In an e-mail from President Robert Zimmer to faculty, students, and staff on Thursday, the University announced the launch of the public phase of its largest fundraising campaign ever, with a goal of $4.5 billion.

The University of Chicago Inquiry and Impact Campaign has been unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees to embark on its public phase, after the University raised over $2 billion in donations during its quiet phase, according to a University press release.

The public phase is set to start this October and will continue until 2019. According to the press release, this is the University’s fifth major fundraising campaign with the highest monetary goal yet. The last campaign from 2000 to 2008 raised $2.38 billion, well over its goal of $2 billion.

Zimmer announced that the campaign has already received 182,000 gifts from alumni and friends of the University, totaling to more than $2 billion. More than $750 million of this money came from University trustees, trustee emeriti, and their families.

This campaign, according to Zimmer, will fund projects including building the Institute of Molecular Engineering, potentially building a center in Hong Kong, expanding career advancement tracks and study abroad opportunities, and building Campus North dorms.

Joseph Neubauer, former CEO of Aramark and current vice chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, will chair the campaign.

­—Sindhu Gnanasambandan