Evidently–and I wish I’d known this before I spent several hours work into the article–columnists aren’t allowed to report for The Eagle too. It’s one or the other. Either/or. Pick one, not two, “you can’t have it both ways.” I had wondered, at first, because I knew that major publications often had similar restrictions. However, this being a little university newspaper–and the editor and staff not questioning my authority to write an article–I figured it must be alright, in this circumstance.

Not so. After researching, interviewing, writing and finally submitting my piece, I was called the next day to hear that my piece would not be run, since I’m a columnist, too. Honestly, I think it’s a stupid rule–the article was written perfectly objectively, in my humble opinion, and I’ve separated the views of my column clearly from the information conveyed in my article. But nonetheless, it’s not going to happen. Because it’s not going to happen, I’m going to publish my article here. It sure won’t get as many eyeballs here as it would have in a print edition of The Eagle, but it’s better than nothing. Read it, if you like, and let me know what you think in the comments. I always appreciate feedback. Check it out below the cut.

Confidence abounds for AU’s financial future, despite other colleges’ worries

American University officials are confident 2010 will be another successful year, despite pessimism by many other colleges. Successful progress toward the AnewAU development campaign, an upgraded bond rating, and official university financial documents all point toward a similarly positive outlook.

At a meeting of the Council of Independent Colleges in early January more than 60 college presidents gathered for discussion on the rough economy’s impact on their schools.

“There is a theory that fall 2010 is going to be the hard one,” said Paul Hennigan, president of Point Park University, in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the event. AU President Cornelius Kerwin was not in attendance for the meeting but his comments in his Dec. 4 “End of Semester Update” contradict the sentiment.

“The condition of our university remains strong,” he said. “The enrollment trends… have not changed, and we remain on track to operate within our revenue and expenditure targets for the current fiscal year.”

Kerwin is not the only one confident about AU’s future. Thomas Minar, AU’s Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations, considers the university to be “very fortunate to be in the position we’re in.” As the man in charge of the AnewAU fundraising campaign, he said he’s been pleased to see development performing even better than in 2008.

The AnewAU campaign launched in October of 2003 with the goal of $200 million. Now the campaign has reached $196.2 million and is in its final stages. Minar said cash proceeds in December were “considerably higher than other years” and emphasized that “AU is in as good or better shape as any of our peers.”

AnewAU is “very focused on raising money for the SIS building,” he said, referring to the 70,000 square foot new building for AU’s School of International Service. The school has only raised approximately half of its $25 million goal, according to the SIS Web site. Minar said that as the building nears completion there will be more focus on fundraising for new School of Communications facilities. Students will hear “significant news” about SOC facilities in the first half of 2010.

Standard & Poor’s Rating Services expressed confidence in AU and upgraded AU’s bond rating from A to A+ in December. AU was one of only 12 institutions–one of only two private–to receive an upgrade from S&P in 2009.

“We have been operating with a financial management strategy for some time that has taken a very conservative approach that I believe is helping us,” said Don Myers, AU’s Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, in an “Inside Higher Ed” article on the bond upgrade.

AU’s 2008-2009 Annual Report and 2010-2011 Budget echo the confidence of the university administration.

“Never has our future been brighter than it is at this moment,” said Gary Abramson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, in his introduction to the Annual Report. Other language in the report states confidently, “we [AU] are on the cusp of greatness.”

The Budget had good news too, especially for faculty and staff. In an economy where many schools are laying off staff and freezing salaries, AU is doing the opposite. The school has set aside money for a 3.0% performance-based salary and benefits increase for both fiscal years 2010 and 2011. In addition, $2.6 million has been set aside to hire 23 new tenure and tenure-track faculty over the next two years.