Creighton University - Bluejay Yearbook (Omaha, NE)

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Creigkton

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Three years earlier, the Rev. Michael Mor- rison, S.J., assumed the presidential office at Creighton. During his term Morrison has repeatedly called for the university to embark upon a quest for excellence by striving for progress, quality education and high stan- dards. The quest for excellence became both a challenge and a verbal commitment for pro- gress throughout the Creighton community. Morrison renewed the quest in the fall of 1984 with visions of opportunities to grow and progress in the decade ahead. It was a year of new enterprises. It saw cam- pus growth and expansion, the establishment of new records and trends, and undertakings that questioned the university ' s commitment to the Catholic tradition. One of the most perpetuating and controver- sial undertakings that will play a primary role in the future of Creighton ' s health science pro- fessional schools was the $100 million sale of St. Joseph Hospital to American Medical In- ternational Inc. The consequences of selling St. Joseph to AMI, a profit-making corpora- tion with more than 100 hospitals in the United States, and the significance it will have on its relationship with Creighton were yet to be revealed. However, the decision did not go un- contested. It prompted many to question and re-evaluate the traditional Catholic mission of St. Joseph. The issue produced debate from many levels on campus. Questions were raised concerning the future of St. Joseph ' s care for the indigent, its commitment to run in the Catholic tradition, its adamant no-abortion stands and its relationship with Creighton as a teaching hospital for the health professional schools. AMI agreed to comply with all of these past policies and declared it would remain strongly committed to the historic mission and tradition of St. Joseph and its relationships with its primary constituencies. And if all com- mitments by AMI were not fulfilled, the university or the Creighton Omaha Regional Health Care Corp. could repurchase the hospital. Hospital and university officials regarded the merger as a chance to grow. Its benefits promised progress, expansion, greater resources and new technology. Not only would St. Joseph ' s $62 million debt be paid but the agreement promised a host of programs for future research and development at the hospital and for the health sciences schools. Other plans included new equipment, improved parking and land ac- quisition for the hospital. The sale of St. Joseph Hospital became one of the year ' s most important undertakings by Creighton. It was up to the future to reveal its true significance and the role it will play in Creighton ' s quest for excellence. mi- ' •»- - ' . •-o 14

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The Year at Creighton Early on, AMI ' s contributions were being realized. The rapidly expanding progress in medical technology had made it almost im- possible for hospitals to keep up with the newest medical advancements. AMI helped br- ing some of those new technologies to St. Joseph. The development of the artificial heart was one of the medical breakthroughs and AMI planned to designate St. Joseph as one of the three centers nationwide for its experimen- tation. But the sale of St. Joseph to AMI also brought less fortunate news. The Catholic Health Association dropped St. Joseph from its membership list stating that the sale ter- minated all ties with the Roman Catholic Church. Creighton had been a member of the CHA since 1973, when the Creighton Omaha Regional Health Care Corp., a private cor- poration, bought the hospital. Another undertaking that altered the face of Creighton ' s campus and the study habits of students was the completion of the $5.5 million addition to the Reinert Alumni Library. After enduring almost two years of construction, the Creighton community readily welcomed the finished facility. While the major portion of the construction was completed in the spring of 1984, the library ' s dedication was not held until Sept. 12. The Reinert Memorial Alumni Library was dedicated to former university president Carl M. Reinert, who died in 1980. During his presidency, Reinert was one of the leaders of the campaign for the construction of the original library. The newly expanded library reflects the rapid growth and progress of Creighton over the past three decades. The new facility ex- panded study space from 500 to 900 and in- creased book storage capacity to 400,000. The library also won several national awards for its architectural appearance. The completion of the Center for Instruc- tional Technology, located in the library ' s lower level, was also celebrated at the start of the new school year. The center was dedicated to William M. Theisen, who funded much of the studio construction and other facilities. The new location of the department provid- ed Instructional Technology with a much larger facility, an improved studio and new equipment. The university also experienced record growth in other areas. In defiance of national trends, Creighton reported a 13.5 increase in the fall semester freshman enrollment, after being on the decline for two years. On a na- tionwide basis, colleges had been experiencing declining enrollments, and this trend was ex- pected to continue through the ' 80s. Creighton ' s enrollment of 5,913 was reported as the second highest term enrollment in the university ' s history. Morrison said that although this may not be immediately tied to the university ' s quest for excellence, in the long run, it is. In the midst of campus growth and expan- sion, the university also paused to remember a Jesuit considered responsible for much of Creighton ' s earlier expansion efforts. The Rev. Joseph J. Labaj, S.J., Creighton ' s 21st presi- dent from 1970-78, died of cancer at 63. Labaj is credited with the erection of five of 16