial challenges.

“We’re really giving students the opportunity to discover themselves, to hone their creativity and imagination, and do fantastic things,” Assanis said. “That’s what the University of Delaware is all about.”

Assanis began by celebrating the Class of 2024, calling Commencement, “the proudest moment of the year.”

During his presentation, Assanis recognized some of the many accomplishments of all UD students. Allie Rebuck and Emilie Delaye are the 2024 recipients of the Emalea Pusey Warner and Alexander J. Taylor Sr. Awards, respectively, which honor two of the most outstanding seniors in the Class of 2024. Sudha Anilkumar, an honors biomedical engineering major, is a recipient of the 2024 Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics in the United States. Ben Dobbs, a junior economics, Spanish studies, and Latin American and Iberian studies triple major, received a Boren Award to study Portuguese in Brazil.

Distinguished faculty also earned numerous awards. Notably, Bill Matthaeus, Unidel Professor of Physics and Astronomy, received the 2024 Francis Alison Award, which is UD’s highest faculty honor. Kyle Davis (geography and spatial sciences) and Kenneth Shores (School of Education) were honored with the University’s Gerard J. Mangone Young Scholars Award.

“Of course, with those amazing faculty, students and staff, we have impressive accomplishments in every college,” Assanis said.

As examples of those highlights, he noted that UD veterinary school applicants have an 89% acceptance rate, twice the national average; the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment launched Delaware’s first offshore wind training program; and UD hosted the National Academy of Engineers Clean Hydrogen Symposium, among several other accomplishments across the University.

UD ranks among the best schools in the country for sustainability, Fulbright Awards, undergraduate entrepreneurship, graduate education, and research and development activities, Assanis said. He cited several examples of a recent acceleration of growth in UD’s research enterprise. 

“Research shows tremendous breadth and depth,” Assanis said. “We're bursting through the seams.”

At the same time, UD, like many colleges and universities nationwide, is facing financial challenges, Assanis said. While post-pandemic revenues have been growing at UD, expenses have been growing at a faster pace. This financial challenge has been compounded by inflation and the increase in the cost of goods and services. Health care and other personnel costs have also increased significantly in the past few years, and students need more financial aid because of economic pressures on families. 

But UD continues to see strong application and enrollment trends, Assanis said. Nearly 40,000 prospective undergraduate students applied for admission for fall 2024, a record and a 50% increase since fall 2016. Total undergraduate enrollment has remained close to 18,000, despite small fluctuations related to the pandemic. 

However, the nationwide delays and errors in the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) program have made it difficult to confirm the number of students that will be enrolled in the fall, which impacts tuition revenue, housing and other issues. The projection of enrollees should be more accurate around June 1.

But Assanis said he is optimistic about the future.

“We need to work together to chart our path forward, and this needs both unity and perseverance. Our commitment to sustaining the excellence of our top-ranked institution in education, research, service and student experience is non-negotiable. This defines UD,” he said. 

Assanis noted that the University has several initiatives underway that are projected to increase revenue in FY2025, such as the launch of more 4+1 graduate programs, enhancement of enrollment pathways, creation of multi-year faculty hiring plans that link to units’ allocated budgets and the exploration of differential tuition strategies and course fees, to name a few.

“We're facing challenges just like so many other higher ed institutions. We are positioned better than most of those institutions, and we are totally poised for growth and success in the future,” Assanis said.

There are so many exciting things happening at the University, Assanis said, and he encouraged trustees, faculty, staff and community members to read more in the 2024 President’s Report.

Also during the meeting, Provost Laura Carlson discussed the many different paths that lead students to earn UD degrees.

“We are committed to supporting them all along the way as students find their path, as they hit their milestones, and as they move into careers that are fulfilling and impactful,” she said. “We don't just want to support students while we're here, but we want to launch them into a career that makes use of their interests and their passions and where they see that they can really make a difference in the world.”

The featured faculty speaker at the meeting was Bennett Maruca, associate professor of physics and astronomy, who presented his research on the Earth’s ionosphere — which is part of the upper atmosphere at the edge of space — and UD’s student-led mission to create Delaware’s first orbital spacecraft.

“Even if you're not planning on a trip into space anytime soon, you're using space every day — every time you take a photo and it's geotagged, or you punch into your favorite navigation app your destination,” he said. “We truly have become a space-faring nation.”

Board Action

At the meeting, trustees approved several resolutions, including:

• awarding UD honorary degrees to Joe Flacco, Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves, Don Sparks and KR Sridhar;

• approving new named professorships, promotions and tenure decisions;

• recognizing gifts to the University;

• approving the endowment spending rate for fiscal year 2025;

• approving increases for tuition and dining and housing rates;

• approving the establishment of a new 4+1 bachelor in biomedical engineering and master’s in materials science and engineering degree program;

• approving a dual-degree program for the MS computer science and MBA;

• approving a dual-degree program MA strategic communication/ MBA;

• approving permanent status to the MS in clinical exercise physiology;

• approving a name change for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering;

• approving a name change for the museum studies program to the museum studies and public engagement program;

• disestablishing the Ph.D. in engineering and public policy program;

• disestablishing the professional science master’s in bioinformatics (BINF-PSM) with a computational sciences concentration (CS);

• disestablishing the professional science master’s in bioinformatics (BINF-PSM) with a life sciences concentration;

• disestablishing the leadership 4+1 program in connection with the MA degrees;

• disestablishing the following nursing programs: health services administration concentration MSN, adult-gerontology BSM/ MSN, health services administration BSN/ MSN, nurse practitioner family BSN/ MSN, and registered nurse-pediatrics BSM/ MSN;

• disestablishing the quantitative biology BS;

• disestablishing the quantitative biology/data science 4+1;

• approving the central utility plant cooling tower replacement; and

• approving softball stadium renovations.

Also at the meeting, the Board re-elected its officers: Terri L. Kelly, chair; Terence M. Murphy, co-vice chair; William M. Lafferty, co-vice chair; and Kathleen V. Hawkins, secretary-treasurer. Hawkins and Trustees John Paradee and Sean Wang were reappointed to six-year terms. Trustee Claire DeMatties will be eligible for reappointment by the governor this year.

The Board recognized Julia Hatoum, a graduating senior and president of the Student Government Association, for her dedication to the work of the University and the service to the Board of Trustees.

University of Delaware Medals of Distinction were awarded to Kristi Kiick, the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Calvin Keeler, professor of molecular virology and former interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Scott Stevens, former director of the English Language Institute; and Levi Thompson, dean of the College of Engineering. The highest non-academic award bestowed by the Board of Trustees, the medal recognizes individuals who have made humanitarian, cultural, intellectual or scientific contributions to society, who have achieved noteworthy professional success or who have given significant service to the University, community, state or region. In April, Medals of Distinction were presented to NASA Science Chief Nicky Fox and renowned physician, immunologist and infectious disease researcher Dr. Anthony Fauci. In May, a Medal of Distinction was awarded to Sen. Tom Carper.