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Home , University of Dallas

University of

Irving, www.udallas.edu

Overview

The sprawling city of Irving, Texas is a 200,000-person suburb of Dallas. In it are the headquarters of such giants as ExxonMobil and the Boy Scouts of America as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It also is the home of one of the finest Catholic colleges, the . Founded in 1956, this liberal arts-orient- ed institution consistently ranks among the most praised colleges in the United States. In addition to its orthodox Catholicism, the Uni- versity of Dallas is widely respected for intel- lectual rigor and quality of teaching. quick facts The driving force behind the establish- Founded: 1956 ment of the university was the Sisters of Saint Type of institution: Small university Mary of Namur. They approached then-Bish- Setting: Suburban op Thomas Gorman to expand their junior Undergraduate enrollment: 1,232 (2006–07 college, Our Lady of Victory, and give control academic year) to a board of trustees under the jurisdiction of Total undergraduate cost: $30,836 (tuition, room and board for 2007–08) the Diocese of Dallas. Among the initial fac- Undergraduate majors: 27 ulty in 1956 were members of the Cistercian, Sisters of Saint Mary and Franciscan orders. Five Key Points The university draws students from 1. Strong commitment to a core throughout the United States and from 18 curriculum, even in graduate study. other countries with its commitment to a core 2. An orthodox Catholic identity is curriculum, largely based on the classics of emphasized. Western Civilization. Academic preparation is such that more than 80 percent of the stu- 3. Teachers and students have created a vibrant intellectual environment. dents attend graduate or professional schools. The university has the distinction of gaining 4. A Rome semester is highly popular a chapter faster than any oth- and impressive. er institution in the 20th century. 5. There is a vital spiritual life on and near the campus.

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There are 27 majors that are rooted in the trative positions at the University of San Di- typical liberal arts disciplines. Included are ego, and the University classics degrees in either Greek or Latin and of Dayton. a studio arts program. The Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts was added in 1966 and offers master’s degrees in eight areas and an Public Identity interdisciplinary Ph.D., which has the unique character of also relying on a core curricu- As part of its mission statement, the Universi- lum. The management school offers several ty of Dallas declares: “The University is dedi- M.B.A.s as well as additional master’s degrees cated to the recovery of the Christian intellec- in management. tual tradition, and to the renewal of Catholic theology in fidelity to the Church and in con- To receive an undergraduate degree at UD, structive dialogue with the modern world.” students must take half of their courses in the core curriculum. There are 15 required cours- The emphasis of the university is rooted es distributed as follows: four each in English in a core curriculum because the administra- and history, three in philosophy, two in theol- tion believes that its western tradition is the ogy and one each in economics and politics. Catholic tradition. One English professor told Students also select an additional 10 courses us, “The core teaches us that the goal of edu- from several liberal arts fields. cation is to seek the Truth and that Truth ex- ists.” One former faculty member said of the core curriculum: “Its brilliance lies in study- As a result, one 2006 alumnus said the uni- ing the ancients, medievals and moderns versity is “one of the only universities left that several times during the college years. While is both Catholic and catholic. That is to say, it there is an historical and sequential study of is orthodox and faithful and is very willing these eras, students also go back at different to pursue Truth from whichever avenues it points during their years [at UD] to read, for might come.” example, Aristotle and Plato again.” President Frank Lazarus gives much cred- it for this Catholic faithfulness to the profes- Governance sors. In his inauguration address in 2004, he said: “The faculty and administration, but especially the faculty, of this institution have The university is governed by a 30-plus mem- from the time of the founding positioned the ber board of trustees, comprised largely of lay University of Dallas in the mainstream of business leaders from the Dallas area, other the Catholic Intellectual Tradition by virtue parts of the nation and alumni. There are a of their scholarship, their development and few Catholic religious figures on the board, cultivation of the core curriculum, and by the most notably the Bishops of the Dioceses of example of their own lives in the form of per- Dallas and Fort Worth, but there no longer is sonal witness to the Faith and fidelity to the any diocesan control. teachings of the Church.” Dr. Frank Lazarus became the seventh Those we interviewed gave high marks president of the University of Dallas in 2004. to President Lazarus for reemphasizing the All of his predecessors, with one exception, university’s Catholic identity while proceed- were lay presidents. Dr. Lazarus, a scholar of ing in a balanced way. He places a high prior- classical languages, previously held adminis-

