CANISIUS COLLEGE MISSION EXAMEN SELF-STUDY REPORT 2018
CONTEXT One of 28 Jesuit universities in the United States, Canisius College was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, New York. The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and New York State to offer baccalaureate and master’s level degrees. In 2017-18, the college enrolled 2,398 undergraduate students and 1,066 graduate students in its 135 degree-granting academic programs. This Examen takes place in the context of significant challenges being addressed by the college. Over the past decade since the Great Recession of 2008, Canisius has experienced a decline in enrollment and, thus, resources. This is the result of several factors, including a statewide decline in the number of high school graduates, weakness in the upstate New York economy where the majority of Canisius students are recruited, and the flat-lining of government support for higher education. Other factors include the overabundance of institutions of higher education in Western New York where most of our students are recruited (including seven Catholic colleges and universities) and additional competition from New York State’s other private colleges and universities, units of the State University of New York system, and community colleges. This intense competition for students in a highly price-sensitive region of the country was further complicated in 2017, when New York State introduced the Excelsior scholarship program, which is marketed to middle class New Yorkers as “free” tuition at SUNY public universities. Excelsior has had a negative impact on private colleges and universities throughout New York State, and Canisius is no exception. The resulting financial challenges have taken a toll on the Canisius community. The measures the Board of Trustees and senior leadership of the college have had to implement to manage enrollment decline and the accompanying “right sizing” of the institution in terms of staffing, salary, benefits, and budget have had an impact on faculty and staff morale. The reality is that the college now has fewer students, fewer staff and faculty, and fewer resources. The college also has fewer Jesuits. For the past several years Canisius has experienced a precipitous decline in the number of Jesuits assigned to the college. In fall 2010, the Jesuit community at Canisius numbered 25 Jesuits, of whom 15 were employed at the college in some capacity. In the intervening eight years, only one Jesuit has been sent by the Province to the college while 15 have departed so that in fall 2018, only one Jesuit remains full-time at Canisius. Of all of the challenges the college has faced in the past 10 years, this challenge goes to the heart of the college’s historical identity and has and will continue to directly affect how it lives its mission.
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Despite these difficult challenges Canisius has never wavered from its Catholic Jesuit mission. This Examen process has been an energizing one since it has revealed the many ways that the faculty and staff are committed to living the college’s Catholic Jesuit mission and the many ways the college devotes resources to mission-related activities. OVERVIEW OF THE EXAMEN PROCESS In January 2018, President John J. Hurley appointed a steering committee to coordinate the Examen process. He appointed Professor Emerita Sandra Estanek, Ph.D. to chair the committee and write the self-study report. The steering committee itself was composed of faculty representatives of each of the three Schools (arts and sciences, business, and education) and the core curriculum; representatives of academic affairs, student life and campus ministry; the rector of the Jesuit Community; and two students (one undergraduate and one graduate student). The self-study process was guided by the documents, Some Characteristics of Jesuit Colleges and Universities: A Self-Evaluation Instrument and Maryland and Northeast Provinces Protocol for a Mission Priority Examen: A Mechanism for Self-Study, Peer Review, and Assessment, and in consultation with Rev. James J. Miracky, S.J., provincial assistant for higher education. The Examen self-study was conducted during the spring semester 2018, and involved extensive document collection and a series of campus conversations and surveys. The process revealed the breadth of activities the Canisius community was doing to live the mission and illuminated how the Canisius community understands and experiences the mission. More than 100 documents were collected and organized under the seven Characteristics. Steering committee members chose the characteristic they were most interested in and worked in duos/trios to do a preliminary analysis of the documents. While the document analysis told the steering committee what the college was doing to live the mission, the committee determined that more information was needed to explain how the mission was understood and experienced by the Canisius community. Three questions were decided upon as an organizing framework: 1) What does it mean to you to be Jesuit educated? 2) How have you experienced Canisius’ Jesuit mission? 3) From your perspective, what is missing or what could we do better? These three mission questions were added to the satisfaction survey that was sent to all undergraduate students in May 2018. Additionally, a survey consisting of the three open-ended questions above was sent to 1) students who were currently enrolled in core capstone seminars, 2) students currently enrolled as student teachers, 3) students who had participated in a Kairos retreat, and 4) graduate students. The committee also presented these mission questions to faculty and staff at an open forum held on April 11, 2018. Those who were unable to attend were invited to submit their responses anonymously online. Conversations also were held with faculty who had
2 participated in the Ignatian Colleagues and Canisius Colleagues programs, volunteers from the Faculty Senate, and the Jesuit Community. Additional meetings were held with the following student groups, led by the students on the steering committee: USA student government, Di Gamma members, resident assistants, Students of Color Support Group, Urban Leadership Learning Community (ULLC) students, and graduate students in the higher education master’s program. Notes from these conversations were analyzed for mission-related themes. The data collected through this process, and the themes that emerged, were discussed at a retreat of the steering committee on May 29, 2018. Mission priorities were proposed at that retreat that were shared with the Senior Leadership Team on June 1, 2018. A revised list of priorities was shared with the steering committee for further conversation. The self-study was written over the summer and a first draft was reviewed by the steering committee on July 26, 2018. Following their review and input, a revised draft was reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team and by members of the Mission and Identity Committee of the Board of Trustees in August. A final draft was presented to the Board for approval at its October 1, 2018 meeting. The self-study report was then forwarded to the site visit team in preparation for its November 2018 visit. This self-study report is organized around the seven Characteristics of a Jesuit university and the questions posed for each Characteristic in the self-evaluation instrument. The steering committee discovered in its discussion of each of the Characteristics that the issues that were raised reflected several characteristics; thus, instead of a discussion at the end of each Characteristic, a comprehensive Discussion Section is included at the end of the report prior to the list of mission priorities. CHARACTERISTIC #1: LEADERSHIP’S COMMITMENT TO THE MISSION Mission Articulation: The Catholic and Jesuit mission of Canisius is clearly and publicly stated in its mission and vision statements and throughout its planning documents. The Canisius mission statement is: Canisius is an open, welcoming university where our Catholic, Jesuit mission and identity are vitally present and operative. It is rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition’s unity of knowledge and the dialogue of faith and reason. Founded by the Society of Jesus as a manifestation of its charism, Canisius espouses the Jesuit principles of human excellence, care for the whole person, social justice, and interreligious dialogue. Jesuit spirituality calls us to seek God in all things and Jesuit education aims to form students who become men and women for and with others. Canisius completed the Middle States reaccreditation process in 2013-15. In the self-study report the college strongly reaffirmed its commitment to its Catholic Jesuit identity and cited the strides that it had made since the last Middle States review in 2005 in incorporating mission-centric initiatives.
3 In 2016, the approved new strategic plan, Canisius 150: Excellence, Leadership, Jesuit again reaffirmed strongly the college’s commitment to its Catholic Jesuit identity. Mission permeates the strategic planning document. In fact, the fourth goal of the strategic plan is Deepening Our Catholic, Jesuit Identity. The strategic plan can be found at https://www.canisius.edu/sites/default/files/%2A/canisius_strategic_plan.pdf Marketing materials clearly communicate that Canisius is a Catholic and Jesuit college. The college’s viewbook produced for undergraduate admissions espouses the college’s mission throughout. It states, “Inspired by the Jesuit intellectual tradition, your learning at Canisius will go deeper. There will be meaningful experiences, spirited conversations, and moments of quiet reflection – all intended to engage your mind, of course, but your heart and soul, as well.” Board of Trustees One of the primary responsibilities of every Canisius trustee is to “[p]romote awareness of Canisius’ mission, goals, and quality, as well as steward the Catholic and Jesuit identity of the college.” The Board of Trustees has a fiduciary responsibility to uphold the college’s mission and formally oversees matters related to mission and identity through a standing Mission and Identity Committee, which assures that the programs and services of the college are in accord with and advance its Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity.
In 2011, the college’s Board of Trustees worked with the then-New York Province and the Canisius Jesuit Community to develop a Statement of Shared Purpose, which can be found in the Canisius College policy manual, which is available electronically at https://wiki.canisius.edu/display/HR/Volume+I%3A+1.1+General+Information#VolumeI:1.1Gen eralInformation-1.1.7StatementofSharedPurpose A copy also will be provided with this report.
In 2018, the Board began an earnest examination of the critical questions related to the college’s mission and identity in the face of a declining Jesuit population on campus. President Hurley and Board Chair Lee Wortham initiated the discussion after attending a meeting of presidents, board chairs, and rectors sponsored by the U.S. Northeast and Maryland Provinces in November 2017. To provide the board with the context for the discussion, Mr. Hurley wrote The Catholic and Jesuit Mission of Canisius College: A Primer. The board’s discussion was robust and ultimately resulted in crystallizing several critical questions for further review and discernment. Those questions were shared with the Provincial, Rev. John J. Cecero, S.J., and the board invited the Province to join with it in discerning responses and priorities. The board has been encouraged by the Province to develop its thinking through the Mission Priority Examen process.
University President John J. Hurley was inaugurated as the first lay president of Canisius in 2010. President Hurley was the right person to make the transition from a Jesuit to a lay president. He is a native Buffalonian whose entire education from grade school through law school has been at Catholic institutions. He is a 1978 graduate of Canisius and a 1981 graduate of the Notre Dame Law School. He returned to Canisius in 1997 as vice president for college relations. As president, he
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has continued the commitment to the college’s Catholic Jesuit mission he had as a student, volunteer, and vice president, consistently and assertively leading the college’s mission. President Hurley serves on many boards and councils in Western New York, and has faithfully served a number of Catholic organizations. Since 2009, he has served as Bishop Richard J. Malone’s appointee on the board of the Fidelis Care New York, a $7 billion health maintenance organization that serves the poor in New York State, and is the past chair, with his wife Maureen, of the Bishop’s Council of the Laity. Inducted as a Distinguished Alumnus of Canisius College in 2002, Mr. Hurley is also a recipient of the college’s LaSalle Medal (1996). St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute inducted him into its Signum Fidei Society (1998) and the University of Notre Dame presented him with its Exemplar Award (1997). He has received HOME’s James Crawford Award (1990) and the Director’s Award (1997) for outstanding service to the cause of fair housing. In 2012, Christ the King Seminary conferred an honorary degree upon Mr. Hurley. Senior Leadership Team This commitment to the mission of Canisius as a Catholic Jesuit university is shared by all of the members of the Senior Leadership Team and by the academic deans. While the Examen focuses on the vice presidents of academic affairs and student affairs because they are “responsible for the primary academic mission,” all of the vice presidents work to support the Catholic Jesuit mission of the college together and in their respective areas of responsibility. Margaret C. McCarthy, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs, has served at Canisius College for over 30 years as a faculty member and administrator. She currently serves as vice chair of the Diocese of Buffalo Catholic Schools Advisory Council. She also is an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Among her publications is Power of Sisterhood: Women Religious Tell the Story of the Apostolic Visitation (2014). With Dr. Terri Mangione, she contributed a chapter on collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs to Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice (2017). Terri L. Mangione, Ph.D., has served as vice president for student affairs and Title IX coordinator. One of the many areas she supervises is campus ministry. Dr. Mangione has been active as an officer of the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators, currently serving as its treasurer. She supports her staff in their participation in JASPA as well. With Dr. McCarthy, she contributed a chapter on collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs to Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice (2017). In October 2018, Dr. Mangione will leave Canisius College to become the dean of students and vice president for student affairs at Loyola Marymount University, and the college will search for her successor. Academic Deans Under the leadership of its respective dean, each School works to incorporate mission into its programs and activities. This commitment to mission is directly articulated in the mission statements of each of the respective Schools. The mission of each of the three academic units
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of the college is realized through its academic programs, coursework, centers and institutes, and service activities. These initiatives will be discussed further in Characteristic #2: Academic Life. CHARACTERISTIC #2: ACADEMIC LIFE Canisius’ academic life is rooted in the framework of Jesuit education, which emphasizes Eloquentia Perfecta, “polished articulation,” and its correlative principles Cura Personalis, “care for the whole person” and Magis, “the more,” which express the ideal outcomes of all Jesuit institutions. Throughout its academic offerings, Canisius is committed to Jesuit pedagogical goals to prepare students to gather information, think critically, speak, write, and communicate effectively in all forms so that they are able to lead and serve in society and in their professions. As such, the college’s commitment to its mission as a Catholic Jesuit institution is reflected in its Institutional Learning Goals, which may be found at https://www.canisius.edu/academics/office-academic-affairs/institutional-learning-goals-and- objectives. These reflect the common set of attributes that every Canisius graduate should possess as a result of their experiences in their courses, programs and co-curricular activities. Academic excellence, community involvement and leadership, and an understanding of Catholic, Jesuit mission and identity are the pillars of that experience and achieved through a learning and living environment that emphasizes cura personalis. Core Curriculum/All-Honors Program Canisius is unusual in that it supports two core curricula; however, both the core curriculum and the All-College Honors Program adhere to the traditional Jesuit commitment to the liberal arts. Core Curriculum As stated on the college’s website, “The Canisius College Core Curriculum is rooted in the humanistic ideals of the Catholic intellectual tradition and Jesuit pedagogy with its emphases on academic excellence, the dialogue of faith and reason, and service to humanity.” The core curriculum was revised in 2007 and implemented in 2009. Rather than having certain “core courses” that all students must take, the core is organized into three major categories: mission-centric attributes (four courses), breadth of knowledge (seven courses), and skills attributes (2 courses). The four “mission-centric attributes” are justice, diversity, ethics, and global awareness. Any course can be a “core course” if it incorporates one of these three categories. Individual courses may incorporate multiple core categories. It is the responsibility of the Core Curriculum Committee to review course proposals from faculty members and determine if a proposed course may be considered a core course. In addition to the above core courses, all students must take four Foundation courses (ENG 111, ENG 112, RST 101, and PHI 101), and a Core Capstone course. The remainder of the core curriculum is taken through Field courses.
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While the structure of the core curriculum is unique to Canisius, it incorporates the liberal arts tradition that has been the hallmark of Jesuit education since the Ratio Studiorum. The All-College Honors Program The All-College Honors Program parallels and replaces the core curriculum. Like the college core curriculum, the All-College Honors Program requires students to take two religion courses and one philosophy course. In addition to the traditional liberal arts core, two honors courses also must address the American Experience, and Diversity or Global Awareness. The All-College Honors Program incorporates the AJCU Essential Characteristics of Jesuit Honors Programs and participates in the AJCU Honors Consortium. The program strives to build community among honors students through offering the possibility of living in a dedicated learning community on campus and through providing a variety of experiences and activities. Honors students are required to write a thesis. About 250 students currently participate in the All-College Honors Program. Service is incorporated into the honors program although it is not required. Service activities are coordinated through the Honors Student Association. The program has a relationship with St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, an independent Catholic mission on Buffalo’s East Side. Honors students also work with international and disadvantaged students through the ENERGY program at the Westminster Presbyterian Church on Buffalo’s West Side. One senior honors student wrote, “The Honors Program gave me the opportunity to live out the Jesuit values. Not only were these values applied directly or indirectly in the classroom, the leadership opportunities in Honors allowed me to know myself more (cura personalis) and give more (magis). Honors expected me to work hard and act responsibly, which instilled in me the value of work and an appreciation of who I am as a human being. With those core values, you can then give to others (men and women for and with` others).” Academic Programs and Majors In 2013, the college initiated a triennial academic program review process. Every department and academic program, including graduate programs, completes a program review on a rotating basis. Reports are sent to the Academic Program Board for peer review. The first element that every Canisius program must address is how it is connected to the Catholic Jesuit mission of the Canisius. As part of the Examen process, a content analysis of the mission sections of the APB reports was conducted. This analysis showed the following: • Faculty understand their commitment to teaching as a commitment to the traditional Jesuit value of academic excellence; • Cura personalis was often directly articulated as the framework for faculty/student interaction and departmental decision-making; • Several departments and programs specifically articulated a commitment to teaching ethics and social justice;
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• Some departments and programs (particularly graduate programs) consciously framed their programs in terms of the five elements of Ignatian pedagogy; • Some departments and programs incorporate service into their courses. The APB is continuing to work to improve the ways in which departments reflect upon and report their connection to the mission of the college. Beginning this year, the APB has split the mission question into two separate sections: one focused on the expression of mission and a second on academic excellence. For the reviews this year and going forward, the APB has asked departments to define their connections to mission and how they are working to make any connections explicit for the students. In 2007, the college created Ignatian Scholarship Day to highlight the academic achievement of Canisius students. The day is intentionally named to highlight the connection to scholarship that is a traditional element of Jesuit education. The event has grown into an all-day program of student posters, displays, artistic displays and performances, and paper/multimedia presentations. The event was held on April 18, 2018. Classes scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday did not meet that Wednesday so everyone could attend the various sessions throughout the day. Global Perspectives Global collaboration is one of the priorities of Jesuit higher education, as it is at Canisius. In addition to the Global Awareness attribute in the core curriculum and the All-College Honors Program, and majors such as international relations and international business, efforts include serving international students studying at Canisius through the Office of International Student Programs and providing opportunities for American students to expand their global perspective through long and short term study abroad opportunities, and faculty-led program opportunities. In 2017, international programs were integrated into the Center for International Education, which includes the Office of International Programs, Study Abroad Office, and the Institute for Global Engagement. In addition to traditional study abroad opportunities for Canisius students, the college participates in a number of exchange agreements with Jesuit colleges and universities internationally. These currently include the following seven Jesuit institutions: Ateneo de Manila (Phillippines), Comillas Pontifical University (Madrid, Spain), Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Sogang University (Seoul, South Korea), Sophia University (Tokyo, Japan), Universidad del Pacifico (Lima, Peru), and Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico City, Mexico). Through these exchange agreements, Canisius students study abroad at these universities and their students study abroad in the United States here at Canisius. Canisius also recruits students from Jesuit high schools internationally, including Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja, Nigeria.
