Economic activity associated with the University of Notre Dame brought $833 million to the local area during 2002, according to an economic impact report commissioned by the University and released today.p. The report, conducted by Bay Area Economics of Berkeley, Calif., provides a tangible overview of the University’s status as an employer, a major customer of local good and services, a host to some 11,000 students from around the globe, and one of the strongest tourist attractions in Indiana.p. The report also quantifies the contribution of Notre Dame students and faculty volunteers, and notes the increasing contribution Notre Dame researchers are making in bringing new dollars and jobs to the region. A segment also describes Notre Dame as a community citizen, noting that its long-standing ethic of self-sufficiency means the University drains few local governmental resources while contributing both tax dollars and support.p. “We see in this report a future in which the benefits of a world-class Catholic teaching and research institution are fully integrated in the community,” said Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president.p. The report is the first comprehensive study the University has done of its economic impact. It was commissioned by Notre Dame’s divisions of Business Operations and Public Affairs and Communication in consultation with city and county governmental officials.p. “We often are asked to provide economic measurements of our impact,” said James Lyphout, vice president of Business Operations. “There’s a real hunger to understand, for example, how much revenue Commencement or a football weekend brings. We commissioned this report because we wanted to be able to answer those kinds of questions.”p. J. Roberto Gutierrez, vice president for Public Affairs and Communication, added: “We recognize the importance of the economic contribution the University makes to Michiana, and also accept the responsibility we share in helping build the area’s economic strength.”p. Among the report’s findings, the University:* Generated $833 million of new income in 2002 in St. Joseph County
- Purchased some $536 million in goods and services in 2002; $306 million spent in St. Joseph County
- Employed 4,070 full-faculty and staff who earned a total of $290 million in salaries; $256.4 million in St. Joseph County
- Generated some 13,543 St. Joseph County jobs
- Contributed about $10.4 million to the local construction industry
- Drew approximately 673,000 visitors from outside St. Joseph County who spent an estimated $92.1 million in hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses
- Paid $285,000 in property and innkeeper taxes to the city of South Bend and St. Joseph County
- Contributed some 455,000 work hours in St. Joseph County through the volunteerism of faculty, staff and students
p. Its dollars-and-cents measurements are based on 2002 data. The report is available in its entirety at http://impact.nd.edu .
TopicID: 3893