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ity on and stresses the uni- Some of UD’s speakers do not necessarily versity’s Catholic commitment to high school deal with Catholic issues but rather address students and their parents in prospective stu- a range of intellectual concerns. Robert and dent weekends. John Hollander of the digital Princeton Dante Project and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Norman Unfortunately, the administration of Dr. Borlaug, the Green Revolution pioneer, are Lazarus’s predecessor, Msgr. Milam Joseph examples. We are aware of no objectionable (1996–2003), was marked by some contro- speakers on campus. versy. It was reported to us that during his tenure, the university’s Catholic identity was The university also reaches out to the somewhat diluted and there were a few fac- broader Catholic community. One example ulty departures. However, the university, by is through the renamed University of Dal- all accounts, seems to be back on its solid, his- las School of Ministry, which held a two-day torical footing. conference on the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ doc- ument “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the This Catholic ethos has a transformational Lord,” dealing with lay ministry, in March effect on students, according to close observ- 2007. The interdisciplinary Society of Catho- ers of the college. For example, Father Philip lic Social Scientists held their 2006 meeting Powell, O.P., the campus minister, said, “Many on campus. freshmen come in looking like conservative Catholics. Over the course of their time at UD, The university has benefited as well from they often become orthodox Catholics.” its long relationship with a number of reli- gious orders, including the , Fran- He adds, “And what is ‘orthodoxy’? It’s ciscans, Dominicans, Sisters of Saint Mary of thinking, teaching and preaching with the Namur and School Sisters of Notre Dame. mind of the Church. Look first to the Church, the presumption being that the Church has the answer, and in 99.99 percent of the time, Spiritual Life Her answer is right.” In addition to the curriculum, the univer- The spiritual life at UD is, in the words of a sity bolsters its Catholic identity by its choice 2006 alumnus, “extremely robust and alive.” of campus speakers. Among recent com- One characteristic of it that repeatedly mencement speakers have been Archbishop emerged in our interviews is that faculty and J. Michael Miller, then the Secretary of the their families actively participate in Masses Congregation for Catholic Education at the and other religious activities. As a result, one Vatican, in 2006; and former U.S. ambassador English professor said, “The students can see to the Vatican Jim Nicholson in 2003. their professor as a whole person.” Other speakers have included Russell Hit- About 75 percent of the student body is tinger, the Warren Chair of Catholic Studies Catholic, and that helps ensure an active par- at the University of Tulsa, who delivered the ticipation in spiritual activities. Two Masses first John Paul II Theology Lecture in Febru- are offered Monday through Friday (12:05 ary 2007; John Millbank, a British academic p.m. and 5 p.m.) at the campus Church of the associated with Radical Orthodoxy, who pre- Incarnation; combined they attract about 200 sented the 2006 Aquinas Lecture; and mar- students daily. There are four Sunday obliga- riage and family expert Patrick Fagan of The tion Masses, including one on Saturday night. Heritage Foundation.

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cian monks. There is also an Opus Dei center, the Wingren Study Center, in the area; one of their service projects is organizing an annual spring-break trip to a school for the poor in Monterrey, Mexico.