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The Institute for Global Engagement subsidizes and helps to administer faculty-initiated short term international courses and seminars that incorporate travel abroad. When faculty apply for a grant through the Institute they must show how the experience fits into the Jesuit mission and outline how they will incorporate both context and reflection. Currently, 17 experiences are listed on the Institute’s webpage with more in the planning stages. Faculty Policies Although faculty research and scholarship are valued and required for tenure, Canisius remains a teaching institution in the tradition of Jesuit higher education. The faculty handbook states, Canisius espouses the idea of academic excellence along with a sense of responsibility to use one’s gifts for the service of others and the benefit of society. It seeks to promote the intellectual and ethical life of its students, helping to prepare them for productive careers as well as for meaningful personal lives and positive contributions to human progress. Its curricular and co- curricular programs are designed to educate the whole person through the development of intellectual, moral, spiritual, and social qualities. It aims to promote the contemporary Jesuit mission of the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Members of the Canisius College faculty assume all responsibilities inherent in the role of teacher-scholar in such an institution (p. 2). Within the general framework of the faculty handbook, each department has developed its own guidelines for promotion and tenure for its faculty members. The college accepts the tenets of academic freedom and tenure as articulated in the 1940 AAUP Statement of Principles and Interpretive Comments. The ability of the college to offer incentives is limited by its financial situation; however, the college does its best to provide opportunities for professional development including support for “Catholic and Jesuit-related teaching and research.” In addition to sabbaticals and conference attendance, the college has sent faculty members and administrators to the Ignatian Colleagues Program and developed its own Canisius Colleagues Program so that more interested faculty and staff could participate. Faculty have participated in the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago and in the AJCU Leadership Seminar in Higher Education, which is also held at Loyola Chicago. The Canisius Colleagues program provides professional development for Canisius faculty and staff members to deepen their connections with the Catholic Jesuit identity of Canisius. CCP participants are nominated by their respective vice-president with two to four individuals coming from each division. They are expected to participate in yearlong program consisting of eight in-class learning modules, an immersion activity, faith-sharing opportunities, and a spiritual retreat.
The college also supports two Mission and Identity internal grant opportunities, the Mission and Identity Course Development Grant and the Mission and Identity Research Fellowship. Both grants are for up to $2500. The Mission and Identity Course Development Grant exists to contribute to the development and implementation of new or substantially revised courses by
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faculty in the areas of Catholic and/or Jesuit thought with particular emphases on diversity, ethics, global awareness, or justice. The Mission and Identity Research Fellowship exists to contribute to the professional development of the faculty, particularly in the area of research and/or publication/presentation/performance in the area of Catholic and/or Jesuit thought with particular emphases on diversity, ethics, global awareness and/or justice.
In 2018, one course development grant and two research fellowships were awarded to Canisius faculty. The orientation process for new full time faculty hires has been enhanced to better introduce faculty to the mission and help guide their understanding and practice of it. Prior to the 2015- 16 academic year, the orientation process consisted of a brief overview of Jesuit mission and identity prior to the first semester teaching. In the past three years, this portion of the orientation has become more robust with a Canisius Colleagues Program-inspired reading and discussion group for new faculty and all untenured faculty. Thus, faculty who began in fall 2015 or later have the opportunity to participate in six of these optional sessions. The orientation program for adjunct faculty has also been enhanced in the past two years with a module on mission being included. Centers and Institutes Several academic institutes incorporate the commitment to the Catholic Jesuit mission of Canisius College. These include in alphabetical order: The Center for Urban Education demonstrates the School of Education and Human Services’ commitment to the belief that all students are capable of excellence regardless of circumstance and its commitment to enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in urban schools across Western New York. It is a partnership with the National Urban Alliance. The Institute for Autism Research conducts research, participates in clinical trials, and implements treatment strategies for children on the spectrum. The services of the Institute are available regardless of the ability to pay. The Institute for Classical and Medieval Studies was launched in 2018 as a collaborative effort of faculty from six departments with a focus on the literary and material culture of the Classical and Medieval Worlds. ICMS embraces Canisius’ Jesuit tradition by bridging disciplines in its quest for greater understanding of the past and the present. ICMS events are designed to attract a wide range of faculty, students, and interested community members who have a scholarly interest in the ancient and medieval worlds. The Institute for Global Engagement (see Global Perspectives above) The Institute for the Global Study of Religion facilitates conversations and lectures about important issues involving the relationship between Christianity and culture, and creates opportunities for the study of religion in various cultures through immersion seminars in various global cultures.
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The Institute for the Study of Human-Animal Relationships is dedicated to advancing humankind’s perspectives on non-human animals, including examining issues like responsible pet ownership/companion animal stewardship, zoo industry reform, animal use as food, animal-assisted interventions, animal use in science, and the use of science in advocating wildlife conservation. The institute understands its mission in terms of religious tradition and ethics, including Pope’s Francis’ call to right relationships with nature in Laudato Si. The New Buffalo Institute (NBI) is a new initiative called for by the college’s strategic plan. The intention of the NBI is to facilitate programs, collaborations, and creative initiatives that build upon new developments in the Buffalo region and also address the persistent challenges and injustices in our community. The college envisions the development of The New Buffalo Institute as a vehicle for reorganizing and prioritizing existing connections and activities at Canisius and to develop new initiatives to better align our efforts with community needs and priorities. The planning task force intends to finalize its plans in the fall. Implementation has begun on some initiatives. The Video Institute provides students with real-world filmmaking experience while providing pro bono service to local non-profit organizations by creating service-oriented videos about the agencies and people they serve. Students produce social documentaries and service-oriented videos, all connected by the theme of social justice, to promote discourse on ethical, social, and cultural issues. The Video Institute also collaborates with the Network of Religious Communities to produce Kaleidoscope, a monthly television program about religious diversity that airs on WGRZ-TV (Buffalo’s NBC affiliate) and Spectrum Cable. The William H. Fitzpatrick Institute of Public Affairs and Leadership focuses on public policy, including its ethical dimensions. The institute encourages students to develop leadership potential through engagement with policy leaders, travel to Washington and Albany, and internship and other educational opportunities. The Fitzpatrick Institute features a speaker series, and other public affairs and leadership programs. Other Catholic Initiatives Canisius College supports an undergraduate Catholic Studies minor co-led by faculty in both the Departments of Philosophy and Religious Studies. This minor provides students with a more focused concentration in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and provides extended learning opportunities such as internships at Catholic organizations. Other mission-centric minors include conservation, ethics, justice, and peace and justice studies. Professional Schools and Programs All three Schools house professional programs that explicitly incorporate mission. In addition to the commitments the programs in these schools articulated in their APB program review reports and the institutes discussed above, The Wehle School of Business is committed to using its resources and the skills of its faculty and students to make a difference in the community. For example, Enactus is a community of student, academic and business leaders
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committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world. Through three main student-led projects, YES, REDI, and Sew REDI, Enactus students teach entrepreneurial skills to members of Buffalo’s immigrant and inner-city populations with a goal of financial independence. Other examples in the Wehle School of Business are the Women’s Business Center and the Center for Professional Development, which both utilize their resources to help members of the local community. The School of Education and Human Services also is committed to making a difference in the Buffalo community through its activities and partnerships. In addition to the Center for Urban Education, discussed above, its activities include the Western New York Teacher Residency, which has the purpose of facilitating training of teachers committed to working in urban education. The SEHS also participates in the national Teach for America and the National Writing Project, which both focus on enhancing the preparation of teachers and students in urban schools. Professional programs also are housed in the School of Arts and Sciences. One example is the pre-medical and pre-health professions program. The faculty are committed to showing that medicine is about service and not just science. Each summer, pre-medical, pre-dental, and other pre-health students travel to Nicaragua and Costa Rica where they work with local physicians and dentists to host pop-up clinics in underserved areas. Students gain experience working in a healthcare setting with translators. Students also increase their awareness that how people live influences their health by conducting public health home visits and studying how history influences the health status of a country. CHARACTERISTIC #3: A CATHOLIC, JESUIT CAMPUS CULTURE The Division of Student Affairs includes the ALANA student center, student health service, the counseling center, international student programs, campus ministry, student life (housing, campus programming, event services, and recreational programs), athletics, and the Griff Center for Academic Engagement. The Student Affairs mission statement says, “The division of Student Affairs at Canisius College intentionally cultivates an environment where students are expected to be attentive to their experiences, reflect upon the meaning of the experiences, and develop a lifelong habit of discernment in order to encourage purposeful action.” Student Affairs strives to realize this mission in its many activities. The focus groups conducted with student leaders for this self-study indicated that students who participate in co-curricular activities are enriched by their exposure to the Catholic Jesuit context of these activities. Conversations with student government leaders and resident assistants indicated that they understand and can articulate the Catholic Jesuit mission of the college in terms of cura personalis, magis, and “being men and women for and with others.” This is also true of students who participate in the activities of Campus Ministry, especially retreats such as Kairos. Campus Ministry The Campus Ministry staff consists of two full time staff members, a graduate assistant, and a deacon volunteer. Campus Ministry provides all of the elements of a spiritual life on campus…liturgy, sacramental ministry, retreats, spiritual direction, and service.
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Ministry and Liturgical Life/ Church Calendar/Sacramental Ministry/Campus Events Like many universities, Canisius begins the academic year with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. The Mass is a major campus event that is co-sponsored by Campus Ministry, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and the Jesuit Community. No classes meet at this time, and because of the collaborative effort, attendance has improved over the past few years. The current bishop makes it a priority to participate as his schedule has allowed and members of the Jesuit Community are concelebrants. As is the case at other campus-wide and alumni liturgies (i.e., Baccalaureate) the president gives a brief reflection after communion that touches on the readings and the event being celebrated. Mass is followed by a campus-wide brunch. Mass is celebrated on campus every Sunday, on holy days of obligation, and every weekday during the academic year. Mass is celebrated by a rotation of priests, including Jesuits. About 35-50 students attend Sunday evening Mass weekly. The academic year concludes with the Baccalaureate Mass on the evening before undergraduate commencement. The bishop presides if his schedule allows. A post-Mass reception follows. For the last two years we have seen a dramatic increase in attendance. As noted above, in fall 2018, only one Jesuit will teach full time on campus. Campus Ministry is addressing this by arranging a rotation of three Jesuits and two diocesan priests, including an alumnus of the college, who will commit themselves to celebrating Mass with the Canisius community. They also are working with students to take responsibility for music, hospitality, and outreach to the student community. In 2018-19, Campus Ministry will be experimenting with a Wednesday evening communion service. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered weekly. The staff also provides marriage preparation for about 35 weddings each year and conducts RCIA and adult confirmation preparation. On average, 10 to 12 students are confirmed and one student is received into the Church. The college chapel is open during the day for prayer and reflection and there is an interfaith/prayer/meditation room available on the first floor of the library. This room is most often utilized by Muslim students. Retreats Campus Ministry provides a program of service and retreats, which have a clear impact. The conversations that were conducted with students during this self-study clearly show that those students who attend retreats and participate in service activities understand and embrace the mission and Jesuit values even if they are not themselves Catholic. As one student wrote, “I’ve worked on projects for non-profit organizations in the community as part of my coursework…Although I am not Catholic and do not participate in the religious programs on campus, I appreciate that they are offered and that the school is committed to the spiritual side of their students.” Kairos is offered three times each year. Each Kairos retreat has about 32 first time participants and 12 to14 student/faculty/staff leaders so over 100 people participate each year in Kairos,
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which Campus Ministry considers its hallmark program. Its impact was often mentioned by students. Fourth Day is a follow up retreat for Kairos participants, which is offered annually. About 35 students attend along with 12 to 14 leaders. Campus Ministry offers an Always Our Children LGBTQ++ and Allies retreat annually, which usually has about a dozen participants. The Examen asks what hospitality is provided to “those who may feel at odds with particular teachings of our tradition and yet hunger for communion with the Church…” This retreat is a good example of that hospitality. Also, Campus Ministry offers a freshman retreat following orientation, which attracts about 30 participants, and a senior retreat that begins Senior Week activities, which attracts about 40 seniors. Finally, Campus Ministry Immersion is a week long program that ends with a one-day retreat for a select number of incoming freshmen who have shown interest in campus ministry that occurs the week before orientation. About 16-18 students have attended each year for the past 10 years. Many campus ministry student leaders have come from this program. Immersion Trips and Service Opportunities
Campus Ministry sponsors international and domestic service-immersion experiences that last from one to three weeks plus pre-trip formation and post-trip reflection. Domestic and international trip participants go through a four month or eight month preparation program that intentionally addresses these issues and prepares them well for deepening the experience and focusing more on immersion than “providing service.” Different Jesuit values, such as solidarity with the disenfranchised, spirituality, simplicity, and community, often arise organically during reflections that occur each evening throughout the experiences as a result of the training.
Spiritual Exercises The Director of Campus Ministry, who is in formation for the diaconate, is trained to lead the Spiritual Exercises. He provides spiritual direction as his other responsibilities permit. In 2017- 18 he provided ongoing spiritual direction to three students and one staff person. Spiritual direction was also provided to three individuals by another staff member. The college previously had a Jesuit who focused on providing the Spiritual Exercises who was transferred in 2016. From 2006 to 2016, over 100 faculty, staff, and students participated in the Exercises. Many of the faculty and staff who are now leaders in mission on campus “did the Exercises” during those years. Student Life Culture Committed to Relationality and Responsibility Leadership development incorporates Jesuit values. Training programs for orientation leaders, resident assistants, and graduate assistants in the higher education master’s program who work
14 in student affairs all include sessions on how their work is grounded in the Jesuit values of cura personalis and “being men and women for and with others.” RAs are asked to create a bulletin board on their floors focused on Jesuit values during the fall semester. One resident assistant wrote, “I have experienced the mission as a leader amongst my residents, as well as from the inviting community here. The strong ties within the Canisius community has pushed me to be the best I can be, and live out the Jesuit values.” Student government leaders take their commitment to mission seriously. The Undergraduate Student Association (USA) includes several committees that work on themes of social justice, including the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. committee and the Diversity Committee. USA also is committed to responsible stewardship through the activities of its Sustainability Committee. Many current campus-wide initiatives began with the work of these committees. As USA president Matthew Smardz writes in his welcome letter in the 2018-19 student handbook, “Our Jesuit, Catholic values provide Canisius students with an educational experience beyond what is taught in the classroom. They teach us to be men and women for and with others and to fight for social justice. At Canisius, our commitment to excellence is unparalleled. The Jesuit value magis, the Latin word for more, empowers our community to accomplish greatness and shapes each student in their pursuits of knowledge and growth.” Student conduct hearings are the responsibility of the Office of Student Life. The office has intentionally increased the use of reflection essays as sanctions for low-level offenses asking students to reflect on their behavior in light of the community’s Jesuit values. In student conduct hearings, students are often asked why they chose to attend Canisius. If they do not mention the institution’s mission and identity, the judicial officer follows up with asking the student which Jesuit values resonates the most with them. In this way, a judicial hearing can become an opportunity for formation. Honor Societies The experience that Canisius students have is exemplified at its fullest by those who are inducted into the Di Gamma Honor Society and Alpha Sigma Nu. For more than 80 years, Canisius College has recognized its finest students, alumni, faculty and administrators with membership in the Di Gamma Honor Society. This prestigious society is composed of “men and women for others” who distinguish themselves working for the advancement of the college and who provide exemplary service on behalf of students and alumni. Since 1955, Canisius also has inducted members into Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit higher education honor society. It was clear from the interview process for induction into Di Gamma, which was observed as part of the data collection process for this Examen, that these student leaders frame their Canisius experience in terms of magis, service, cura personalis, and “being women and men for and with others.”
