Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., will step down as the 19th president of the University of Portland (Ore.) at the end of this academic year.
Fr. Beauchamp announced his decision to the University’s Board of Regents on Sept. 27, 2013. “I have had the great fortune to serve this fine institution for the past 11 years, 10 as your president. I look forward to working with you throughout this academic year and meeting our goals for the Rise Campaign, which will conclude at the end of this fiscal year,” Fr. Beauchamp said in a message to the campus community. “My experience here at UP has been nothing short of extraordinary and I will always cherish my time here on the Bluff. It has been my good fortune and blessing to work with an incredible group of faculty and staff and to share my time here with wonderfully gifted and talented students.”
Fr. Beauchamp took office in January 2004 after almost two years as the University’s senior vice president and a year as regent. During his time as senior vice president, he supervised fundraising, athletics, public relations, alumni relations and events.
Prior to coming to Portland, he served as an award-winning professor of business and law and executive vice president at the University of Notre Dame. He supervised almost every aspect of business operations at ND during his 13 years as executive vice president. Fr. Beauchamp has a law degree as well as master’s degrees in business and divinity. He also served as the chief financial officer for the former Indiana Province (now the United States Province of Priests and Brothers) of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fr. Beauchamp’s distinguished career includes roles as an accountant and financial analyst for Burroughs Corp. and assistant professor of accounting and law and associate director of admissions for Alma College in Michigan.
Fr. Beauchamp earned his undergraduate degree in accountancy at the University of Detroit, where he graduated magna cum laude and won numerous academic awards. He earned his law degree at Notre Dame in 1975 and practiced for three years with Goggin, Baker and Beauchamp.
Fr. Beauchamp was received into the Congregation on Aug. 13, 1977, and made his First Profession of Vows on Aug. 12, 1978. He made his Final Vows on Sept. 4, 1981, and was ordained to the priesthood on April 17, 1982.
Fr. Beauchamp followed Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., as UP’s president after Fr. Tyson was elected provincial superior of the former Indiana Province. Fr. Beauchamp’s dedicated leadership over the past decade has led the University to continue to grow and prosper, reaching record highs in applications, enrollment, retention and the academic profile of Portland’s incoming students. Applications for admissions more than tripled since 2003; and the number of students enrolled at UP is at its highest level in history. In addition, the University of Portland has its most diverse student population in its history, both geographically and ethnically.
Looking back on his time as president, Fr. Beauchamp said “Countless people have contributed to the University’s successes during my tenure – the Board of Regents, the Congregation of Holy Cross, fellow officers of the University, faculty, staff, students, parents, benefactors, alumni, elected officials, neighbors, foundations, local businesses and anyone who believes in our mission of educating the heart, the hands, and the mind.”
“Bill’s 10 year tenure has been truly remarkable,” said Provincial Superior Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C. “Building on the accomplishments of his predecessors, Bill has brought this fine Holy Cross University to new heights. Without a doubt, we are all indebted to him for his hard work.”
Rev. Jeffrey L. Allison, C.S.C., local superior of the Holy Cross community at UP, wrote a note of gratitude to Fr. Beauchamp after the announcement was made thanking Fr. Beauchamp not only for his leadership of the University, but also for his “commitment to and strengthening of the Holy Cross identity and presence here (UP).”
The University of Portland has consistently held top national rankings among its peers in Fulbright awards won by students, community service, Peace Corps Volunteers per capita and entrepreneurship programs. Portland has also been named the top university in Oregon for “return on investment” by Bloomberg BusinessWeek in 2011 and 2012.
Fr. Beauchamp has raised unprecedented money for the University and its students: a record $163 million and counting towards the $175 million goal for the Rise Campaign, which ends spring 2014. The campaign began in December 2010 and is one of the largest development campaigns ever for a Pacific Northwest private college or university. The goals include pursuing academic excellence and faculty funding; providing access for all students and direct assistance; developing faith and leadership; and enriching the campus community and physical resources.
In addition, Fr. Beauchamp is credited with establishing hundreds of new scholarships for deserving students.
Numerous buildings were constructed or renovated under Fr. Beauchamp’s tenure and he also established innovative programs such as the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture, the Dundon-Berchtold Initiative in Applied Ethics and developed successful new undergraduate and graduate degree programs for UP. He also oversaw the purchase of the 35-acre River Campus.
Among his many activities and awards, Fr. Beauchamp is a trustee emeritus of the ND Board of Trustees, where he previously served on the Board of Fellows; the University of Notre Dame Australia Board of Governors; United Student Aid Funds board of Trustees; NCAA Division I Board of Directors; LaSalle Catholic Preparatory High School board; Air University Board of Visitors; Notre Dame Monogram Club Moose Krause Award (2000); honorary doctor of laws degree, ND Australia; Executive Journal Man of the Year (1991); University of Detroit Alumnus of the Year (1989); and ND College of Business Outstanding Teacher (1987).
The University of Portland is an independently governed Catholic university sponsored and founded by the Congregation. Many Holy Cross religious have served as president since the University’s establishment in 1901. The University is forming a search committee that will guide the process of selecting the next president from among the members of the U.S. Province.
