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Chancellor Kent Syverud addressed the University Senate today, Jan. 25, with remarks on the Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, applications for fall 2023 and a benefits update.

The full text of his remarks is below.

I’m going to be very brief. Last week in my winter message I provided a thorough update on many of the University’s top priorities. If you haven’t had an opportunity to watch or read it, a link to the message and the transcript of it is on SU News, and it was emailed to you last Wednesday. Please treat that as my written report or part of it. I just have three other quick updates.

First, I want to thank everybody who participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in the Dome on Sunday. It was a capacity crowd of 2,000 people for the dinner and even more for the really inspiring program and keynote address from pastor and community leader Rev. Phil Turner.

Second, on enrollment for fall 2023, we are fortunate once again to have received a record number of undergraduate applications–41,678. This is a 3% increase from last year, which was itself the highest in our history up to that point. Applications from students of color are 8% higher than last year. Undergraduate early decision applications are up 9% from last year. And applicants have a higher high school GPA than last year’s applicants.

Â鶹ƵµÀremains test optional, but we saw a significant increase in the number of students who submitted SAT scores this year. The average SAT is down slightly from last year.

It is still very early in the process for our graduate, doctoral and law applications, but our graduate and doctoral applications are running well ahead of last year at this time. Our applications for our online JDi program were also very strong. Overall law applications are down compared to this time last year, which is consistent with national trends.

The bottom line is, early signs are very positive for an outstanding cohort of new students for the fall of 2023.

Benefits Update

Third, on benefits for our faculty and staff: As you know, after getting counsel from some of you on this call, the University is investing an additional $1 million to offset rising health care costs this year. That includes lowering the anticipated contribution increases for all employees enrolled in health insurance for 2023, but also expanding eligibility for the lower cost Schedule B health insurance, and then further subsidizing the Schedule B employee contribution to limit increases for all plans to less than four percent. As a result, the number of employees enrolled in Schedule B this year increased by 54%. I am happy at this result. I’m grateful to those who helped me work that through, including especially Professor Kingson, who is a senator.

In my October report to the Senate, I also indicated that the University would refine the process of how health care benefits and changes to them are determined. I requested the process incorporate more feedback from the Senate and Senate committees, and this is the semester that process is going to be refined. I’ve asked Karen Morrisey in Human Resources to work directly with the Senate Committee on Services to Faculty and Staff this semester on this.

I just today have read the committee’s annual report to the Senate, which is on the agenda for this meeting, and I really look forward to working with Karen and the committee on those recommendations. That concludes my report.

Thank you.