15 Athletics Canisius supports 16 NCAA Division I athletic teams, 18 club sports, and 10 intramural sports. These activities all “promote healthy lifestyles, enhance a sense of community, foster growth in leadership and teamwork skills, and encourage the pursuit of excellence.” Canisius emphasizes developing its student-athletes academically and athletically. To that end, the athletic department has developed a comprehensive Life Skills program for intercollegiate student-athletes. After the spring 2018 semester, the average cumulative grade point average (GPA) of student-athletes was 3.23. Seventy-one percent (71%) of the intercollegiate student- athlete population maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the year. In addition, each of Canisius’ 16 varsity athletic teams are in good standing, while five teams posted perfect single-year scores according to the latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) statistics released by the NCAA. The social impact of intercollegiate student-athletes is recognized in the 2018 Canisius College Impact Report. The report cites 340 intercollegiate student-athletes provided 5728 hours of service in 2016-17. Service is required by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (not the NCAA) but the amount of service required at Canisius is greater than MAAC requirements. Diversity of Thought Diversity of thought is valued throughout Student Affairs as it is in Campus Ministry. The college offers “hospitality toward those who may feel at odds with particular teachings of our tradition” in the spirit of the “dialogue of faith and reason” that should occur at a Catholic university. The college recognizes Unity—Gay Straight Alliance, a student group that discusses LGBTQ++ issues, hosts events, and provides a welcoming community to LBGTQ++ students and their allies. The Division of Student Affairs works individually with the small transgender community at Canisius to provide a safe and supportive environment. The college’s approach is consistent with Church teaching and with the USCCB’s letter Always Our Children. Canisius College takes seriously the charge in Ex corde Ecclesiae to “…be both a community of scholars representing various branches of human knowledge and an academic institution in which Catholicism is vitally present and operative.” This spirit is reflected in the college’s speaker policy, which is found in the Canisius College Policy Manual. Any decision whether to host an event or invite a speaker to campus is made within this context on a case-by-case basis. When appropriate, the president consults with the local ordinary. Inclusion The Examen does not explicitly include a commitment to inclusion and diversity as an element of Characteristic 3, but Canisius believes that such a commitment is essential to living our Catholic Jesuit mission. This commitment is not new. The Afro-American Society student organization celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018. In 1989, the ALANA student center was established as the Office of Multicultural Programs. In recent years, the college has been working intentionally to understand the experience of its diverse student, faculty, and staff populations and to create a more inclusive environment. The events in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014 heightened awareness. At a meeting of the Afro-American
16 Society in April 2016, requested by President Hurley, students surfaced issues at Canisius that needed to be addressed. The president again met with Society members in the fall of 2016 to discuss implementation of new initiatives based on the spring conversation; however, the college experienced a racial incident on the night of the November 2016 election that brought new urgency. President Hurley commissioned the Campus Conversation on Race Commission chaired by Vice President for Student Affairs Terri Mangione. The task force met throughout 2016-17 and recommended a series of initiatives to be implemented in 2017-18. Two of those initiatives were to create a Racial Diversity Team and to administer a racial diversity survey. The survey was developed by the Racial Diversity Team and administered in spring 2018. It included a series of open-ended questions to surface the most nuanced responses from students, faculty, and staff. Eight hundred completed surveys were received (20% response rate). The data received from this survey are still being analyzed but preliminary findings confirm the conversations held with President Hurley in 2016. The information from this survey will inform the fourth priority of this Examen. Canisius will consider opportunities to address microaggressions through diversity training for all members of the Canisius community, developing more diverse course offerings and including more diverse authors and voices in current courses, increasing educational programs, and diversifying social programs and other co-curricular opportunities. Vocational Discernment In 2015, Canisius College consolidated and realigned several offices that were functionally related from the perspective of students but organized separately into an integrated one-stop center headed by one assistant vice-president who reports jointly to the vice presidents of academic affairs and student affairs. The Griff Center for Academic Engagement includes academic advising, accessibility support, the academic mentoring program, career services, transfer student services, tutoring, and veterans’ services. The Griff Center also provides opportunities for students to identify and apply their strengths through administering the CliftonStrengths for Students. The Griff Center utilizes Handshake to connect students to internship and employment opportunities and hosts companies on campus to conduct interviews. The mission of the Griff Center is grounded intentionally in an Ignatian framework and articulates its mission in terms of vocational discernment: • Who am I? • What are my strengths? • What are my values? • Who am I called to be? • How can my experiences transform who I am? • What do I want my contribution to the world to be? Using these questions as a framework, the Griff Center for Academic Engagement works with students to develop a career action plan to assist them in identifying their skills, talents, and interests and discerning their calling.
17 Alumni The college’s commitment to its Catholic Jesuit mission, tradition, and values does not end with graduation. With more than 49,000 alumni in the Canisius network, Institutional Advancement takes a multifaceted approach to communicating, celebrating, and promoting the mission to alumni. Through events, including lectures, reunions, social events, and service opportunities alumni can reconnect with friends and faculty and continue to engage with the mission of the college. Mission is also clearly exhibited through the college’s communication strategy with alumni. Fundraising activities demonstrate that students, academic excellence, and mission- centric programming are central to the fundraising strategy. Awards such as the Peter Canisius Medal, the LaSalle Medal, and membership in the DiGamma Honor Society also reflect the values of the college. CHARACTERISTIC #4: SERVICE One of the major findings of this Examen was the great amount of service done by Canisius students, faculty, and staff. The self-study process demonstrated that members of the Canisius community most often understand the mission through doing service. The Center for Service Learning and Campus Ministry organize service activities. Service activities also are connected to specific academic programs (both graduate and undergraduate) and specific courses. Service activities are connected to athletics and many student organizations. Service is organized by individuals. Below are only some examples of the service provided by the Canisius community. Service was often cited by students as how they most experience the mission. One comment is representative: “I have participated in Service Learning courses and Campus Ministry immersion trips. These opportunities are awesome!”
The Center for Service Learning is responsible for incorporating community service within the academic experience at Canisius, principally through the pedagogical method of service-learning. Service- learning is a pedagogical method which incorporates a component of community service into a course as experiential education. The basic aim of service-learning is first, that students’ service will heighten the understanding of central academic themes, goals, or subject matter in their courses; second, that the academic course content will facilitate students’ ability to reflect in deep and meaningful ways on their experiences as agents of social justice and be transformative for them; and third, that the service done is beneficial to the community. The service activity is linked to reflection and critical observation about the issues underlying the need for this service. Currently in fall 2018, 33 courses are listed as service-learning courses, which enroll over 600 students. The Center partners with over 30 community organizations where Canisius students can serve, including Catholic organizations that are highlighted in Characteristic #5. The Center provides workshop opportunities for faculty who are interested in adding a service learning component to their courses. The Center also conducts reflection sessions for service projects that are connected to individual courses. In addition to the service immersion trips discussed in Characteristic #3, Campus Ministry organizes local service opportunities for students throughout the year. These include working
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with St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy on Wednesdays and Fridays; Habitat for Humanity and Friends of Night People on Saturdays; and Sandwich Ministry on Sundays. Campus Ministry and Chartwell’s Dining Service collaborate on a food rescue project. Food is rescued from the dining hall each week by students and staff, and the dining hall workers put food that would ordinarily go to waste aside for repackaging and delivery to a community partner. A food pantry to combat food insecurity on campus was constructed in 2017-18. In addition to the direct service provided by sports teams discussed in Characteristic #3, the Department of Athletics sponsors 22 children’s sports camps and clinics, which are led by Canisius coaches and student-athletes. The department also sponsors Kids Day at the KAC and participates with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in hosting the annual Shoes for Shelter 5K Race. Since the race began in 2001, over 38,000 shoes have been collected. Service is incorporated in many academic programs and courses. Many programs cited service in their Academic Program Review reports. Examples were cited in Characteristic #2. Another indicator of the importance of service as an expression of mission is the number of graduates each year who choose to do a year of service after graduation. Campus Ministry promotes the various opportunities for post-graduation service and since 2013, an average of 22 graduates each year choose this path. Solidarity One of the findings of the Examen is that we need to work harder to deepen the understanding of the meaning of this service. The Some Characteristics document describes this deeper understanding as one of solidarity. Included in this understanding of solidarity are the following questions: • Do those engaged in service trips learn the local language (for longer trips) and spend time living with and working alongside those they serve? • Do participants come away with the ability to see the world through the eyes of those they serve? • Do participants find that they gain from the communities with whom they serve in ways consonant with how those communities feel they have gained from the participants? An honest answer to the question of whether our service activities are grounded in solidarity is “sometimes.” Reconsidering the number of service activities in light of strengthening the learning that occurs is one of the college’s mission priorities. The understanding of solidarity in the Some Characteristics document can guide this effort. Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm All service activities at Canisius are grounded in the mission of the college as a Jesuit institution. Phrases such as cura personalis and “men and women for and with others” are often used to describe the meaning of service activities. For example, the mission statement of the Center for Service Learning states that, “[t]hrough service, students are given the opportunity to live out the cornerstones of the Jesuit mission and values.” These Jesuit “cornerstones” are: women
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and men for and with others, cura personalis, faith that does justice, and finding God and the Good in all things. As stated above, deepening this understanding and grounding it more explicitly in Catholic Social Teaching and Jesuit statements is a mission priority. Community Outreach The 2018 Canisius College Impact Report, a copy of which is included with this report and is also available at https://issuu.com/canisius_college/docs/impactreport_10x8_issu, documents the many ways the college is connected to the community. The report is an excellent summary of the ways in which a small urban college in its own way, can be in the words of Jesuit martyr Ignacio Ellacuria, S.J., a proyecto social, that is, a project for social transformation. The college takes seriously its role as an anchor institution in the historic Hamlin Park neighborhood, which has been its home since 1910. In terms of service, the Impact Report states that in 2016-17, Canisius College students, faculty, and staff contributed almost 25,000 documented hours of service to the community. This includes service conducted through the Office of Service Learning, Campus Ministry, and the Department of Athletics. In 2002, the college established the Employer Assisted Housing Program, which provides forgivable loans to employees who purchase homes in the areas surrounding the college. Forty nine employees have benefitted from this initiative. In addition, the college has refurbished and sold six homes which it owned in the neighborhood to buyers who committed to being owner- occupiers. A new initiative is the East West Community Garden, which opened in the spring of 2018. Developed in partnership with Buffalo Public Schools 17 and 74, the Congolese Refugee Communities, the Oxford Square Block Club, and several student groups, the mission of the garden is grounded in principles of social justice, sustainability, cultural exchange, ecological knowledge and appreciation. With significant support from faculty and students, it is a site for education, community building, and growing and sharing the food it provides to those in need. Another example is the Immersion East Side Seminar. Students in this seminar participate in a 10 day immersion in the largely low-income African American community of Buffalo’s east side. They also complete relevant reading assignments, journal about their experiences, write reaction papers, and participate in daily reflections sessions. During the fall semester they will meet at regular times to develop and implement justice-related projects stemming from the Immersion. This seminar fulfills the justice requirement of the core curriculum. The Immersion East Side Faculty/Staff Seminar, begun in August 2018, provides faculty participants with an opportunity to connect with the community in which the college is located to foster curricular and co-curricular experiences that promote reflection, dialogue, and justice for the complex needs of the local community. Another initiative, still in the planning stage, is the New Buffalo Institute, discussed in Characteristic #2 above. The NBI is envisioned as a vehicle for the college to fulfill its responsibility to become a project of social transformation by harnessing human and monetary
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resources in support of defined objectives to assist the poor and the marginalized in its backyard. CHARACTERISTIC #5: SERVICE TO THE LOCAL CHURCH Programs and Resources Academic Programs and Institutes As was discussed in Characteristic #2, Canisius has academic programs and institutes in place that “educate and form adult Catholic laity,” and “provide a forum for addressing issues important to the Church and society” and “support ecumenical dialogue.” As expected by Characteristic #5, Canisius offers “solid undergraduate and graduate programs that engage and prepare theologians, philosophers, and scholars in the Catholic intellectual tradition.” Canisius focuses its resources on undergraduate education in this area. The college includes two courses each in religious studies and philosophy in its core curriculum requirements and it supports a religious studies major and a Catholic studies minor. Courses provide the opportunity to study a variety of faith traditions. Two institutes in particular address the themes in Characteristic #5. The Institute for the Global Study of Religion is the home to the Joseph J. Naples Conversations in Christ and Culture lecture series, which is free and open to the public. This lecture series is designed to foster conversations about important issues involving the relationship between Christianity and culture. It promotes cooperation and understanding across religious, gender and ethnic lines. Speakers in 2018 included David Bentley Hart, who spoke on “The Gospel According to Melpomene: Theology and Tragedy” and Margaret O’Brien Stienfels, who spoke on “What Have We Learned about War?” The “Be the Light” Youth Theology Institute is a six-day, residential summer program for high school students funded through a grant from the Lilly Endowment. Participants receive academic instruction on topics in Catholic theology and Philosophy and Jesuit spirituality, engage in immersion experiences at Buffalo-area organizations, and have opportunities for individual, communal, and sacramental reflection and prayer alongside Canisius undergraduate student leaders. Faculty Scholarly Activity The Mission and Identity Research Fellowships are discussed in Characteristic #2. These grants support faculty members whose research interests are in the area of Catholic and/or Jesuit thought with particular emphases on diversity, ethics, global awareness and/or justice. In addition, individual faculty members engage in scholarship that “foster[s] dialogue between faith and culture.” Examples of the scholarly work of Canisius faculty include studies in Aquinas, emotions, and moral reasoning; Catholic higher education; environmental ethics and Pope Francis; Hegel and resurrection; and social justice and gender.
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Service to the Diocese of Buffalo Canisius contributes directly to the Diocese of Buffalo in several ways. Canisius students provide service to several organizations in the diocese through the Center for Service Learning and Campus Ministry. These include: • Immigration and Refugee Assistance Program (Catholic Charities) • Congolese Adult Men and Women Literacy and English Proficiency Tutoring • Family Promise of WNY • Nativity Miguel Jesuit Middle School • Our Lady of Hope Home School • Saint Joseph’s University School • Saint Luke’s Mission of Mercy • The Somali-Bantu After School Program Canisius student teachers have been placed in the following Catholic schools in the diocese in the past three years: • St. Gregory the Great, • Sacred Heart Academy, • St. Joseph’s University School, • Our Lady of Black Rock, • St. Mary’s High School, • Catholic Academy of Buffalo, • St. Mark’s School, • Nardin Academy Palisano Foundation scholarships are available to employees of the Diocese of Buffalo for graduate study at Canisius. These scholarships provide one-third of tuition. In 2017-18, 49 diocesan employees were recipients of a Palisano scholarship. Members of the Canisius College community participate directly in the life of the Diocese of Buffalo. Some examples include the following: • Since 2009, President Hurley has served as the bishop’s designated director on the Fidelis Care New York; • Vice President for Academic Affairs Margaret McCarthy serves as the vice-chair of the of the Catholic Schools Advisory Council; • Vice President for Institutional Advancement William Collins and his wife Donna serve as the chair couple of the Bishop’s Council on the Laity (replacing John and Maureen Hurley); • Director of Campus Ministry Mike Hayes is in formation for the diaconate. In addition, he serves as the Associate Director for the Campus Ministry Parish Cluster. In addition, members of the Society of Jesus participate in the parish life of the diocese as possible by providing sacramental ministry on weekends. Rev. Patrick Lynch, S.J., hosts a
22 monthly talk-radio show called Crossroads. Several Canisius officers and trustees hold leadership positions in diocesan committees, and finally, many members of the Canisius community participate in the parish life of the diocese as parish council members, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, religious educators, and in many other volunteer capacities. Relationship with the Local Ordinary Canisius enjoys a strong relationship with Bishop Richard J. Malone. There are open lines of communication between President Hurley and the bishop. They meet regularly and consult whenever necessary. CHARACTERISTIC #6: JESUIT PRESENCE Active Jesuit Presence As stated above, Canisius has experienced a precipitous decline in the number of Jesuits assigned to the college and living in the Jesuit Community on the campus. In fall 2018, only one Jesuit remains full-time at Canisius. As of September 2019, only seven Jesuits will reside in Loyola Hall on the campus. In addition to the Rector, the other six Jesuits are assigned to the college, Canisius High School, and the Nativity Miguel Middle School. Another seven Jesuits are assigned to St. Michael’s parish in downtown Buffalo. The college’s Board of Trustees met in February 2018, to discuss the future of the college and its Catholic, Jesuit mission. The Board’s Mission and Identity Committee reviewed the results of those discussions and brought back to the board a summary of the board’s conclusions and some essential questions for the future. The board’s conclusions were as follows: • Trustees agree that Canisius’ Catholic and Jesuit identity is an essential part of who the college is. Trustees unanimously agree that Canisius must remain Catholic and Jesuit and that trustees bear significant responsibility for ensuring that that happens. • Many trustees who are alumni of the college spoke eloquently of the difference that their Catholic and Jesuit education has made in their lives. They may not be able to describe this in “Jesuit language” but they know what it means and how it is reflected in a person’s life. • As to the trustees’ readiness to exercise responsibility for mission and identity, there is some divergence which does not really reflect fundamental disagreements, but rather differences in emphasis and approach: o As a matter of corporate governance (e.g. the board exercising its responsibility to oversee policies and programs in certain areas), some/most trustees believe that they are fully prepared to ensure that the college has programs, policies and practices in place that would enhance the college’s Catholic and Jesuit identity. They cited things like holding senior administration accountable for a hiring- for- mission program, and orientation and formation programs for faculty and staff. o Some trustees expressed a desire to develop a deeper knowledge of the dimensions of mission and identity issues to help them exercise their responsibilities as a trustee. This would include the history and traditions of the
23 Jesuits, the essential characteristics of a Jesuit university, and Ignatian spirituality. • Trustees were surprised and concerned about some of the data and commentary in the president’s whitepaper. Some were surprised at the rapid decline in the number of Jesuits working at the college and living in the Jesuit community. Some were concerned that there does not appear to be a firm plan by the Provinces for dealing with these issues as they unfold at Jesuit campuses across the country.
