The President’s Convocation earlier this week focused on plans such as enrollment, the Strategic Plan and the university’s centennial celebration. The Rev. Kevin Wildes, university president, addressed faculty and staff on the upcoming plans for Loyola on Monday, Aug. 22. One focus was enrollment, which he said has gone beyond expectations.

• This semester, Wildes said there are about 920 first-year students, while the university goal was to have 850. Transfer students number at 135, exceeding the goal of 125. The university received a record of 6,300 applications as well.
• The strategic plan is in its third year of implementation, Wildes said. It focuses on enhancing Jesuit values, improving student retention and enhancing the university’s reputation and stature. Included in that strategic plan is the renovation of Thomas Hall and the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice on the Broadway campus. Both projects were completed this summer.
• Phase I of the facilities master plan ended with the completion of the Thomas Hall renovations. The next phase includes Monroe Hall and residence hall renovations.
• The end of this academic year marks the centennial anniversary of the university. The class of 2012 will be the last graduating class of the Loyola centennial, while the class of 2013 will be the first graduating class of the next 100 years.
• Accreditation reviews are a focus, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools five-year review for the university and accreditation for Doctor of Nursing Practice, Mass Communication, and Forensic Chemistry programs.