Notre Dame to Remain Independent
University will not join the Big Ten Conference.

February 5, 1999

LONDON– The Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dametoday affirmed the recommendation of the University’s officers that NotreDame retain its institutional independence.

The decision culminated a process of information-sharing betweenNotre Dame and both the Big Ten Conference and the Committee forInstitutional Cooperation (CIC), the academic consortium of Big Tenuniversities plus the University of Chicago and the University ofIllinois-Chicago.

Andrew J. McKenna, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Rev.Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, announced the decision ata news conference in Marian Kennedy Fischer Hall, Notre Dame’s new Londonstudy center, following the Trustees’ winter meeting there. The meeting istaking place in conjunction with the dedication of Fischer Hall tomorrow(Feb. 6).

“Notre Dame over the years has enjoyed close associations with anumber of Big Ten and CIC institutions both in athletic and in academicpursuits, and certainly we look forward not only to maintaining, but alsoto expanding these relationships in the future,” McKenna said in announcingthe Trustees’ decision. “It has been a privilege to have been allowed toexplore the possibility of full partnership with these great universities.

“In the end, however, it was the judgment of the University’sofficers that Notre Dame should remain independent institutionally andretain its existing athletic arrangements.” In athletics, that meanscontinued independence for the football program and Big East Conferencemembership for most other sports.

“Notre Dame has a distinct identity that is the product of morethan a century and a half of institutional independence,” Father Malloysaid in describing the decision. “As a Catholic university with a nationalconstituency, we believe independence continues to be our best way forward,not just in athletics, but, first and foremost, in fulfillment of our academicaspirations.

“The process of sharing information with the Big Ten and CIC hasbeen of great value to Notre Dame,” Father Malloy said. “It encouraged usto consider a variety of issues integral to our pursuit of academic andathletic excellence, as well as to our distinct mission as a Catholicuniversity. We have great respect for both the academic stature and theathletic integrity of the Big Ten universities.”

The decision, Father Malloy explained, ultimately hinged on theinstitutional identity of Notre Dame. “Just as the Universities of Michiganor Wisconsin or Illinois have core identities as the flagship institutionsof their states, so Notre Dame has a core identity, and at that core arethese characteristics–Catholic, private, independent,” he said.

As a Big Ten and CIC member, Father Malloy pointed out, “Notre Damewould be one of only two private universities . . . and the only universitywith a religious affiliation.” Notre Dame also, he said, would be by farthe smallest of the affiliated institutions.

The Catholic character of Notre Dame, Father Malloy said, ” . . .gives a unique perspective to our educational mission and permeates ourcampus culture. Our most basic decisions concerning student life, ourfaculty, our core curriculum, even the fields of scholarship and researchin which we aspire to make a significant contribution, all reflect the factthat we are a Catholic university.

“These differences in identity between Notre Dame and the memberinstitutions of the Big Ten are essential, not incidental,” Father Malloysaid. “They are not qualities that are amenable to change, nor would wechange them. Notre Dame always will be Catholic and always will be private.Even in terms of size, we will not become appreciably larger. Given theserealities, we have had to ask ourselves the fundamental question, does thiscore identity of Notre Dame as Catholic, private, and independent seem amatch for an association of universities–even a splendid association ofgreat universities–that are uniformly secular, predominantly stateinstitutions and with a long heritage of conference affiliation.

“Our answer to that question, in the final analysis, is no.”

Father Malloy echoed McKenna in expressing gratitude to the Big Tenthe opportunity to explore a potential partnership. “Our relationships with(the Big Ten) over more than a century–our competition in sport andcooperation in research and scholarship–have greatly enriched Notre Dame,”he said, “and we look forward to maintaining and deepening thoserelationships–not as a member of the family but as, we hope, an old andclose family friend.”

Father Malloy also thanked the leadership and membership of the BigEast Conference for “forbearance as we have assessed our future. We valuehighly our Big East athletic membership, which has helped to strengthengreatly our programs that are part of the conference, and we look forwardto the continued success and prosperity of this relationship.”

Father Malloy pledged to Notre Dame’s faculty, students, and alumnia continued commitment “to making Notre Dame a great university. You’veseen this commitment take shape on campus in the quality of our new facultyhires, in our construction of state-of-the-art teaching and researchfacilities, and in the emergence of our academic centers of excellence,” hesaid. “In the near future you will see further and fresh evidence of thiscommitment to continuing Notre Dame’s evolution as a center of learning andscholarship. I give you my pledge that we will remain constant and diligentin pursuit of our highest academic aspirations.”

# # #

Remarks of Andrew J. McKenna,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees today affirmed therecommendation of the University’s officers that Notre Dame should retainits institutional independence.

In a moment I’ll call upon our President, Fr. Malloy, to discussmore fully how the University has arrived at this decision, but first Iwant to say how very grateful and honored we are to have been able toengage in this extensive information sharing process with the Big Ten andits academic consortium, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, orCIC. Notre Dame over the years has enjoyed close associations with a numberof Big Ten and CIC institutions both in athletic and in academic pursuits,and certainly we look forward not only to maintaining, but also toexpanding these relationships in the future. It has been a privilege tohave been allowed to explore the possibility of full partnership with thesegreat universities.

In the end, however, it was the judgment of the University’sofficers that Notre Dame should remain independent institutionally andretain its existing athletic arrangements. The Board of Trustees concurredin this judgment.

And now I’d like to turn to the President of Notre Dame, FatherEdward Malloy. Monk . . .

Remarks of Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C.,
President of the University of Notre Dame

Thank you, Andy.