Catholicism in the Classroom

As befits a college that, as President Lazarus notes, emphasizes the Catholic intellectual tradition, it is not surprising that the theology and philosophy departments would be strong. Because of the core curriculum, students also encounter this religious heritage “at different Confessions are heard five times a week and times and in different ways in their studies,” by appointment. according to one faculty member. Father Powell, the campus minister and The theology department is anchored by also known as the assistant chaplain, is highly chair Dr. Mark Lowery, a moral theologian, regarded. His homilies are accessible online described by a recent alumnus as “very or- through his blog. Father Powell led a group thodox and well-loved,” by a campus official of 19 students to Peru to work in an orphan- as “exemplary,” and by a former faculty col- age as an alternative spring-break mission in league as “a saint.” Among the others in the March 2007. He said of this and similar trips, department frequently singled out for praise “They are open to anyone who wants to ap- is Dr. Christopher Malloy, who teaches sys- ply, Catholic or not. At the same time, it is tematic theology. He told us, “We present clear that it is a Catholic trip, with no cutting orthodoxy clearly and in dialogue with phi- back on our daily Masses, morning and eve- losophy and science. If a student wants to get ning prayers, etc.” Truth, it is very clear here.” The campus ministry has a few programs Across the board, our interviewees report such as a monthly Theology on Tap social get- that the core curriculum integrates the Catho- together and pro-life work as part of the Cru- lic worldview with the secular worlds of the saders for Life club. But social justice activi- various disciplines. This sense of interrelat- ties are particularly strong. Among these is edness is so pervasive that even a Buddhist participation in the Dallas Hearts & Hammer who teaches in the English department sees program that refurbishes inner-city houses the core as strengthened by the Catholic intel- and serves meals at homeless shelters. lectual tradition. One alumnus spoke of him: “He loves the Catholic confidence that there is Students have the opportunity to par- a Truth we can strive for.” ticipate in the spiritual life of the on-campus Priory of St. Albert the Great, which includes There are many strong Catholic faculty 15 Dominican friars, and the nearby Our members in the especially rich English de- Lady of Dallas Abbey, which has 28 Cister-

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partment, including Dr. Gregory Roper, a daily Mass, night prayer. The students par- medieval literature scholar, and Dr. Gerard ticularly love that the faculty are there with Wegemer, an expert on . their families.” Another example of a spiritually engaged “On the whole,” we were told by a recent and popular professor is the chair of the his- participant, “people grow up during their tory department, Dr. Thomas Jodziewicz, the Rome semester. The challenge of balancing recipient of the campus 2007 King Fellow time, the proximity to the heart of Western Award. He started a faculty-student group Civilization and Catholicism and the close- around the theme of faith and reason. The ness to some fantastic peers all rub off on reading for the first meeting in fall 2006 was people.” Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est. The university also sponsors a study- Despite its liberal arts focus, the sciences abroad program for high school students in and mathematics are not shortchanged at the Italy and England. There are similar opportu- university. Students in these areas get inten- nities for adults and teachers. This emphasis sive training, undertake research work and on foreign study has permitted the University go on to graduate study. Among the notable of Dallas to be identified as one of the top 20 faculty is Dr. Marcy Brown-Marsden, the bi- study-abroad programs according to the In- ology department chair and a bird expert. stitute for International Education. In addition to the core curriculum and the Students also benefit from some domestic solid faculty, UD students greatly benefit from institutes. One is the Center for Thomas More an excellent study-abroad program. In fact, 80 Studies, which sponsors courses, conferences to 85 percent of the students, mostly sopho- and publications related to the 16th-century mores, participate in the Rome Program. This English saint. The department of education rigorous 15-credit semester has hosted thou- sponsors the Dallas Area Network for Teach- sands over the past 35 years. The current site, ing and Education (DANTE), which helps known as Due Santi, is a villa with a vineyard prepare and nurture Catholic schoolteachers outside of Rome, complete with a 108-stu- in Texas. dent residence hall and athletic facilities. The And since 1986 the Institute for Religious pope’s summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, is and Pastoral Studies has provided a variety of visible from the campus. courses. Recently, the IRPS launched a Master In Rome, too, the core curriculum is em- of Theological Studies degree for the Diocese phasized, as immersion in the culture and of Tyler, Texas; a Spanish-speaking Deacon intellectual tradition merge. “It is not at all program for the Diocese of Dallas; and online uncommon to see students reading Sophocles courses for nationwide access. in the Rome metro on the way to an art and In May 2007, the institute was renamed the architecture class,” one alumnus told us. And University of Dallas School of Ministry. Dur- as one English professor emphasized, the ing that month, the school also graduated an spiritual dimension is ever present. unprecedented number of 100 graduates from He said, “The semester in Rome is a sig- its Catholic Bible School. The graduates of this nificant opportunity for spiritual growth. We four-year program came from 37 Texas par- are able to integrate our lives of study, living ishes. Bishop Vann of Fort Worth celebrated together and practicing the faith. We have the graduation Mass.

