SOUTH BEND — Even with a tough economy, the University of Notre Dame has achieved its capital fundraising goal.

Notre Dame has surpassed the $1.5 billion goal of the "Spirit of Notre Dame" campaign more than two years ahead of schedule, raising $1.54 billion in gifts and pledges so far, the university announced Monday.

The public phase of the campaign was launched May 5, 2007, and will end June 30, 2011. The largest comprehensive campaign in campus history, the effort is designed to support four primary goals: the undergraduate educational experience, research and graduate studies, diversity and international studies, and Catholic intellectual life.

It’s considered the largest fundraising effort in the history of Catholic higher education.

While the overall goal has been met, several important objectives remain critical priorities, including student financial aid, endowed faculty chairs, the libraries, undergraduate research and essential capital projects, university officials said Monday.

"We are humbled by the generosity of those who have contributed to the success of the ‘Spirit’ campaign," said the Rev. John I. Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president. "Our challenge now is to build upon this success to fully fund all of the priorities. In doing so, we can advance our vision to remain fully committed to our Catholic identity, provide an exceptional undergraduate experience, and become one of the nation’s pre-eminent research universities."

More than a dozen American universities currently are engaged in capital campaigns with goals of $1 billion or higher. But the sagging economy has hit those efforts.

In the past year, the amount of money raised by colleges engaged in $1 billion or higher fund-raising campaigns fell 32 percent from the year before, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported in April. The declines, which started before the worst of the recession, have forced some colleges to post expansion plans, re-adjust budgets and ask some donors to make early pledge payments, the Chronicle reported.

In March, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education predicted a 1.7 percent decline in college giving for 2009.

Meanwhile, having reached its goal, Notre Dame will continue the "Spirit" campaign for two more years.

"Among the priorities that remain underfunded is financial aid, which is the primary goal of the campaign," said Louis M. Nanni, vice president for university relations. "Encouraging support of scholarships and fellowships remains paramount as the affordability of a higher education has become even more challenging with the recent economic decline."

Notre Dame’s most recent previous capital campaign, from 1994 to 2000, raised $1.061 billion.

For more information on the "Spirit" campaign, see: http://supporting.nd.edu/spirit-of-nd

Staff writer Margaret Fosmoe:
mfosmoe@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6329