Message from the President

I am pleased to share the University of Chicago’s 2020 annual report, which outlines our achievements, milestones, and the progress made in selected areas over the past year, as well as the philanthropic support that makes such achievements possible. The report also provides an update on the status of our endowment and our financial results for the 2020 fiscal year.

In the course of this year we have faced numerous challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and various other issues at the local and national level. These are challenges we anticipate the University will continue to face well into the foreseeable future. During such times, it is critical that we remain committed to our values, and allow them to guide and sustain our community as we continue our core mission to deliver a rigorous, quality education, to produce new knowledge, and to improve the quality of human life.

It has been gratifying to observe the resilience of our community and its determination to come together in response to these challenges. Our faculty, students, and staff have worked tirelessly to find new and innovative ways to teach and learn, to support the teaching and research that is fundamental to our academic mission, to continue our efforts to build an inclusive campus environment, to ensure that a University of Chicago education is accessible and affordable to people of all backgrounds, and to leverage the University’s resources for the health and well-being of our neighbors on Chicago’s South Side, who have been disproportionately impacted by the events of the past year.

As we continue into the new academic year, and a new set of challenges as we resume operations on campus amid the pandemic, I would like to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of our faculty, students, and staff, as well as the alumni, parents, and friends who form our community. I thank you for upholding our values, for your flexibility and willingness to adapt during these times of uncertainty and change, and for your ongoing contributions, support, and accomplishments.

Robert J. Zimmer
President