The 2001-2002 academic year represented a period of dramatic forward motion for the University of Connecticut. Working with faculty, students and staff, and supported by alumni, Connecticut citizens and their elected leaders, and corporate partners, we have built significantly on the progress of recent years.
Our momentum has touched virtually every aspect of institutional life. In the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy, our faculty and student body demonstrated that the high standards of scholarship and commitment evidenced in our classrooms have broader applications within our community. The same standards spurred advances in many areas -- including our ranking among peer universities, the superlative performance of our incoming and graduating classes, the research achievements of our faculty, and our ongoing contribution to the quality of life and economic vitality of our state.
As we progressed through the seventh year of the University's 10-year, $1 billion infrastructure renewal program, UCONN 2000, we reached new heights in our effort to create an attractive, technologically advanced statewide campus. Students entered residences remarkable for their spaciousness and functionality. The promise of a University on the move became measurable as the Student Union building was readied for renewal; the Wilbur Cross building was renovated to become a site for "one-stop shopping" for student administrative needs; a state-of-the-art School of Business was completed; and the Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory prepared the way for pioneering research.
The success of UCONN 2000 led the Connecticut General Assembly to establish a new $1.3 billion initiative known as "21st Century UConn." Proposed by Governor John G. Rowland and approved by an overwhelming majority in the General Assembly, the new 11-year program will continue what UCONN 2000 began. It will allow us to proceed with the physical transformation of our main and regional campuses while directing $300 million toward much-needed facility enhancements at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
Investment in our infrastructure has already turned the brain drain of past years into a dramatic brain gain. The University welcomed its largest and possibly most distinguished freshman class this year. A standard of excellence coupled with inclusion translated into better grades for the University itself: an upgraded bond rating of Aa3 from Moody's Investor Services. The University's strength in the higher education marketplace as a lure for bright and ambitious young people was one of the main reasons for the enhanced standing.
These developments helped the University secure major research grants and contracts, led to a number of innovative collaborations, and enhanced our capacity to generate philanthropic support. Even in an uncertain economy, Campaign UConn, the University's six-year, $300 million private fundraising campaign, exceeded its ambitious goals, reaching beyond the $200 million mark this fiscal year.
The year includes a number of points of dramatic achievement. Among them, UNESCO selected the University of Connecticut to host its first and only chair in human rights in the United States, affirming the high ideals we have upheld through numerous human rights initiatives. Corporate and government sources invested substantially in the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center, positioning the University to help lead the way in the development of efficient energy alternatives. UConn Health Center researchers discovered a gene that causes a common form of glaucoma, facilitating early diagnosis and prevention. In an unprecedented arrangement, the Metropolitan Opera forged a partnership with our School of Fine Arts, giving students access to internships and opportunities no other university can offer.
Those are just the highlights of a year of rapid progress. As you read the pages of this report, you will find additional examples of accomplishment, commitment and service. The University's progress continues unabated, and our momentum propels us to even greater heights.