As this self-study report is being written, the future is unclear. The board believes, however, that these are the essential issues/questions: • The trustees of Canisius agree that our Catholic and Jesuit identity is an essential part of who we are and, therefore, worth preserving and enhancing. If the Province agrees, the board believes that the Province should explore with us – in a process of mutual discernment - what that really means for Canisius today and into the future. • The Board of Trustees is prepared to participate actively in the animation of the mission on the campus but needs the Province to explore with us what that really means and to assist us in actually doing it. • The board believes that a Jesuit community in Buffalo, even if reimagined as a multi- apostolic community with Jesuits not assigned exclusively to specific works, should still reside on the college campus. Nonetheless, if Canisius were to become a Jesuit college without a resident Jesuit community, the college needs to know what would happen to its status as a Jesuit college. Would the Society and the Province still regard Canisius as one of the sponsored works of the Society in full standing with all other Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States or is there some other status short of being a fully sponsored work? • If Canisius is to remain and become even better at its Catholic and Jesuit mission, it would like to engage the Province in a discussion how the Society can support the orientation and formation of trustees and administrators, who are and will be the keepers of the mission with responsibility of guiding the entire enterprise. • The present circumstances with the presence of Jesuits at or available to the college seems to dictate that the college revisits the Statement of Shared Purpose between and among the Province, the Jesuit Community and the college to clarify roles and expectations. • The board needs the Province to support the administration in its efforts to promote the academic mission of the college, especially in its efforts to advance Catholic Social Teaching, faculty formation, and student services. • The board is open to discussing how the Society can assist the college in supporting students who want to deepen their commitment to their faith, discover their vocation, and accompany the poor.
The Provincial has been clear that the Jesuit Community in Buffalo will need to develop a new model of ministry if it is to sustain its Works in this region and that as it develops that new model, the college will need to develop a new relationship with the Society of Jesus and do
24 even more to develop lay leaders who will take responsibility for the mission of the college, including Board members, faculty, administrators, and staff. For Canisius to maintain the integrity of its Catholic, Jesuit mission, the college must heed the words of Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus, who at the World Assembly of Jesuit Universities held at the University of Duesto in Bilbao, Spain in July 2018 stated in his keynote address, The University as a Source of a Reconciled Life: The identity of the universities under the responsibility of the Society of Jesus is not directly related to the number of Jesuits in the university community, but to the ability to share the spirit that moves them, their characteristic way of proceeding and their communion in the shared mission. We hope that many Jesuits will undertake the multiple dimensions of the complex university task, as companions to the many people called upon to pursue this fruitful educational tradition within a spirit of creative loyalty. But above all, we want to have many companions with whom to move our university’s responsibilities forward.” (9) The questions are squarely on the table and the conversation has already begun in earnest with the Province, with the Jesuit Community, and through this Examen. These questions form the mission and identity priorities for the college in the years immediately ahead. CHARACTERISTIC #7: INTEGRITY Investment Policies Canisius strives to align its investment portfolio with the college’s Catholic Jesuit mission. In the summer of 2017, responding to concerns raised by a group of students and faculty and supported by the Faculty Senate, Canisius performed two portfolio screening analyses. The first was an SRI Catholic screen that looked for exposure to abortifacients, alcohol, weapons, gambling, and tobacco. The analysis showed that only 1.84% of the fund had exposure. The second screen was for fossil fuel exposure. The results indicated that only 1.08% of the total fund had fossil fuel exposure. Subsequent actions taken by the college have further reduced that percentage. Given the difficulty in staying completely out of some prohibited categories because of investments in mutual funds and index funds, the college is considering recommending that the endowment investments in these areas remain below a certain low percentage. Human Resources Policies The college completed a comprehensive review of its policies and procedures in 2016-17. The purpose of this review was to make sure that Canisius institutional policies and procedures reflect the mission of the college, current law, and best practices. The Canisius College Policy Manual, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2017, contains the college’s policies and procedures, including the process for policy revision and resolution of disputes involving shared governance. Policies specific to the faculty are in the Faculty Handbook, which is still under discussion.
25 The financial difficulties that the college has been facing has had an impact on compensation and benefits. The leadership recognizes the negative impact of years of no raises (only three since 2008) and benefit cuts have had on employees and their families. Since 2012, approximately $14 million has been extracted from the operational budget. The college has placed emphasis on administrative, operational, and program efficiencies and reorganization whenever possible. There is no doubt that these changes can be difficult and stressful even when they are necessary. However, it is also true that many positions have not been replaced as people leave for new opportunities so that current staff in many areas are absorbing more responsibilities. Hiring for Mission Included in the Policy Manual (3.2.1) are the Hiring for Mission policy and procedures, which are grounded in the college’s Jesuit core values, and which guide the process for hiring all Canisius employees. The Canisius College Policy Manual is available for employees on the college portal. The hiring for mission policy and procedures can be found at https://wiki.canisius.edu/display/HR/Volume+III%3A+3.2+Employee+Recruitment+Policies#Vol umeIII:3.2EmployeeRecruitmentPolicies-3.2.1HiringforMissionPolicy The policy is grounded in the college’s core Catholic Jesuit values and does not focus on the candidate’s own religious background. In this respect “hiring for mission” at Canisius is Catholic, interfaith, and humanist in spirit and application.” Included in the hiring procedures are a list of questions that hiring committees are encouraged to ask candidates. The college recognizes, however, that this policy is not implemented consistently in every search process and the full implementation of the spirit and letter of this policy remains a work in progress. A commitment to solidarity and hiring for mission necessitates a commitment to inclusion and diversity. The college has made strides in in this but has a way to go; thus, the fourth mission priority is to embrace inclusion in its hiring, curriculum, programming, and services. Formation for Mission As far as is possible within its financial constraints, the college has been supporting participation in professional development opportunities. The college continues to participate in AJCU, JASPA, and ACCU programs that connect Canisius professionals to the larger Catholic and Jesuit communities. Canisius has participated in the Ignatian Colleagues Program and has developed its own Canisius Colleagues program, which allows more individuals to participate. Professional development opportunities are available to faculty and staff as resources allow. Priority has been given to tenure-track faculty members to attend conferences where they are accepted to present.
26 Financial Management Financial Aid Included in any discussion of how the college employs its finances to support the mission should be a discussion of financial aid support. The college considers financial aid to be a mission issue. Approximately 30% of Canisius UG students are Pell-eligible and approximately 96% of Canisius students receive financial aid. The college utilizes its own resources to provide a Catholic Jesuit education to students who desire to study at Canisius. For example, in 2017- 2018 the college awarded in excess of $47,000,000 to students through institutional financial aid funds. This aid includes funding for programs such as the HEOP program for financially disadvantaged and academically underprepared students and the ULLC program for students from Buffalo area high schools with strong academic profiles but reduced family financial profiles. In addition to the college’s financial aid budget, the president has made additional grants through his President’s Discretionary Fund to students facing extreme hardships, including several from Africa. Several college scholarships are grounded in mission and service. One example is the Western New York (WNY) Prosperity Fellowship for juniors, seniors, or graduate students in the Wehle School of Business. Students receive significant financial assistance based on need, so they can fully focus on making the most of their internships, educational experiences, and networking and skill building opportunities. In return, students commit to working and giving back economically to Western New York for at least two years within a 10-year period upon graduation. Another example from the School of Education and Human Service is the Western New York Teacher Residency. Scholarship recipients commit to teaching for three years in an urban school in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls region. Physical Plant Canisius’ Catholic Jesuit identity is displayed visually on campus. The chapel and the Jesuit residence flank two sides of the quad that sits at the center of campus. At the center of the quad is the statue of St. Peter Canisius. Also on the quad, on the Horan-O’Donnell building, is a statue of St. Isaac Jogues. Also on this building, which served as the college’s science center, are engraved the names of Jesuit scientists throughout the ages. A large cross is displayed on the quad in front of the chapel. Crosses appear on many buildings on the campus. A statue of the Blessed Virgin frames the path to the student center, and a statue of the Holy Family sits outside Lyons Hall. Jesuit values are displayed graphically in the two freshman residence halls, Bosch Hall and Frisch Hall, and in the new Science Hall. Considering it a stewardship issue, the college has improved its policies and procedures related to waste and sustainability in general. Science Hall is Silver LEED certified. DISCUSSION At its retreat in June, the steering committee discussed each Characteristic individually in its efforts to uncover the leading priorities and opportunities for improvement. The themes discovered in the course of the Examen self-study reflected several Characteristics, especially
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academics, student life, and service, and ultimately form the framework for the final set of priorities. As was stated in the Context, there is no doubt, based on feedback from the campus community, that the college’s financial challenges have taken a toll on the Canisius community. The measures the Board of Trustees and senior leadership of the college have had to implement in terms of staffing, salary, benefits, and budget have had an impact on faculty and staff morale. However, this Examen has demonstrated that faculty and staff have not wavered in their active support for Canisius and its Catholic Jesuit mission. This bedrock support for the mission in the foundation for building the future together. As the college discusses what it might do better in the future, it is essential to acknowledge the on-going hard work and commitment of the Canisius community to the institution’s Catholic Jesuit mission. The self-study process surfaced an impressive number of activities that Canisius faculty, staff, and students have been engaged in to support the mission of the college. However, the self- study also surfaced a lack of coordination and communication of what was being done and uneven attention to articulating how those activities were connected to the Catholic Jesuit mission. The steering committee discussed the need to be more explicit in connecting what we do to Catholic Jesuit principles and documents. The college has been without a Mission and Identity officer since 2016. During those years mission activities occurred but were not well- coordinated or well-communicated. A Director of Mission and Identity was appointed and began work on July 1, 2018. Having a Mission and Identity officer in place will help in implementing many of the recommendations and suggestions contained in this Examen. The self-study indicated that traditional undergraduate students who are most actively involved in campus life understand and can articulate the mission of the college using Jesuit concepts of cura personalis, magis, and “being men and women for and with others;” however, these students are not the majority. The mission questions added to the undergraduate student satisfaction survey indicated that slightly less than half of the respondents thought the Catholic Jesuit mission was important or very important. How to connect all Canisius students more deeply to the mission is one of our mission priorities. The majority of Canisius students, including graduate and online students, experience the mission primarily and sometimes exclusively through the academic curriculum. Thus, one of the important discussions that the steering committee had was the need to better communicate how the academic life of the college is informed by and connected to the Catholic Jesuit mission of the college. The college recognizes that in doing this, there is also a need to include the many adjunct faculty in such activities to strengthen the explicit connection of courses to the mission. While the Canisius community is deeply committed to service as an expression of mission, the self-study also indicated that reflection is not always included in these service activities and that the reflection that is done is not always explicitly connected to a Catholic Jesuit context. Our service activities are not always understood in the context of solidarity, one of the cornerstones of Catholic Social Teaching.
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One of the themes we discussed, which is one of our mission priorities over the next five years, is to be more intentional about these service activities, especially in terms of preparation, reflection, and context. As the college works to improve this, it will remain respectful of the commitment individuals have had to the service projects they lead or participate in, but there is a need to enrich the experience of service for students and to deepen the impact of the college’s service activities. This discussion included better integrating service into courses and making reflection an essential element of service, explicitly referencing the Catholic and Jesuit context for doing service, i.e., Catholic Social Teaching and Jesuit sources. The college recognizes that this is a challenge given religious diversity; however, it is something worthy of continued discussion and thoughtful implementation. There continue to be questions of whether all Canisius students should be involved in some kind of service during their matriculation and, if so, what is the appropriate vehicle for that. Hiring for mission also was a priority discussion of the steering committee. Like the expression of mission through the curriculum, the committee discussed the important role of hiring people who can make a positive contribution to the Canisius mission of excellence, faith, leadership, and service. A hiring for mission policy is in place, but it is inconsistently understood and implemented. Hiring for mission includes hiring for inclusion, which is included in our third mission priority. Inroads have been made but there is more to do. Finally, the question of how Canisius will be a Jesuit university with a greatly diminished Jesuit presence on campus hangs over this entire Examen. Addressing this question will be the greatest mission priority over the next five years and beyond. Both Canisius and the Society of Jesus have already begun discussing the future and the college already invests in lay formation and expects to increase its efforts in that area. CANISIUS MISSION PRIORITIES (2018-2023)
Based upon the findings of the Examen self-study and the campus discussions they engendered, Canisius commits itself to the following Mission Priorities: Priority #1 Canisius faces the reality of being a Jesuit university without Jesuits working at the college and perhaps without a resident Jesuit Community. Understanding and addressing all of the implications of this reality will be the most important mission priority. Canisius will discern--in partnership with the Province, it hopes--how it will remain an authentic and committed Catholic Jesuit university and will make the institutional changes needed to implement this new vision. Canisius will support current and implement new structures and experiences needed for the lay formation necessary at all levels of the institution for the college to carry on its mission as a Catholic Jesuit university such as hiring for mission, and board, faculty and staff formation. But it will need the support and encouragement of the Province.
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Priority #2 The Examen self-study confirmed the centrality of the academic curriculum as where the majority of students experience the college’s Catholic Jesuit mission and educational philosophy; however, the self-study also confirmed that this statement is less true of the college’s graduate and online populations. Canisius will be more intentional about expanding the experience of mission in its academic programs so that all students, including traditional undergraduate, graduate, and online, can experience the Catholic Jesuit mission of Canisius through the curriculum. Priority #3 The Examen self-study also confirmed the importance of service as a primary way that the Catholic Jesuit mission is lived and understood at Canisius. Canisius students and staff contribute thousands of hours of service hours annually. Service activities are initiated by offices, departments, and individuals across the college without an integrated approach. Canisius will support a more integrated approach to service and learning within the context of Catholic Social Teaching and priorities of the worldwide Society of Jesus as the Society’s discernment of apostolic preferences proceeds. The college takes seriously its responsibility to become a proyecto social, a project of social transformation, in the world and in its hometown of Buffalo and Western New York. This will necessitate a rethinking of how service is incorporated into the curriculum and how the college’s impact in the world can be enhanced through better-coordinated approaches as envisioned in the proposed New Buffalo Institute. Priority #4 Canisius will continue to commit itself to understanding and embracing inclusion in its many aspects in its policies, programs, and practices across the institution. This includes, but is not limited to, hiring, curriculum, programming, services, and addressing issues surfaced in the college’s 2018 Campus Racial Climate Study.
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Executive Summary
Canisius College has embraced the self-examination required by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study. In many ways, and appropriately so, the self-study process reflects the Jesuit practice of the examen, offering the institution an opportunity to look honestly at its strengths while intentionally seeking areas for improvement. Fourteen working groups were formed to analyze the fundamental elements of the Characteristics of Excellence. More than 90 individuals, bringing valuable and diverse experience, expertise, and perspective, joined the teams. More than 400 pages of reports and documents were produced by these groups. All working groups determined that Canisius meets the fundamental elements of the Commission’s 14 standards. In keeping with the spirit and purpose of the process, the working groups also found opportunities where the college could strengthen itself, resulting in a series of constructive recommendations.
Through this process, the institution has affirmed the central role of its mission and identity in strategic planning, and the college community has had the opportunity to reflect thoughtfully on both the challenges experienced and the progress it has achieved. In the past five years, the college has faced a number of significant pressures resulting from its enrollment-driven budgets and other environmental stresses. In response, the college has implemented a wide-range of strategic assessments and reviews. The resulting interventions include academic reforms to increase curricular efficiency and faculty productivity, revised travel and procurement policies, and a more strategic approach to hiring. Academic programs have also been introduced to attract new populations of both undergraduate and graduate students. The story that has emerged is one of an institution that is adapting to new conditions with thoughtful analysis and agility. While the college’s enrollment has become somewhat smaller, it has also strengthened its academic programs to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions they will need to succeed in the 21st century. Students have the opportunity to explore the liberal arts through the core curriculum while honing their skills for professions in medicine, law, business, the sciences, the humanities, education, and the social sciences.
In 2011, the college developed A Transformational Education: The Strategic Plan for Canisius College and adopted new procedures to monitor the success of the plan. More recently, the college has redesigned its Strategic Planning Committee structure and revised the committee’s charge to better align institutional and student learning assessments with plans and budget decisions.