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One final note regarding the academic en- in 2003 for being critical of the administration vironment at the University of Dallas relates to of then-president Msgr. Joseph. According to the student body. About one-quarter of them the watchdog group Accuracy in Academia, are legacy students, meaning that parents or at issue was Msgr. Joseph’s support for gun other relatives are alumni. According to one control and racial admission preferences. 2006 alumnus, “Students hear firsthand from Students also have the opportunity to their siblings, parents and relatives how great participate in a broad intramural sports pro- UD is, and they want to experience it them- gram. The University of Dallas fields teams selves. It is not at all uncommon for siblings to in 13 sports under the umbrella of the NCAA attend UD at the same time. There is a family Division III and competes regionally. Local atmosphere.” cultural opportunities are presented in an or- Yet, that does not imply a sense of smug- ganized program called Dallas Year. ness. Perhaps Dr. Roper crystallized this best when he said, “UD tends to have very well- rounded students but not ‘grinds.’ The ones Residential Life coming here have been those who in high school were able to excel academically while All undergraduate students are required to also balancing their social lives and outside live on campus. There are eight residence interests. We also have a number of home- halls and a small number of apartments. All schooled students and a few ‘funky types’ apartments are same sex although married who want the life of the mind.” couples can live in the apartments. Students are separated by gender by floor. Student Activities The university handbook specifies visita- tion times throughout the week, and over- night opposite-sex visitation is not allowed. There are about 50 groups on campus. In ad- Students reportedly abide by these rules. dition to typical collegiate groups, there is a There are chastity programs promoted in the popular Chesterton Society and a Best Bud- dorms and by student government. dies program that works with children with special needs. Crusaders for Life, the pro-life Despite the university’s strictures against group, is very active. Every year the junior it, drinking has been a problem off and on. class sponsors Charity Week, a major fund- One former professor told us, “Drinking had raiser for charitable organizations. an odd heritage in the early days of the uni- versity. There developed a sense that it was The student government is reported to ‘a Catholic macho thing’ to drink, sometimes be strong and attracts active Catholics to its heavily.” Drinking today seems to be more of service. In addition to an executive council, an off-campus issue. there is a Student Government Senate and an events programming board known as SPUD. The health clinic at the Haggar Univer- One popular annual social event is Ground- sity Center addresses routine medical issues. hog Weekend in February, which includes a There are several hospitals in the area, in- concert, rugby match and other activities. cluding the Medical Center and the Baylor Medical Center at Irving. The weekly student newspaper, The Uni- versity News, is impressive. A conservative competitor to the paper, Justice, was disbanded

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The Community The Bottom Line

Irving, Texas, is adjacent to Dallas, a world- The University of Dallas is a premier Catho- class city and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth lic college in the United States. It combines an Metroplex area, which includes about 5.8 mil- extensive core curriculum, often emphasiz- lion people. The cultural, sports and social ing classical works, with an adherence to the opportunities in the area are extensive. In Catholic intellectual tradition. The university sports, for example, the popular Dallas Cow- prides itself on its quest for knowledge, con- boys of the National Football League current- fident that any inquiry will lead back to the ly play in Irving’s 66,000-seat ; Catholic Truth. the stadium is across the street from the Uni- UD has one of the most impressive study- versity of Dallas campus. abroad semesters that we have seen with its The region’s economy is largely based on Rome Program; more than 80 percent of its health care, aeronautics, communications and students take advantage of this wonderful op- banking. The region has a pleasant climate portunity to immerse themselves in the clas- most of the year but has scorching summers. sics in a region steeped in the antecedents of Western and Catholic thought. Overall, then, Crime in Irving is slightly above the na- it is no wonder that so many commentators tional average. But the University of Dallas and other college guidebooks give the univer- campus is relatively safe and free of violent sity such high marks. crime. The most campus police violations, by far, are for alcohol use. Dallas has provided service to the Catholic community in Texas and throughout the na- The University of Dallas is easy to reach, tion for half a century. It has weathered some especially via Dallas/Fort Worth International storms, expanded and, in the end, remained Airport, which is a key hub for American Air- faithful to its mission. Any Catholic student lines. Amtrak is located in Dallas, and there interested in challenging his or her mind is an extensive system of roads in the area as would do well to put the University of Dallas well as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) on a list of colleges to investigate. system.

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