Let me begin by echoing Andy’s sentiments concerning the Big Tenand CIC. Those of us who are involved in the administration of Notre Dameall have enjoyed long and close associations with faculty andadministrators and officers of various Big Ten and CIC institutions. Ournumerous and long-standing athletic associations with Big Ten schools arewell known to the public; it was a group of University of Michiganstudents, you may recall, who first taught Notre Dame students to play thegame of football, and not too long ago an entire book was written on thatenduring football rivalry.

Our academic associations with Big Ten and CIC institutions areless well known, but of even greater importance. Many both of our facultyand administrative staff personnel are products of these institutions. Infact, our three newest deans and our director of libraries all came toNotre Dame from positions at Big Ten universities.

Likewise, numerous individual Notre Dame faculty, as well asvarious of our academic departments, centers, and institutes engage injoint scholarship and research projects with their Big Ten counterparts.One prominent example of these cooperative endeavors is the IndianaUniversity medical school program that resides on the Notre Dame campus. Weand Indiana even now are pursuing plans to expand that program and enhanceits interplay with Notre Dame research efforts such as our Keck Center forTransgene Research.

The process of sharing information with the Big Ten and CIC hasbeen of great value to Notre Dame. It encouraged us to consider a varietyof issues integral to our pursuit of academic and athletic excellence, aswell as to our distinct mission as a Catholic university. We have greatrespect for both the academic stature and the athletic integrity of the BigTen universities.

Why, then, not take the ultimate step in partnership and become amember of the Big Ten? That answer, in the end result, transcends the manyindividual factors, academic and athletic, that weigh either for or againstconference affiliation. Ultimately, the answer lies in the institutionalidentity of Notre Dame, its overarching definition. Just as theUniversities of Michigan or Wisconsin or Illinois have core identities asthe flagship institutions of their states, so Notre Dame has a coreidentity, and at that core are these characteristics–Catholic, private,independent.

Ostensibly, affiliation with the Big Ten would involve only one ofthese characteristics, but closer examination raises further questions.Notre Dame would be one of only two private universities among theseinstitutions and the only university with a religious affiliation. NotreDame also, by the way, would be by far the smallest of these institutions.Northwestern, which is nearest to us in size, has a student populationtwice as large as Notre Dame’s, while the state universities all are three,four, even five times our size.

The issue of religious identity is not, as might be thought, aquestion of our Catholic character somehow being diminished by anaffiliation with secular institutions. We alone are responsible for thevitality of our Catholic character. But that character gives a uniqueperspective to our educational mission and permeates our campus culture.Our most basic decisions concerning student life, our faculty, our corecurriculum, even the fields of scholarship and research in which we aspireto make a significant contribution, all reflect the fact that we are aCatholic university. No other institution in the Big Ten, or the CIC,shares this distinctive educational mission, which creates a basicdissimilarity between Notre Dame and the institutions with which we wouldbe partnered.

These differences in identity between Notre Dame and the memberinstitutions of the Big Ten are essential, not incidental. They are notqualities that are amenable to change, nor would we change them. Notre Damealways will be Catholic and always will be private. Even in terms of size,we will not become appreciably larger. Given these realities, we have hadto ask ourselves the fundamental question, does this core identity of NotreDame as Catholic, private, and independent seem a match for an associationof universities–even a splendid association of great universities–thatare uniformly secular, predominantly state institutions and with a longheritage of conference affiliation.

Our answer to that question, in the final analysis, is no.

Notre Dame has a distinct identity that is the product of more thana century and a half of institutional independence. As a Catholicuniversity with a national constituency, we believe independence continuesto be our best way forward, not jut in athletics, but, first and foremost,in fulfillment of our academic aspirations.

To the leadership and membership of the Big Ten and CIC, I want tosay, as Andy McKenna has, that you have our great gratitude for permittingus this opportunity to explore our potential partnership. Our relationshipswith you over more than a century–our competition in sport and cooperation in research andscholarship–have greatly enriched Notre Dame, and we look forward tomaintaining and deepening those relationships–not as a member of thefamily but as, we hope, an old and close family friend.

To the leadership and membership of the Big East Conference, let mesay that we sincerely appreciate your forbearance as we have assessed ourfuture. We value highly our Big East athletic membership, which has helpedto strengthen greatly ourprograms that are part of the conference, and we look forward to thecontinued success and prosperity of this relationship.

Finally but foremost, to our faculty, students, and alumni, I wantto reinforce our commitment to making Notre Dame a great university. You’veseen this commitment take shape on campus in the quality of our new facultyhires, in our construction of state-of-the-art teaching and researchfacilities, and in the emergence of our academic centers of excellence. Inthe near future you will see further and fresh evidence of this commitmentto continuing Notre Dame’s evolution as a center of learning andscholarship. I give you my pledge that we will remain constant and diligentin pursuit of our highest academic aspirations.

University of Notre Dame football coach Bob Davie:

“It’s obvious the University’s announcement today involved far more than football and far more than just athletics. It involved a reinforcement of the heritage and culture of the institution — not only looking back into the past but also projecting where Notre Dame expects to be in the future.

“All of us who coach here have promoted the characteristics that have positioned Notre Dame as an independent, national, Catholic institution. I’m very comfortable continuing to do that as far as our football program is concerned.

“As an independent in football, we have some unique opportunities afforded to us that make us tremendously attractive to a prospective student-athlete. Based on the success we’ve had recently in recruiting and the improvement we’ve made as a football team, I like where we are and where we’re headed.”

Statement from BIG EAST Commissioner Michael Tranghese regarding today’s decision made by the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees to discontinue discussions with The Big Ten Conference.

“The BIG EAST is pleased that Notre Dame and The Big Ten Conference have elected to discontinue their exploratory talks. The BIG EAST is excited about moving forward with Notre Dame and we believe Notre Dame will continue to make significant contributions to the Conference in the future.”