Canisius has earned a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence. The college offers undergraduate students a coherent and values-laden core curriculum that embraces the Jesuit ideals of justice, ethics, and service. The core curriculum was revised in 2007 and implemented in 2009. The assessment plan was approved in 2012 and became operational in 2014; assessment of student learning in the core has begun in earnest. Faculty teams have created the learning goals, objectives, and associated rubrics, and have analyzed student artifacts against those rubrics. These efforts are identifying areas for improvement, and changes are being initiated. The undergraduate majors offer students a wide range of professional and disciplinary programs that represent both traditional and emerging areas of study. Canisius students have the opportunity to put their learning into “real-world” practice with a variety of service and internship placements, as well as study abroad. All undergraduate programs are actively engaged in assessment of student learning and have focused processes that have led to improvement in a number of areas. Graduate programs offered through the Wehle School of Business, the School of Education and Human Services, and the College of Arts and Sciences provide students with excellent advanced education and professional development. In recent years, a number of graduate programs have been created in online formats to respond to the needs and interests of students seeking diverse ways to achieve their educational goals.
1 Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Enrollment management and retention have been a significant focus of the college for the past five years in light of demographic shifts in the regional market and their impact on the financial stability of the college. A revised strategic plan for enrollment management has been developed and is in the early phases of implementation. A Retention Task Force was created to analyze retention data and recommend a series of student-centered initiatives to better support student success and increase the percentage of students who persist to graduation. The most visible result of this work was the creation of the Griff Center for Academic Engagement, which provides comprehensive student advisement, career services, accessibility support, veteran’s support, academic mentoring, and tutoring services. In addition, the college has established a freshmen year experience program that provides students an opportunity to engage with peers and a faculty member in a small group setting focused on a shared interest. The instructor serves as the academic advisor for the group and develops a personal relationship with each student, to enhance the advisement experience. The increased campus-wide attention on retention and the quality of the student experience has produced some encouraging results. The freshman to sophomore retention rate increased by six percentage points in AY 2013-14, and the college plans to assess the outcomes of initiatives introduced this year.
In 2010, the Board of Trustees appointed John J. Hurley as the college’s 24th president. He has introduced new approaches to leadership and governance and in the process, has underscored the values and traditions of Canisius’ Catholic, Jesuit foundation. President Hurley is an alumnus of the college and served as vice president for advancement and then executive vice president before his appointment. The president and the board have a strong, collaborative, and effective working relationship which has served the college well. A number of senior leadership transitions have occurred at the vice presidential and deans levels in recent years, but experienced and long-tenured leaders have been installed to oversee the critical divisions of the college. In coordination with faculty leadership, shared governance has also improved. The faculty is represented on key committees and at Board of Trustee meetings; committee structures are in place to engage faculty and students in administrative decisions.
The Self-Study demonstrates that Canisius embodies the Characteristics of Excellence and is a highly- effective institution grounded in its mission, values, and vision. The college has remained nimble in a challenging, competitive environment and recognizes that continued vigilance and creativity is essential for the future. Canisius will continue to focus on establishing structures, policies, and procedures that enable the college to achieve its goals and objectives for a bright and sustainable future.
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Introduction
Quick Links to Chapter Sections:
• History • The College Today: Strengths and Challenges • The Self-Study Process • Organizational Structure of the Self-Study
This section of the Self-Study gives a brief history of Canisius College, focusing on the milestones of its founding, growth, change, and development. It then offers an overview of the current status of the institution. The goal is to provide a context for the topics that will be discussed in greater depth and with greater levels of evidence in subsequent chapters of the Self-Study.
Narrative
HISTORY Canisius College was founded in 1870 by German Jesuits who had come to Buffalo at the invitation of the Most Rev. John Timon, C.M., the first bishop of Buffalo. Bishop Timon hoped that Canisius College would become both a center of learning in itself and a school of origin for young men who would later seek the diocesan priesthood. The original course of study was a six-year classical secondary school course that, upon completion, satisfied student eligibility for admission to professional schools of law, medicine, and divinity. Students began their studies at age 13 and graduated at 19 or 20 years. No degree was awarded. The student body was all male, a tradition that would continue in some form until the college became fully coeducational in 1965.
The New York State Board of Regents approved a charter in 1883, authorizing the conferral of the AB degree. The course of studies was extended to seven years and finally to eight years. In 1897 the college was authorized to award the New York State Regents Diploma for the first four years of study, and at this point it made sense to separate into two institutions, Canisius High School and Canisius College. In 1890 the first master’s degree was awarded. In 1912-13 the college moved to its present home on Main Street and Jefferson Avenue. Initially, in applying for its first charter, Canisius did not have the requisite $130,000 endowment, but it requested an exception on the grounds that the Jesuit priests gave their lives wholly and completely to the institution “without compensation or salary” and thus constituted a living endowment worth far more than the required amount. The exception was granted by the State of New York.
A fully separate college curriculum was established. Over time the various requirements in the classical course—Latin, Greek, philosophy, mathematics, chemistry, physics, literature, history, modern languages, and theology—evolved into individual majors with specific requirements and electives. The original AB requirements became, by 1930, a core curriculum consisting of nearly half the credits for the full degree, with religion and philosophy having the largest shares, at 18 credit hours each. In 1920, its jubilee year, the college introduced the BS degree intended for students who wanted more experience in technological, pre-medical, and industrial areas of study. The number of master’s degrees in arts and sciences began to multiply until, at the high point, the college offered degrees in English, history, chemistry, biology, and religious studies. Eventually, these degrees were phased out for reasons of low enrollment and inadequate library, laboratory, or research resources.
Initial Middle States accreditation was awarded in 1921. The 1920s and 1930s saw the growth of programs for women religious who needed to earn teaching certificates and degrees to staff the many 3
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
growing Catholic schools in the area. Canisius became a “normal” school for the Diocese of Buffalo, creating a School of Education that has existed either as a department or as a separate school until the present day, offering both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary and secondary education, and in other specialized areas of education. Studies in commerce, suspended in the early 1900s, were reestablished after World War II, with students earning the bachelor of business administration degree. The creation of the School of Business in 1958 led to the registration of the BS degree in business administration, which was first awarded in 1960. In 1961 women were admitted to the day session in the business school only. In 1965, the college turned coeducational in all divisions. The first MBA degrees were awarded in 1971. In 1970, following the example of many other Catholic colleges, the founding religious order separately incorporated from the college, which then became a private, independent institution governed by a primarily lay Board of Trustees on which a minimum of eight and maximum of eleven seats among the total of 35 are reserved for Jesuits.
From the time of Canisius’ founding until the 1950s, the city of Buffalo enjoyed healthy economic growth as heavy industries such as steel, rubber, chemicals, and automotives came to dominate the region. By the 1950s, the industrial engine was fading. The city and region began to lose population. However, Canisius’ enrollments continued to grow and reached a peak in 2004 with a total of 5,018 graduate and undergraduate students. Since then, as the demographics of the region have continued a steady decline in high school graduating classes and general population, recent enrollment has reflected the general regional population decline and the decreasing high school class sizes.
Without losing sight of its Jesuit liberal arts tradition, the curricular offerings of the college have adapted to the changing environment that Canisius graduates enter. As the economy of the region evolved from industrial to services, health/life science, education, banking, arts, and government, the college added majors in keeping with the needs of the region. Over the years, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), which was primarily rooted in the liberal arts subject areas of the humanities, Latin, and theology, as well as the sciences, began to expand offerings in psychology, political science, communication studies, criminal justice, music, art history, studio art, environmental science, environmental studies, bioinformatics, European studies, digital media arts, anthropology, and most recently, animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC). At the master’s level, CAS offers communication and leadership and anthrozoology.
Beginning in 1960 with accounting, management, and economics, the business school, now called the Wehle School of Business (WSB), added bachelor’s degrees in finance, marketing, information systems, accounting information systems, entrepreneurship, and international business. Additionally, the school offers the MBA and master’s degrees in professional accounting and forensic accounting.
The School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) offers undergraduate or graduate programs in teacher education, counselor education, sport administration, special education, college student personnel administration, literacy education, athletic training, health and human performance, and physical education.
In recent years, Canisius has actively pursued an online education presence. To date, Canisius offers master’s degrees, certification, and advanced certificates in a number of areas, including full degree programs in anthrozoology, educational leadership, sport administration, applied nutrition, community and school health, health information technology, and respiratory care. The School of Education and Human Services also offers professional certification master’s degrees in education technologies and emerging media, literacy education, physical education, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and the school offers advanced certificates and extensions in school building leader/school district leader, TESOL, and bilingual education.
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
The undergraduate programs continue to be based on the liberal arts, requiring of undergraduates a core curriculum that shows a dedication to the Jesuit intellectual tradition, a tradition that is one of adaptation to change while holding firmly to the transformative values of service, justice, care for the individual person, and academic excellence.
THE COLLEGE TODAY: STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES Starting from its modest beginning in 1870 with just one building and 35 students, the college today includes 39 academic and residential buildings on 72 acres with a fall 2014 total enrollment of 4,181 (graduate and undergraduate) students in over 100 different programs, majors, minors, and certificates. The college endowment is at an all-time high, just over $107 million, and the annual operating budget for 2014-15 is approximately $86 million. The college has achieved numerous distinctions that have earned Canisius the reputation as the premier private university in Western New York. Chief among them are a highly qualified full-time and part-time faculty, many new and renovated facilities, a dedicated Board of Trustees, and many loyal and generous alumni. It has a talented and diverse body of students, attractive academic programs, dynamic co- and extra-curricular activities, and a campus culture that is marked by a love of learning and a mutual respect for all persons.
At present the college is also experiencing a combination of stresses that has challenged its leadership and governance and has deferred or delayed some of its plans. The stresses are familiar to many institutions in the Northeast. Canisius is heavily reliant on revenue from student tuition and has experienced a decline in enrollment over the past several years. Revenue shortfalls have been countered by a variety of measures from cuts in operating lines and personnel to a re-engineering of college operations. The 2008 recession negatively affected the return on the endowment, philanthropy, and the ability of families to afford private education. The tuition discount rate has increased to meet the price-sensitive demands of the market. The regional population is still in decline, especially the segment of high school graduates that represent the core demographic for the college. In this turbulent climate, the morale of some faculty and staff members has been impacted.
To confront the realities of the demographic shifts and downturns in the economy and to bolster the effectiveness of its operation to counter these forces, Canisius has engaged top national consultants to evaluate its critical concerns. From these sources and from its own leadership, a planning agenda has emerged that will ultimately lead to a stabilized institution at a size, funding level, and program mix that are realistic and sustainable. This emerging set of changes has been generally referred to as part of the strategic assessment implementation plan, but the long-term approach involves integration of new tactics into the college’s university-wide strategic plan. It will be clear to the team that a restructuring of the college is underway and that the effects will permeate the institution. The “story” of this period of the college’s history is one of strategic decision making, operational improvements, and adaptation to new conditions so that the tradition of excellence will continue. The college’s board and senior leadership are watching the local, regional, and national higher education landscape for new opportunities and approaches to deal with the disruptive forces felt by so many institutions.
Canisius has made significant strides over the past five years to improve its institutional effectiveness and has earned commendation not only from Middle States, but its other accrediting bodies, including AACSB and CAEP, for the quality of its programs. Even in the midst of right-sizing and resource reductions, the undergraduate and graduate academic programs have not been compromised, and the campus life experience has continued to meet students’ expectations.
The transition and reorganization the college has undergone have been a challenge, but there is a solid recognition among the leadership and board that Canisius continues to remain nimble and vigilant. This Self-Study has been drafted at a time when Canisius has been actively assessing its progress and is firmly directed toward a new path and vision. In his fall 2014 convocation address, President Hurley laid out a 5
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
three-point vision that calls for a redefinition of what it means to be a student-centered university, revitalization of educational programs, and innovation in the business model to address the changes in enrollment and the other external pressures affecting the college.
Directing human and financial resources toward becoming a more student-centered university will enable the college to better prepare students to become lifelong learners in a global, digital marketplace. These goals will include better assessment of students’ needs and employment trends and delivery of educational programs that meets those needs. This student-centered vision will also require that Canisius continue to place substantial focus on student engagement, retention, and persistence. Canisius will also continue to promote the benefits of a liberal arts education so that skills in critical thinking, ethics, written and oral communication, and problem-solving will be mastered by all.
Achieving academic revitalization must mean that the college will embrace a true culture of assessment and a commitment to sound student learning outcomes. This culture will lead to academic innovations to prepare students for the demands of a rapidly changing world. Academic revitalization also calls for broader acceptance of technology in the design and delivery of programs, especially in graduate and post- graduate programs.
The innovative business model will entail a more creative approach to student services and business operations in which functions merge and synergies are formed. The college has begun with the formation of the Griff Center for Academic Engagement and by co-locating registrar, student accounts, and financial aid offices, as well as all business and finance offices that were once separated by three city blocks. The college will examine other opportunities to pursue this vision by looking outside its campus for collaborations and strategic alliances that not only reduce operational costs and demands on the campus but also facilitate the development of academic programs that are market- and mission-driven.
SELF-STUDY PROCESS In the summer of 2012, the vice president for academic affairs formed the Accreditation Oversight Committee (AOC) whose charge was to scan the institution for evidence of compliance (or non- compliance) with the fundamental elements of each standard in the Characteristics of Excellence. In the process, the committee identified several areas of concern that could be quickly addressed and remedied. In November of 2012, the chair of the committee, a faculty member in the Wehle School of Business, and the director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, attended the MSCHE Self-Study Institute.
In December of 2013, the president appointed Dr. Patricia Coward, an administrator in academic affairs, and Dr. David Devereux, associate professor and chair of the Department of History as co-chairs of the Self-Study Steering Committee. The co-chairs then appointed the AOC membership as the Steering Committee, with the addition of several individuals from key areas. Membership included individuals from across the college community, from facilities and ITS to admissions and advancement, from each of the three academic units, and from academic administration.
The initial plan for the Self-Study indicated that the report would use a blended model, reorganizing the individual standards into thematically-based chapters, and the members of the Steering Committee were assigned to specific standards to research. Each chair of the working groups recruited and assigned individuals to their working group. In total, over 90 individuals were at work researching the institution’s compliance with the MSCHE Standards and their fundamental elements.
In April of 2013, MSCHE Vice President Ellie Fogarty visited the campus and spoke with several constituents, including President Hurley, the Steering Committee, and members of the Core Curriculum Committee. In many ways, that visit was the beginning of the full self-study process. Working groups formed their research questions and submitted them for review to the Steering Committee. Over the 6
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
course of six months, the working groups conducted their work. They identified documents, interviewed individuals with responsibilities in the areas of the standards, and they drafted their reports.
In the spring of 2014, all working group reports were submitted. The Board of Trustees Academics Committee reviewed the reports from the working groups who studied Standards 11, 12, and 14. The reports gave the board members a very realistic look at the institution, and the co-chairs worked throughout the summer to draft the Self-Study by summarizing and condensing the information in the working group reports. In addition, the co-chairs worked with senior leadership to review and refine the recommendations that came from each of the working groups. In many cases, as this work continued, the issues raised by these early recommendations were resolved.
Dr. Jerry Neuner, retired associate vice president of academic affairs was contracted in the summer of 2014 to help finalize the Self-Study in coordination with the co-chairs. Dr. Neuner has had long and deep experience with Middle States reports over the years; he co-chaired the 2005 self-study process and acted as liaison with MSCHE for many years. He has also served as a team member at other institutions multiple times. His experience and expertise have proven to be invaluable.
In the fall of 2014, the Steering Committee reviewed the chapters and offered feedback to the drafters. The remainder of the fall semester was used to build the report and related document directory in the Compliance Assist module of Campus Labs. Members of the board were given an early version of the draft at the same time as the Steering Committee. Board members met by conference call on October 3 and offered their feedback on chapters 1 and 2.
In early October, the draft report was released to the college community, and two open forums were conducted with the president and members of the Steering Committee in attendance. At the conclusion of the open forums, Associate Vice President Dr. Margaret McCarthy, Assistant to the President Erica Sammarco, the vice president for student affairs, Dr. Terri Mangione, and Drs. Coward and Devereux worked to incorporate feedback and suggestions from across the campus. Additional revisions were made, and a draft was sent to the team chair, Dr. Cornacchia, in mid-October in preparation for his visit on October 22.
New drafts were released again for further review, and two more open forums were held. The Board of Trustees Academics Committee held a second conference call and offered further suggestions which were incorporated along with additional suggestions from the president and the senior leadership team.
In the end, nearly 100 individuals were in some way involved with the self-study process, and the process was public and transparent. The resulting report is an honest and frank discussion that documents the significant challenges and opportunities that Canisius College has encountered over the past five years, since the Periodic Review Report.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE SELF-STUDY
The crafters of the Self-Study document determined that grouping the standards that related to one another into their own chapters would help them tell the story of Canisius College, its challenges, its successes, and its plans for the future. Therefore, the Self-Study is arranged in the following pattern:
Chapter 1: Strategic Dimensions—MSCHE Standards 1, 2, 3, and 7 Chapter 2: Academic Excellence—MSCHE Standards 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 Chapter 3: Student Formation—MSCHE Standards 8 and 9 Chapter 4: Leadership and Governance—MSCHE Standards 4, 5, and 6
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Recommendations
Sources (In Order of Appearance)
• Canisius College Distinctions
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Chapter 1-Strategic Dimensions
Quick Links to Chapter Sections:
• Mission And Identity • Mission-Based Path to Institutional Effectiveness and Renewal • Organizational Review and Strategic Assessment Initiative • Strategic Planning • Budgeting and Resource Allocation • Facilities • Human Resources • Technology Resources • Library Resources • Conclusion • Recommendations
Standard 1: Mission and Goals The institution’s mission clearly defines its purpose within the context of higher education and indicates who the institution serves and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals, consistent with the aspirations and expectations of higher education, clearly specify how the institution will fulfill its mission. The mission and goals are developed and recognized by the institution with the participation of its members and its governing body and are used to develop and shape its programs and practices and to evaluate its effectiveness.
Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal An institution conducts ongoing planning and resource allocation based on its mission and goals, develops objectives to achieve them, and utilizes the results of its assessment activities for institutional renewal. Implementation and subsequent evaluation of the success of the strategic plan and resource allocation support the development and change necessary to improve and to maintain institutional quality.
Standard 3: Institutional Resources The human, financial, technical, physical facilities, and other resources necessary to achieve an institution’s mission and goals are available and accessible. In the context of the institution’s mission, the effective and efficient uses of the institution’s resources are analyzed as part of ongoing outcomes assessment.
Standard 7: Institutional Assessment/Effectiveness The institution has developed and implemented an assessment process that evaluates its overall effectiveness in achieving its mission and goals and its compliance with accreditation standards.
The narrative below represents the college’s efforts over the past five years to effectively direct its planning, budgeting, and allocation of resources to achieve its mission and goals. The central theme is clearly the college’s multifaceted efforts to analyze, understand, and manage the economic, demographic, and fiscal stresses that are influencing the institution. This chapter will summarize the evidence that demonstrates compliance with the fundamental elements of these four standards: the college has a clear mission and goals, sophisticated planning and budgeting, necessary human and economic resources, and assessment processes for its overall mission effectiveness.
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Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Narrative
MISSION AND IDENTITY While the college is experiencing a substantial period of change and a comprehensive examination of its strategy and management, it is also true that one of its main and most cherished features is permanent: the Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity of the institution. Canisius embraces the core values identified in its mission and strives to use them as a guiding principle for all strategic planning, decisions, and actions.
On May 6, 2011, the Board of Trustees approved a revised mission statement and strategic plan, entitled A Transformational Education: A Strategic Plan for Canisius College. The new mission statement reads: Canisius College, a Jesuit, Catholic university, offers outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional programs distinguished by transformative learning experiences that engage students in the classroom and beyond. The college fosters in students a commitment to excellence, service, and leadership in a global society. The mission is underwritten by supporting key concepts that highlight the Catholic, Jesuit identity and a learning environment which is transformative and empowering. The strategic plan reaffirms the college’s Catholic, Jesuit identity in all its operations and sets a standard of excellence for all its stakeholders – within the college, in the community, and beyond. The strategic plan is monitored and updated by the Strategic Planning Committee as one of its most significant responsibilities.
The 1990 publication of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and its application to the United States (1996) sparked a wave of self-examination among Catholic institutions regarding fidelity to their historic identities. Keeping and strengthening this heritage has become a focused effort of the college.
Since the last decennial review in 2005, Canisius College has made significant strides in living its mission and infusing it into the multifaceted life of the college. On the administrative level, the inauguration of President John Hurley as the first lay president in 2010 began a season of highlighting the importance of mission on campus.
In the past five years, key mission-centric initiatives have developed widely across the school, most notably in 2011 with the creation of the Office of Director of Mission and Identity which coordinated with the Office of Human Resources to establish a hire for mission protocol. Other initiatives include: mission- centric faculty fellowships and course grants, creative partnerships between professors and students with high-needs populations in Buffalo, several dedicated institutes that help students explore the Jesuit motto of cura personalis (care for the whole person) from different perspectives, minors in peace and justice and Catholic studies, the flourishing of domestic and international service-immersion experiences with the world’s marginalized, service-learning courses, a new core curriculum that has a focus on mission, an Ignatian Floor in the residence halls, the offering of the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL) program across campus, a 20 percent scholarship offered at the graduate level for applicants who have completed a year of post-graduate service, and the annual celebration of student scholarship, Ignatian Scholarship Day, among many other smaller activities that promote the college’s mission every day. In addition to the Office of Mission and Identity, many of these new initiatives are supported by a range of administrative and academic departments, including Campus Ministry and Community-Based Learning, providing experiential and classroom-based opportunities for students to engage with Canisius College’s mission.
In December of 2011, President Hurley signed a Statement of Shared Purpose between and among the college, the Canisius Jesuit Community, and the New York Province of the Society of Jesus; it is a 10
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
document that clarifies each party’s expectations and relationship to the others. This Statement of Shared Purpose attempts to make the relationship of Canisius College to the Society of Jesus more explicit.
Assessing the vitality and impact of mission takes a number of forms. The college and the board have adopted Some Characteristics of Jesuit Colleges and Universities: A Self-Evaluation Instrument, developed by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) as a blueprint for enhancing and assessing mission and identity at the college. The Jesuit provinces in the United States are discussing how the Some Characteristics document will be used by provinces and colleges and universities to assess mission and identity. One simple technique is counting the growing number of participants in mission-centric activities such as service-learning courses, SEEL, Ignatian Scholarship Day, community service days, the post- graduation service year, and service immersion abroad. Participation in all of these activities has increased since the inauguration of President Hurley in 2010. Another body of evidence is the annual Community Report which summarizes the many forms of the college’s impact on its region, including student volunteerism and the many academic and co-curricular programs devoted to themes of faith, justice, and leadership. A final exhibit is the list of speakers invited to Canisius through the various speakers’ series. All Canisius speaker events are free and open to the public, and these events frequently bring members of the Western New York community onto the campus.
Clearly, Canisius is continuing to make the strategic investments needed to sustain and strengthen its mission and identity. It will seek additional means of infusing this mission into all its activities in the future.
A MISSION-BASED PATH TO INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND RENEWAL President John J. Hurley’s installation as the college’s 24th president in 2010 marked a new era of leadership for the college, defined by a re-commitment to the college’s Catholic, Jesuit mission and identity, a new level of candor about Canisius’ strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, and a heightened standard for personal accountability. To facilitate an organizational culture that welcomes continuous improvement, President Hurley has echoed what management expert Jim Collins says about organizations that aspire to greatness: they must first confront the brutal facts of their own existence. This sentiment has inspired a number of initiatives that have led to a transformation of how Canisius operates.
In the first months in his term as president, President Hurley issued a situation analysis to the campus community to spark a dialogue about the future of the college. This analysis set in motion a series of campus conversations and detailed analyses—both internally and with the assistance of independent consultants—about what Canisius must do to enhance its ability to fulfill its educational mission. It was clear that Canisius’ Catholic, Jesuit identity laid the foundation for an impressive record of academic excellence and its pedagogical approach, central to which is cura personalis. What was less clear was the college’s success in developing data-driven strategic plans, assessing student learning, and using outcomes to inform substantive change, including the deployment of resources. At a time when the economy and demographics were shifting so dramatically, assessment data and effective, creative strategies were critical.
This initial reflection led the college to embark on a number of self-assessments, new strategic plans, and actions to drive improvements. In 2010, Canisius began developing a new mission statement and strategic plan. That same year, a diagnostic report was developed by a subcommittee of the Senior Operating Team and became the basis for a university-wide Organizational Review that looked at every aspect of the college’s operation to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, expense reduction, and new forms of revenue. When the powerful effects of the national recession took hold, and public perception of higher education became less positive, Canisius launched a Strategic Assessment with the help of the Pappas Consulting Group to understand the magnitude of Canisius’ financial challenges and the greatest areas of 11
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
opportunity for the institution. The Middle States self-study process, itself, has provided another level of reflection. The strategic tactics emerging from these four distinct, but interrelated, initiatives of the past five years have become embedded in the college’s strategic plan and led to new processes, organizational structures, and critically important outcomes that are detailed throughout this report. Among them, Canisius has:
• recommitted to its Catholic, Jesuit mission and identity through the development of a new mission statement and strategic plan, the formation of an Office for Mission and Identity, a re-formation of the Board of Trustees Committee on Mission and Identity, and a greater emphasis on how mission permeates all aspects of the college;
• established a new model of strategic planning that seeks to eliminate previously existing silos of planning, budgeting, and assessment and developed a more coordinated approach to planning, decision making, and accountability for results;
• hired new leadership and developed new strategic plans in the areas of enrollment management and business and finance;
• established new organizational structures across the college’s five divisional areas;
• honed an institution-wide focus on retention that, over the past year alone, has increased the college’s fall-to-fall freshman retention rate to 86 percent, a 30-year high;
• heightened attention on ways to optimize the assessment of student learning across the college’s three academic units and in its core curricula.
Many of the processes undertaken within the past five years are in their early stages and require more time to be fully implemented, assessed, and refined. This is especially true of the college’s new models for strategic planning, assessment, and budgeting. Yet, given the external forces that have challenged Canisius and so many other similar institutions, Canisius has made substantive progress on its goals as a result of sound planning, analysis, and leadership.
ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW AND STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT INITIATIVES For more than 35 years, a major point of pride for Canisius College was its carefully-managed and consistently-balanced budgets. In the fall of 2011, however, it became apparent that the college would operate at a loss as a result of higher than expected financial aid and other operating expenses. That loss amounted to $3.2 million at the close of the 2012 fiscal year. This deficit was taken seriously by the board and administration of the college, and a number of initiatives were launched, initially to analyze and understand the structural issues that resulted in the deficits and, more broadly, to find long-term and sustainable solutions to the problem.
Tuition accounts for 90 percent of revenue, and like most other colleges that rely to this extent on student revenues for their operating budgets, Canisius has experienced a growing degree of financial stress over the past five years. The major causes of that stress are:
• the 2008 collapse of the world’s financial markets and the profound and sustained recession that followed;
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• continued weakness in the upstate New York economy where Canisius recruits approximately 80 percent of its freshman class;
• competition from New York State’s more than 110 private colleges and universities as well as 65 units of the State University of New York and community colleges;
• a decline in the number of high school graduates in New York, projected at 14 percent through 2019, and in Erie County, from which the majority of students come, projected at 18 percent, with the story in neighboring states in the Northeast not materially better;
• a decline in demand for graduate programs in education both in New York and in the province of Ontario, as a result of the poor job market for teachers;
• increased demand for financial aid from undergraduates as the undergraduate financial aid budget grew 28.7 percent from 2007-08 to 2011-12;
• rising fixed expenses, the most significant of which has been the college’s medical plan, which increased 45 percent in the past five years;
• no significant growth in operating revenue.
The college has employed a number of strategies to deal with these financial stresses. Part of this effort involved an initial organizational review process conducted in 2010-11 that generated nearly $2 million in savings. In addition, general, across-the-board cuts were made in divisional operating budgets. The administrative staff was reduced, and greater discipline has been exhibited in filling vacant positions. The college increased employee contributions for health insurance and eliminated the high-cost insurance options.
It became evident, however, that year-to-year budget cutting and various forms of temporary measures would not meet the strategic priorities of the college. In the spring of 2012, the college’s senior administration, with direction from the Board of Trustees, moved promptly to engage outside help to conduct a comprehensive strategic assessment of the college’s operations. The goal of this study was to understand the financial challenges and the best opportunities to return the college to sound financial footing.
The college issued requests for proposals to several national consulting firms specializing in higher education. The Pappas Consulting Group was selected in September 2012 to work with the college on a comprehensive review of the college’s academic and administrative operations, a study funded by the Board of Trustees. The board also formed a task force to work with the president to oversee the progress on the strategic assessment, and to ensure continuous alignment between the board and the administration. This Trustee Task Force met monthly throughout the 2012-13 fiscal year.
Pappas was charged with undertaking a rigorous financial review of the college to identify the expense drivers in the college’s operation, to compare Canisius’ experience with institutions of similar size, and to determine where best to address the sources of financial stress. They developed national and peer benchmarks using data from Moody’s and IPEDS to guide their analyses. Pappas delivered its report in December 2012 and identified the most pressing, major issues affecting the college. Many of the findings were largely predictable. They deduced that the college’s challenges resulted from: Canisius’ heavy reliance on student revenues and on students from its home state; high tuition discount rate; and uneven enrollment patterns resulting from an undergraduate admissions recruiting strategy that was not sufficiently well-planned, nor consistently executed. Compared to peers, Canisius’ retention rates and 13
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
graduation rates were below the median, and faculty teaching loads were low for a school of Canisius’ size and financial strength. The report’s recommendations focused on a better balance of teaching loads (courses and/or students taught) and scholarship expectations, as well as improved financial management, spending controls, and administrative policies. The report called for increased fund raising to provide more resources (operating and endowment) for the budget.
The board and senior leadership of Canisius developed the following multi-point response to the Pappas Report:
Academic Division Review: The Pappas Report concluded that faculty teaching productivity needed to increase by 15 to 20 percent to help bring about financial stability. The vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Richard A. Wall, has focused on re-balancing the college’s full-time faculty through a data-driven approach to increasing teaching load, tightening the replacement process in the case of retirements and vacancies, and reducing the adjunct faculty budget. He has eschewed using a standard program review and prioritization process and instead has developed metrics to measure and compare faculty productivity and program profitability. Additionally, the Academic Program Board (APB) has been recast to function within a new program review process that examines opportunities for program improvement, investment, or discontinuation. Program review had always been in the charge for this committee, but it had primarily focused on the review and approval of new programs. After substantial work to draft bylaws for the committee, the final charge is as follows: The Academic Program Board (APB) is charged by, and advisory to, the academic vice president and empowered as the primary academic body to review and recommend approval for new programs and to implement and review academic policies. In addition, the APB establishes procedures and policies for the periodic review of academic programs to evaluate their quality, relevance to mission, productivity, and continuous improvement. Based on its analysis, policies, and procedures, the APB makes recommendations on matters under its purview. In most cases, final decisions are made by the vice president. However, final decisions regarding program discontinuance are made by the president. Until 2013, there had been no systematic process for reviewing existing programs. Now all academic programs are required to complete a substantive program review which begins with a standard set of data including: return on investment (as measured by net revenue divided by faculty salary), student credit hours per FTE, credit hours taught, students taught per semester, retention, and number of majors. Departments are then asked to report on their program, learning goals, student outcomes, revenues and expenses, and contribution to the mission of the college.
The college is also reevaluating all other areas where Canisius incurs educational expenses without generating additional revenue. This entire package of changes has already led to a more tightly focused set of academic programs and increased faculty loads. From 2012-13 to 2013-14 there was an eight percent increase in teaching load, even in an environment of declining undergraduate and graduate student enrollment.
Through an analysis of programs, a low-enrolled program in dance was eliminated, and studio art and educational technology were restructured. These changes amounted to more than $120,000 in savings. In addition, there have been strategic reductions or eliminations in faculty stipends paid for independent studies, internships, supervised teaching, and honors thesis supervision.
To date, reductions in faculty size, curricular inefficiencies, special programs, and stipends have amounted to significant savings. The number of faculty FTE’s declined by 36 from AY 2011-12 to AY 2013-14, and the number of adjunct FTE’s declined by 27, primarily in the area of teacher education. Eight untenured faculty members have also been eliminated as a result of decisions by the vice president in consultation 14
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
with the deans and the Faculty Status Committee. This reduction translates into a savings of about $2.9 million for full-time faculty and nearly $900,000 for adjuncts.
Faculty FTEs 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 % Change Faculty 235 224 213 199 (15%) Adjunct 143 137 116 116 (19%)
Looking ahead, it is likely that the number of full-time faculty will continue to decrease through natural attrition, retirements, and the normal application of the tenure and promotion process. Also, reducing adjunct faculty commensurate with enrollment, setting and meeting minimum seat count requirements, and making strategic recommendations on full-time faculty replacements will continue to be important measures in academic affairs. However, the college will continue to make strategic investments in faculty and programs where there is high demand and growth potential. The evolution of the processes and protocols in the academic division suggest that it may be time for a comprehensive review of the Faculty Handbook and the development of a handbook for adjunct faculty to formalize staffing and compensation policies and to better align practices across the three academic units.
A complete report on the progress of academic program review was reported to the Board of Trustees and is available here.
Administrative Program and Process Review: The college conducted an in-depth analysis of the non- academic departments and operations to identify efficiencies within and around programs, expense savings, revenue enhancement, and improved practices (either through incremental change or re- engineering from the ground up). The process has, to date, involved a detailed review of 20 administrative departments and eight cross-functional areas of the college, which has resulted in the identification of 44 projects with potential for financial impact, 58 initiatives to improve operating efficiencies, and 49 strategic initiatives. These projects are categorized as either departmental or cross-functional and also include major modifications to how the college approaches spending management. To date, the financial savings achieved through the completion of projects amounts to approximately $1.3 million. Savings for 2013-14 alone are approximately $676,000. The analysis also suggests that Canisius could achieve as much as $2.9 million in additional savings across the college by 2017.
