Thursday, April 17, 2008

Update from the president

It has been about 75 days since our world changed on Feb. 5. We rejoice that God has blessed the Union community and enabled us to move forward together in so many ways and in so many areas across the campus.

We have three weeks of class remaining in this extraordinary semester. Our students have been amazing and our faculty and staff have been terrific.

Great progress is taking place with the repairs, the recovery, and the rebuilding efforts. It has certainly been exciting to observe. In the residence life area nine buildings are under construction. Each day brings new advancements.

We will continue to pray for the responses to the relief fund. It is with deep gratitude that we are able to report to you that we have gifts of $6 million and additional commitments exceeding $2.5 million more. Over 4,300 donors have contributed, as well as over 300 churches--and we have yet to hear the report from the April 6 offering across the Tennessee Baptist Convention. We are so thankful for these blessing and trust that they will continue so that the gap can be closed before the fall semester.

The prospects for new traditional undergraduate students are quite hopeful. Applications and deposits are both slightly ahead of where we were at this time last year. We will all continue to pray for these prospective students.

Congratulations to Richard Joiner and the Singers/Proclamation for their successful tour and their splendid concert at First Baptist Church of Jackson this past Sunday evening.

Congratulations to Andy Rushing and the golf team for their TranSouth Conference championship.

We rejoice that our injured students continue to improve. We continue to pray for David, Matt, and other students as well.

May God's blessings be yours.

Faithfully,
David S. Dockery
President, Union University