According to an update on the endowment, presented during Saturday Nov. 17th’s Board of Trustees meeting, the university’s endowment grew by $91 million in the last fiscal year, an increase from roughly $620 million to $711 million. John Meerts, Vice president for Finance and Administration, presented the report.

In 1981, when Wesleyan was at the peak of a sustained endowment crisis, a goal was set to maintain the value of the endowment in real terms, meaning the endowment would retain the same value when adjusted for inflation. The endowment has since grown by 129 percent, a trend which has prompted President Roth to attempt to double the endowment in the next five to eight years.

Also contributing to endowment growth have been high levels of financial contributions. 66 percent of the University’s goal for donations having already been reached.

Donations to the Wesleyan Fund, which goes to paying for the day to day running of the university, are lower, with only 33 percent of the goal having been reached.

This fundraising comes as University Relations, the University’s fundraising arm, prepares for a major fundraising campaign to begin in 2010. The University’s last campaign yielded $281 million. The goal of the next fundraising campaign, as described by Emily Malkin, Vice-President of the WSA, as much higher, although a specific number hasn’t yet been released.

Ultimately, the report concluded that previous decisions have paid off and will guide future decisions regarding the University’s finances.

“Improved endowment performance from both stronger financial markets and investment strategies has increased our assets,” it read. “Our commitment to strategic planning and balanced budgets provides approaches to ensure focused investments and financial well-being of the future.”