The administrative program review has involved careful review and revision of institutional policies for travel, purchasing, tuition waivers, and printing. Changes in these areas have had positive effects on the budget. Spend management review and vendor analysis have caused the college to review and renegotiate contracts. Examples of this work include changes to health insurance, food service, housekeeping, security services, and vendor relationships.
The right-sizing efforts have also impacted administrative areas and made measurable differences in the college’s expense management. Like the faculty count, the exempt and non-exempt employee headcount also declined by 15 percent over the past several years:
Administrative Area FTEs 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 % Change Admin 213 207 191 186 (13%) Non- 243 233 213 199 (18%) Exempt 15
Canisius College Middles States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study 2015
Student Retention: The college undertook an overhaul of processes for student engagement and retention. A task force of faculty and administrators was formed in spring 2013 to develop a comprehensive and innovative plan to re-imagine the current approach to student retention. The result of this effort has created the Griff Center for Academic Engagement, combining the advising, career services, internships, and first-year experiences with the goals of improving student engagement, connecting students’ academic experience to ultimate career success, and improving retention. This center and student retention are described in greater detail in Chapter 3.
Student Recruitment: The college has recently appointed a vice president for enrollment management, Kathleen Davis, who is charged with developing and implementing strategies to expand the college’s recruitment footprint in new markets, reducing the college’s discount rate, and supporting retention efforts. She has conducted a detailed analysis of the 2014 fall enrollment data and identified the factors impacting the enrollment results. This assessment led to the development of a plan that is driven by search and recruitment strategies, campus events, media outreach, and competitive financial aid packaging and pricing. An executive summary here. Coordination with the vice president for business and finance and with the College Budget Committee has led to the development of important projections for tuition pricing and financial aid packaging. Numerous assumptions have been examined and, as described in the five-year financial plan, the college foresees modest two-percent annual tuition increases. The execution of these tactics is intended to balance the headcount, increase the academic profile of students, and incrementally decrease the discount rate. Coupled with the tuition increase, the strategy is intended to increase net revenue for the college.
Strongly linked to recruitment is the development of an improved marketing strategy for the college. To promote the college’s brand and reputation and to meet the Pappas Group’s recommendation to expand Canisius’ recruitment footprint, increased resources were dedicated to marketing the college to new undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and advancement prospects. The college initiated a re- branding effort in 2012 with the national advertising agency 160over90, based in Philadelphia. The brand concepts, messaging, and creative designs are continuing to evolve, with a renewed focus on mission and identity. In fall 2014, Canisius hired a new associate vice president for marketing to lead the college’s marketing efforts. He reports to the vice president for institutional advancement and has a dotted reporting line to the vice president for enrollment management. The college has also retained a local marketing agency, Eric Mower + Associates, to help refine the brand marketing. Focus groups with new students, alumni, faculty, and staff were conducted to assess the brand and recommend improvements. The initial re-branding effort included a re-design of the website which some have found challenging to navigate. Significant attention will be directed toward improving the Canisius website and developing a policy to ensure that content for all pages is current, accurate, and easily accessible to the public.
In addition, as described in President Hurley’s convocation address, the college will look for opportunities to be innovative in its academic offerings and provide students with learning experiences—curricular and co-curricular—that respond to market needs and student interests. In the areas of graduate education, the college intends to also evaluate opportunities to expand upon its success in online programs.
Athletics: A task force comprised mostly of representatives of the college’s Intercollegiate Athletics Board conducted a comprehensive review of the athletics program. While some cost savings have been realized in athletics over the past several years, the analysis concluded that, when tuition revenue, fundraising, and NCAA distributions were considered, participation in Division 1 athletics was generally a break-even proposition for the college and that the recruitment, student life, and marketing benefits of the program were advantageous to Canisius.
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Advancement: The last comprehensive campaign, A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College, raised $95.5 million, $5.5 million over goal, from nearly 20,000 donors over a nine-year period. The campaign exceeded goal despite the 2008 collapse of the financial markets and the ensuing recession. The Pappas study, however, highlighted a need to increase annual support and endowed scholarship funds to support the financial aid needs of students. A new, permanent vice president for the division, William M. Collins, has been appointed and will oversee all annual, capital, and endowment fundraising for Canisius, as well as all of the college’s marketing and communication activities. He is currently crafting a strategic plan for the division that will include the launch of a fundraising campaign to complete Science Hall and to provide a significant contribution to the college’s endowment. Accomplishing this goal will provide important budget relief for institutional student aid.
Budgeting: Since 2008 the college has cut more than $12 million in core operating expenses from the budget by implementing the strategies outlined above.
Canisius Core Operating Budget 2011-15 (in $millions) 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Revenue 96.6 93.5 93.5 89.7 83.3 Expenses 93.9 96.8 93.6 90.6 84.3 Net 2.7 (3.3) (0.1) (.9) (1.0)
Through the strategic assessment process, strict controls on hiring of new or replacement positions, purchasing, and travel have been imposed, and major expenses such as the medical plan and vendor contracts have been renegotiated to control expenses.
The strategic assessment initiatives have demonstrated bold, proactive measures to address the financial and operational challenges facing the college. The tactics have been integrated into the current strategic plan, and the college intends to build this discipline into a culture of continuous improvement. Canisius has committed itself to addressing the structural deficit through reorganizing operations and better aligning academic programs with market needs. The development and execution of the strategic plans in enrollment management (including the incremental decrease of the discount rate) and institutional advancement will also be critical to the college’s future.
STRATEGIC PLANNING Formal strategic planning has evolved substantially at Canisius over the past 20 years, and the college has demonstrated success in setting and achieving goals that advance Canisius’ educational mission, achieve outcomes for students, alumni, faculty, and staff, and develop its physical plant. Regular assessment of the college’s mission, goals, outcomes, and finances has informed planning and budgeting and led to the strategies that have made the college what it is today.
When President Hurley took office, he initiated a round of strategic planning for the college over the 2010- 11 academic year and launched an organizational review. Working with the college’s Long Range Strategic Planning Committee (LRSPC), mission, vision, and values statements for the college and a new institution- wide strategic plan were developed. In May 2011, the Board of Trustees approved A Transformational Education: The Strategic Plan for Canisius College. The college’s Senior Operating Team (SOT) was charged to implement the plans laid out by the LRSPC.
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The LRSPC was chaired by the president and consisted of faculty, including the chair of the Faculty Senate, and key administrators, including vice presidents and deans, members of the Jesuit community, and student representatives. The committee typically met 3-4 times per semester.
In preparation for President Hurley’s transition into the role from his previous position as vice president for college relations, he and other vice presidents began taking proactive steps to understand the pressure points facing the college and to outline what they believed to be critical focus areas of the next plan for Canisius. Working with a consultant, the vice presidents engaged in preliminary planning sessions and brought their initial draft goals to the LRSPC. The diagnostic report described above served as the foundation for their analysis and early drafts of the plan. With this information, the committee focused on the development of a new mission and vision statement for the college, and then moved to develop more refined goal statements, objectives, and strategic actions.
In fall 2010, the committee formed a working group to draft the mission statement. A forum was held in December 2010 and attended by approximately 200 members of the Canisius community, who gathered to discuss and reflect on the mission statement and plan, and to provide observations and recommendations. An online link was established for faculty and staff comments. Subsequently, the Board of Trustees held a two-day planning retreat in January 2011, led by the consultant who guided the group through a review of the plan, including the mission, vision, and values statements.
In spring 2011, the LRSPC worked to develop the substance of the plan. Focus groups formed to examine each of the goals, and a drafting subcommittee worked over several months to refine the language of the overall plan. A subsequent forum, hosted in March 2011, discussed updates to the draft and garnered additional feedback. Suggestions and comments were reviewed by the LRSPC for inclusion in the plan. That final plan was presented to the Board of Trustees for review and adoption in May 2011.
The 2011 plan was designed as a three- to five-year plan that, for the first time, was not organized by functional or divisional area, but with a more comprehensive, cross-functional approach. It focused on five major goal areas.
1. Creating a Dynamic Urban University: Offer outstanding academic programs and learning experiences across the university that engage students, unlock their passion for learning, and promote leadership development.
2. Living Our Catholic, Jesuit Mission: Enhance and enrich our commitment to our Catholic and Jesuit identity as we pursue our vision of being a great American university.
3. Attracting the World: Engage global partners to attract, educate, and develop a talented and diverse campus community as we act in the world for the greater good.
4. Embracing Buffalo and Western New York: Elevate synergies in our academic, research, and service programs to respond to the needs of Buffalo and Western New York, contribute to their development, and advocate for their citizens.
5. Securing Our Future: Encourage the development of new programs, sources of revenue, and new levels of efficiency in our operations.
The college recognized that up to this point, it had not formally linked its plans to budgeting and assessment. To accomplish this and to monitor progress on the plan, the LRSPC developed a logic model- based worksheet to track each of the 66 strategic actions of the plan:
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• responsibility;
• resources required (inputs, including personnel, equipment, services, etc.);
• tactics, with timelines and resources indicated;
• outputs (the product of the tactics undertaken); and
• measurable outcomes (evidence that the objective was met).
With the 66 strategic actions embedded in the plan, the committee identified and prioritized those actions deemed to be mission-critical or mission-centric. It also examined ways to enhance Canisius’ ability to track progress on the plan. For 2011-13, the committee focused primarily on 28 mission-critical actions that were categorized into 11 thematic areas.
Frequent discussions continue to strengthen links between specific budget requests and the goals and objectives in the strategic plan. For example, the academic vice president has informed all faculty and administrators that student learning assessment data will be used as one of the primary criteria for budget requests.
While the strategic plan provides an overall set of goals for the college, the plans for the various units reflect the tactical steps for the critical operational areas of the college. In fall 2011, the LRSPC identified 14 units of the college for which the next level of strategic planning should proceed. The LRSPC required those subsidiary plans to determine their consistency with the college’s mission and goals.
To assist the college’s leadership in overseeing progress toward critical enrollment goals, in 2011, the college launched a dashboard that provides key performance indicators; it is updated daily for use by the members of the Senior Operating Team. This dashboard provides critical metrics on enrollment, financial aid, registration, and retention, enabling senior administrators to make data-driven decisions about the tactics employed to achieve enrollment goals.
In a period of financial constraint, the college’s facilities planning has been focused on the final build-out of Science Hall and renovations to the Library Learning Commons. In addition, the college continues to review its space allocation plans for opportunities to improve the student experience, enhance efficiency, or to sell or lease unused space in ways that support the college’s strategic plan. The college intends to embark on a new round of facilities master planning when the priority projects are near completion.
In light of the college’s financial situation and the implementation of the Strategic Assessment, during spring 2013, the LRSPC divided into focus groups to evaluate the continuing relevance of the strategic plan in the existing climate. Specifically, the groups were tasked with determining if the mission statement and the goals, objectives, and actions of the plan were still relevant. In general, the assessment concluded that the foundational elements of the plan were still viable and appropriate, but that the specific tactics undertaken by the responsible parties were likely to change.
At the onset of planning in the 2013-14 academic year, the LRSPC paused to assess the effectiveness of planning, resource allocation, and the institutional renewal processes. It recognized that it needed to more effectively integrate the work of the critical committees functioning on campus, incorporate assessment data into the planning process, and link it to budgeting.
Until recently, the LRSPC, the Budget Committee, Academic Program Board, and Accreditation Oversight Committee were disconnected from each other and functioned through the president or vice presidents. 19
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Although these critical bodies oversaw planning, budgeting, assessment, and academic programs, it was not clear how decisions or recommendations were made or to whom the committees were ultimately accountable. While the LRSPC attempted to include budget forecasts and assessment metrics in the planning progress worksheets, there was no formalization in the process to ensure that these committees used this information to inform their work.
Furthermore, the college’s Undergraduate Core Curriculum, the academic foundation for all bachelor’s programs and significant to achieving the mission and institutional goals, was not represented on the LRSPC, nor was there a process for incorporating its outcomes into the planning process. It is important that the core be included in institutional planning while respecting the right of the Faculty Senate to continue its oversight.
In response to these needs, a model for strategic planning has been established, and a comprehensive charge was issued by the president for the fall 2014 semester. It is to develop Canisius’ strategic plan and institutional learning goals and objectives, ensure their alignment, and oversee and assess their effectiveness. Further, the committee seeks to ensure that all operating units are in alignment with the institutional strategic plan, including Canisius’ mission, learning goals and objectives. Renamed the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), it calls for a more integrated and collaborative approach to realizing mission via planning, resourcing priorities of the college, and assessment that engages all stakeholders. As in the previous model for planning, the SPC continues to be an advisory body to the president, and the Board of Trustees has authority to approve the strategic plan.
Though in its early stages, the revamped SPC serves as the nexus for assimilating budget and assessment information. Institutional assessment data, including the assessment of student learning, and reports from the Academic Program Board, the Budget Committee, the Core Curriculum Committee, and the Accreditation Oversight Committee are coming together to facilitate a data-driven process to inform the allocation of resources. The SPC model seeks to align these committees and enhance communication regarding mission, goals, and objectives throughout the college.
The major component committees make specific contributions to the planning processes of the college:
College Budget Committee: The committee communicates with the SPC to facilitate a formal link between budgeting and planning. It uses assessment data to inform resource allocation and to ensure that the college’s operating and capital budgets reflect institutional priorities.
Academic Program Board (APB): The APB communicates with the SPC to provide analyses based on academic program review and new program proposals, ensuring that academic outcomes, program developments, or any changes thereto inform resource allocations and planning. This body will bring resource allocation data and recommendations forward directly to the budget committee.
Accreditation Oversight Committee: The AOC is responsible for institution-wide compliance with accreditation standards. The committee charge gives it broad authority to enforce accreditation and assessment requirements. The AOC communicates its assessment of the college’s compliance efforts and provides recommendations for improvement.
Core Curriculum Committee: The CCC coordinates with the SPC to ensure that the outcomes of the core align with the college’s strategic plan and institutional learning goals. While the CCC reports directly to the Faculty Senate, it is also advisory to the academic vice president. The CCC is advisory to the SPC to ensure that the resource needs of the core are identified.
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Membership of the SPC includes the president, vice presidents, deans, director of mission and identity, chairs of the Faculty Senate, AOC, APB, and CCC, eight elected faculty representatives, and three student representatives (two undergraduate, one graduate).
Information Flow and Alignment for Strategic Planning
As the process continues to unfold at Canisius, the SPC will work to ensure that assessment and budget data are aligned and coordinated. Assessment information, including key performance indicators and assessments of student learning, will regularly flow through the departments, units, and the critical committees to inform the planning process. Institutional priorities and assessment information will be considered in the development of the budget which, when final, will directly inform the divisional efforts to achieve the institution's mission and goals. The president’s office is developing an internal site on the myCanisius portal for all faculty and staff in order to report on the highlights of the meetings and share decisions that are made. Feedback on the plan and strategies regularly flow through the representatives on the committee, and, when appropriate, the committee will consider other mechanisms to gather advice and ideas from the campus (e.g., public forums or surveys) as part of the planning process.
The initial priorities for the committee in 2014-15 are to ensure that committee processes, reporting, and timelines are coordinated; that enrollment and financial information are reviewed; and that progress on the current plan is monitored. Results must inform the budgeting process and forecasting, described below, and results of institutional assessments, including student learning outcomes, must be elevated to the highest level of planning at the institution.
Success in Delivering Results In general, Canisius has demonstrated a successful track record of strategic planning over the past decade. Stemming from the 2003-09 Strategic Plan:
• The intellectual life of the college has increased. The college moved decidedly away from the tenets of the Quest Program established in the 1980s that admitted students who did not meet baseline academic admission standards and instead made investments to attract high quality students, developed academic institutes, promoted the college’s most successful programs, and supported student-faculty scholarship. A number of new academic programs were introduced and a significant number of faculty were hired.
• Student life has improved. Canisius has made the transition from a predominantly commuter college to a predominantly residential campus and has developed a comprehensive program to support the academic, social, and recreational needs of students.
• Canisius has diversified its student body in a variety of ways – racially, ethnically, geographically – to enrich the college. International programs and initiatives such as the Urban Leadership Learning Community have been important aspects of this goal.
• The athletics program has been streamlined and strengthened at the same time. Canisius had made the decision to eliminate its Division 1 football program and instead invested in sports where Canisius has had a competitive edge and success in attracting high quality student athletes.
The college also made progress toward goals related to space and facilities. When Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J. became president (1993), one of his first initiatives was the development of the Facilities Master Plan. The architectural firm of Hamilton, Houston and Lownie formulated a carefully designed plan in September of 1994. In 1997, a revised edition of the plan was created by Cannon Design. It laid out detailed plans for 21
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upgrades to residence hall facilities and a complete reworking and updating of academic buildings and classrooms. The college was able to complete most of the initiatives from its institutional and facilities master plans. Over a 13-year period, the college invested $85 million in residential housing to transform the campus to a predominantly residential one. In the fall of 2005, Canisius opened the 270-bed Dugan Hall to provide residential space necessary to attract students from more diverse geographical locations. Investments were made in the Health Science Building to provide new classrooms, a student lounge, and the literacy clinic on the first floor. A significant portion of the previous and current strategic plan involved pending acquisition and renovation of Science Hall and the attached parking ramp.
The SPC is presently assessing progress on the status of mission-critical priorities noted in A Transformational Education. Many of the objectives have been met, including the goals set forth by the strategic assessment initiative.
• Teaching loads have been rebalanced, low enrolled courses and programs have been discontinued, and tighter controls have been placed on faculty hiring, replacements, and other academic spending.
• A new Enrollment Management Strategic Plan was introduced in 2014.
• A more comprehensive online program strategy has been developed as the result of the Organizational Review process and formation of a Task Force on Online Education.
• Retention and graduation rates have improved. Student retention initiatives have been introduced, including the development of the new Griff Center for Academic Engagement. While rates have been uneven over the last decade, the fall 2013 freshman cohort hit an all-time high rate of retention of 86 percent.
• An integrated marketing strategy has been developed. A new associate vice president for marketing has been hired and the college is working with consultants to refine the college’s brand and marketing efforts for new student recruitment, advancement, and athletics.
• A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College concluded and raised more than $95.5 million for Science Hall, scholarships, programs, and annual giving. Plans for the next campaign are in the initial stages.
• The first two floors of Science Hall have been completed and were opened to students in fall 2012. Substantial progress has also been made on the development of the Library Learning Commons.
• Progress has been made on assessment of student learning across the three academic units and in the core curricula.
• Financial management, systems, and policies have been improved or introduced.
• The college has developed a culture of continuous improvement, sustainability, and fiscal discipline as evidenced by the Organizational Review and Strategic Assessment.
Over the past decade there have been some obstacles to the college’s strategic and financial planning, including the macro- and micro- economic factors that led to the Strategic Assessment described in detail above. Between 2008-11, there were significant investments in new programs, including 28 faculty salary lines. Not all of these programs have been as successful as anticipated. Ongoing investments in facilities such as Dugan Hall and Science Hall have led to increases in operating and depreciation costs. Fringe 22
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benefit costs also have increased. On the revenue side, the college has struggled to expand its recruiting footprint, meet enrollment targets, and decrease the discount rate consistently. In addition, the college took initial steps toward the goal of achieving university status by submitting its first proposal to the New York State Education Department to develop a doctoral program (PhD) in Counselor Education. However, the application was denied, and Canisius has put subsequent doctoral proposals on hold.
Despite the obstacles, the college has consistently demonstrated aggressive goal setting, excellence in the execution of its plans, and a nimbleness to adjust and react to the factors that impact its plans.
BUDGETING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION The College Budget Committee is charged with developing a fiscally sound and balanced annual operating budget. The committee, chaired by the vice president for business and finance, makes the final recommendations on development of the college operating budget. The committee membership includes the remaining four vice presidents, the deans of the three academic units, representatives of the Faculty Senate, and representatives of the Student Senate. Various other members of the campus community act as consultants to the committee on an as-needed basis.
Beginning in the fall, the committee meets on a regular basis to assess and review actual results against budgeted projections. Prior year results and current year trends are reviewed to inform the budget plan for the upcoming year and for the five-year financial plan. The process involves ongoing coordination with the Strategic Planning Committee so that short- and long-term actions are reasonable and consistent with institutional plans and goals, and to ensure assessment data and environmental trends are included.
The deans and the Academic Program Board recommend resource allocation to the academic vice president for inclusion in the budget. Non-academic department heads recommend resource allocation to their respective vice president. The vice presidents determine the priority of each of the initiatives in their respective areas and present them to the budget committee. Priorities are determined by strategic goals in each respective area and by overall strategic plan/goals of the college. Results, based on mission and strategic goals, help assess the effectiveness of these allocations. The committee process concludes with a final budget presented to the Board of Trustees in early May.
The budget process had remained relatively unchanged for several years. The prior year budget was typically used as the base budget for the coming year. Enrollment and financial aid numbers were updated to reflect projections made by these respective areas. The college has relied on an outside enrollment and financial aid consultant for these projections. The vice presidents presented updates to their budget proposals that reflected needs based on the mission and goals of the college. These proposals were reviewed by the budget committee and voted on for inclusion in the current budget. The impact of these proposals was reflected in the overall budget. Necessary adjustments to revenue and expenditures were presented to the committee and voted on to provide a balanced budget. Budget adjustments were typically made throughout the fiscal year as issues became apparent. As fiscal pressures of the last few years mounted, this process proved to be inefficient and ineffective.
In November 2013, the college hired a new vice president for business and finance, Marco Benedetti, who is a Certified Public Accountant. He came to the college with over 20 years of experience in the private sector and initiated a change in the budget development process. Beginning with the FY 2012-13 budget, and enhanced in 2013-14, the college adopted a zero-based budget system. As part of this process, individual budget managers are asked to develop budgets for their areas that reflect what is needed to appropriately run these areas rather than past-practice of just carrying prior year budgets forward. This process requires managers to update plans for their departments and review, annually, what is being spent to determine the necessity of these expenditures. It requires units to justify their spending plans in the context of the college mission and in accord with strategic plans. This process stresses ownership and 23
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accountability, at the individual unit level. The result has been institution-wide decreases in spending in specific areas of the budget, including salaries, office supplies, and travel. Zero-based budgeting also allows the college to cost-shift budget items where appropriate, which has and will result in efficiencies and savings.
When adjustments to the budget are required, the vice presidents present changes to their divisional budgets and research may be requested where clarification or support is required to substantiate a change in the budget. Any changes or new requests are figured into the existing proposed budget by the controller, and the results are presented to the committee for its review. The committee will either accept the budget as proposed or make decisions on how to bring the budget into balance, while still providing support for the mission and goals of the college. Once the budget is finalized and approved by the board, the expectation is that managers will work within the allocated funds.
Operating Expenses The single largest expense line at the college is compensation which is driven by employee headcount. The college has reduced the number of employees through retirements and departures, work force reductions, restructuring of responsibilities, and elimination of positions. The college has not offered a general salary increase in the last three years. The 2015 budget provided a two percent salary increase pool for non- exempt employees. The decisions on the operational side have been made in an organized and planned fashion to minimize the impact. Efforts have been made to create greater efficiency in the operation and reduce the need for personnel without compromising academics or student services.
Five-Year Financial Plan In 2014, the college developed a five-year financial plan based on the following key factors:
1. Based on the enrollment strategy and declining population in the primary recruiting markets, the five-year tuition revenue projection includes modest tuition rate increases and a smaller, stable undergraduate population. Tuition discounting continues to be a challenge in a price-sensitive market, as local and regional schools frequently repackage accepted students, placing additional pressure on financial aid to help meet enrollment goals. The college is committed to identifying strategies to lower the discount rate. Five-Year Gross Tuition Revenues
2. The college is considering options to use its facilities capacity to generate additional revenue. For example, the 2015 budget reflects the leasing of Campion, Main Humboldt, and Main Delevan residences to Buffalo State College in fall 2014 for $700,000. Looking ahead, as part of its completion of Science Hall, the college is pursuing opportunities through the StartUp New York Program to identify mission-centric corporate partners to develop and lease available space on floors two and three.
3. Approximately 60 percent of the operational budget is comprised of compensation and benefit expenses. The college has analyzed faculty and administrative needs based on current and future enrollment, program and course offerings, and physical campus size in the five-year projection of operating expenses. Over the next five years, the employee headcount will continue to decrease. The number of adjunct faculty is expected to decline in the early years of the plan, while the full- time faculty total is expected to remain relatively flat, with some decrease in subsequent years as a result of retirements.
4. Operating expense budgets represent approximately 30 percent of the operational budget. The college’s expenses have been reduced as revenues declined. The college has determined that expenses for certain programs could be reduced without impacting the mission or academic quality. 24
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The five-year plan projects flat to somewhat lower expenses going forward.
5. The remaining 10 percent of the operating budget is interest expense and depreciation. From 1995-2007, the college invested heavily in residential, instructional, and research space. The college, as part of its right-sizing, plans to lower its interest expense commensurate with lower facilities investments.
The five-year plan projects that the college manages its way to a balanced budget in year three of the plan with surpluses in years four and five.
However, as is clear from the Pappas Report, there is still work to do in expense reduction. The college is in the process of reviewing non-academic programs. It also charged budget managers to be responsible for all aspects of their budgets, including salary and fringe benefit management. There is an increased emphasis on financial reporting and analysis at all levels. The goal will be to develop accurate and effective budgets that provide the college with the resources necessary to achieve its mission and strategic goals. This process is in response to the findings of the Pappas Report and represents a fundamental change in operations and culture.
Enrollment and tuition revenue represent greater than 90 percent of the operating budget. The college uses a bottom-up approach to project revenues for the upcoming year. It evaluates data from previous years on applications, visits, acceptances, and deposits. Additionally, demographic, financial, and academic data from the application process is analyzed and modeled to formulate projections for the following year. Financial aid modeling incorporates current need, based on financial data. Merit awards strategy is discussed as part of enrollment planning and is incorporated into the financial aid projections. Also included is financial aid associated with special programs such as athletics, HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program), and other special groups of students.
Since 2011, the college has contracted with Maguire Associates to develop its financial aid modeling and recruitment projections. Maguire was reliable on academic composition and discount rate in the first two years of its service to the college, but more recent projections on headcount and academic composition for the fall 2014 class have been less accurate. Declining enrollment and the need for increased financial aid incentives have presented significant challenges to a balanced budget in recent fiscal years. The vice presidents for enrollment management and academic affairs have engaged in a detailed analysis this past year of Maguire’s services and are in the process of examining opportunities to improve modeling and, therefore, the college’s ability to achieve its enrollment and discount rate targets.
The deficits of recent years are structural and cannot in themselves be relieved simply by a more accurate and efficient budget process. The 2015 budget was prepared with a conservative view of enrollment. The committee and vice presidents were careful to monitor the actual decrease in revenue so that they could propose a budget with lower expenses to mitigate the expected deficit. Reflecting the demographics of the college’s principal recruiting markets, the 2015 enrollment forecast was built to reflect a decrease in undergraduate enrollment and fewer graduate credit hours than prior years. These assumptions have generated a tuition, room, and board revenue budget of $75 million for 2015. Endowed and ancillary revenues amount to approximately $9 million. Total operating revenues are approximately $84 million, compared to 2014 revenues of $87.3 million.
The senior leaders and the Board of Trustees regularly review the liquidity of the college. The college has been generating positive operating cash flows and is projected to do so in the five-year financial plan. Depreciation expense for the college has been in the $7-8 million range over the last five years and is a significant reason for some of the operating deficits incurred in the past. Since this is a non-cash expense,
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the college has been able to increase its cash on-hand and liquidity in spite of operating losses on a full accounting basis.
The vice president for business and finance reviews the debt covenant projections, which measure the college’s ability to service its debt, with the board’s Finance and Facilities Committee as part of the budget review. The college has negotiated the debt covenants with its issuers and is in compliance for fiscal year 2014. Under the new calculation the college expects to be in compliance and not need waivers during the time frame of the five-year financial plan.
Although the majority of revenue is derived from tuition dollars, the institutional advancement division for the college is committed to supporting the mission and strategic plan of the college through annual, capital, and endowment fundraising, and an integrated marketing and communications strategy. Fulfillment of the goals in the college’s strategic plan is a key indicator of institutional advancement’s success. In June 2000, Canisius completed a $39 million capital campaign for high-tech academic and extra-curricular facilities and scholarships. In 2012, Canisius concluded its largest comprehensive fundraising campaign to date, raising $95.5 million for endowment, facilities, and annual giving programs. More than $30 million was raised for Science Hall and the Library Learning Commons, and more than $43 million was raised in endowed funds, with the majority of gifts supporting scholarship aid to students. In both campaigns, the institutional advancement strategy was closely aligned with the college’s strategic, facilities, and academic plans.
Endowment Investments The Investment Advisory Committee of the board oversees the investment policy of the college and is responsible for determining the college’s investment strategy. The Statement of Investment Policy and Objectives is intended to serve as an operating document to guide the investment activities of the Endowment Fund. The policy defines responsibilities among the various groups accountable for guiding the investment process and supervising outside investment professionals. It further determines an appropriate return and risk level for the fund and establishes allocation ranges for asset classes and investment styles deemed suitable for the fund. Subsequently, the policy directs the prudent diversification of assets, establishes performance objectives, and dictates a regular review. The committee has developed a risk tolerance that takes into account periodic market declines. Investment appropriateness is based on thorough research by the committee and the investment consultant. A diversified allocation is maintained by allocating funds to various asset classes and investment styles within asset classes, and retaining investment management firm(s) with complementary investment philosophies, styles, and approaches. Asset allocation strategy guidelines are developed by the Investment Advisory Committee, with assistance from its investment consultant.
The Statement of Investment Policy and Objectives is reviewed and updated at least annually by the Investment Advisory Committee with advice from the consultant. Until November 2013, the college maintained a long-term relationship with LCG Associates as the investment consultant. In November 2013, the college signed a contract with Colonial Consulting to provide investment advisement and consultation services.
The Investment Advisory Committee has recommended a spending policy that attempts to balance the long-term objective of maintaining the purchasing power of the fund with the goal of meeting current and future cash flow requirements. The Investment Advisory Committee recommends a spending rule not to exceed five percent of the market value of the fund on an annual basis to the Finance and Facilities Committee. This rate is based on a 20-quarter rolling average of market values as of December 31st of the preceding year. The Finance and Facilities Committee review and recommend to the board the annual spending rate for the coming year as part of the approval of the operating budget.
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The fund’s investment performance is evaluated long-term, on a 10-year basis. The primary objective is to achieve a total rate of return, over the rolling ten-year periods, which exceeds the rate of inflation (Consumer Price Index) by 5.5 percent per year on average. The endowment has seen significant growth in recent years.
The collapse of the world’s financial markets in 2008-09 significantly affected the college’s endowment, but the college maintained a long-term perspective, and the endowment has rebounded. As of spring 2014, the current assets in the endowment stood at more than $107 million. This increase is in large part due to the college’s largest fundraising campaign, A Legacy of Leadership, which secured an additional $44.7 million from donors for endowed scholarships and programs.
When donors establish an endowed fund at the college, they are issued an endowment agreement that outlines the criteria for the administration of the endowed fund, allowing the donor to state his/her intentions for use of the fund and ensuring the donor is aware of the college’s investment policy. A member of the advancement staff works closely with the financial aid office and program directors to ensure endowed scholarships and program funds are awarded according to donors’ intentions.
The Audit Process The Audit Committee of the board is charged with responsibilities similar to those imposed on public companies’ audit committees under the Sarbanes-Oxley Law. The committee is comprised of five members of the board and the vice president for business and finance. The committee solicits recommendations from the vice president as well as the controller and other key managers involved in the audit process. Deloitte & Touche, LLP has been the college’s auditing firm for more than 30 years.
Typically, the audit team arrives on campus in late May for about a week to begin field testing. The audit team then returns to the campus near the end of July to initiate the full audit of the financial statements. The audited financials are accompanied by the issuance of a Management Letter in which Deloitte highlights any deficiencies of process or internal control that were observed during the review. A response to the Management Letter is drafted by the senior management of the college and lays out a plan of action for correction of any issues identified by the auditors. The Audit Committee meets in executive session with Deloitte to review any issues raised in the audit and to answer any questions.
Over the last 20 years, Deloitte has never issued a qualified opinion on the financial statements of the college. If any concerns or deficiencies have been cited in the Management Letter, they are reviewed and addressed by the senior administration of the college. The management letters for 2013 and 2014 are attached.
The planning, budgeting, audit, and investment processes make it possible for all parties to monitor the financial situation, predict opportunities, risks, and financial outcomes for the year, and make informed mid-year changes if needed. The college is confident that its new tools and process will assist with the financial management of the institution. The FY 2013 audit and FY 2014 audit are attached.
FACILITIES To remain competitive, the college needs facilities that are comfortable, safe, and supportive of the college mission. The college operates 1.9 million square feet of space, making land and buildings the most significant part of the college’s capital assets. Equipment, furniture, and fixtures represent a much smaller percentage of the college’s capital requirements, and they have been funded annually from cash generated by operations. The facilities department maintains a compilation of various needs assessment studies and planning documents that were prepared in response to different strategic plan initiatives. 27
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The majority of the college’s properties are adjacent to, or connected to, the Main Street campus. Canisius has strategically acquired properties as they have become available over the last 20 years because of their location near the college. The college is bounded by a residential neighborhood, a cemetery, and two expressways to the east and north of the campus. The college has expanded west and south across Main Street when possible.
The annual capital budget is used to allocate resources for facilities upgrades and campus projects. Funds are requested for projects by department and program managers. Capital project requests are prioritized by the vice presidents of the respective areas, based on strategic goals of the college and immediate safety issues. Funds are allocated to projects with the greatest impact on the college’s goals. The renovation/construction of Science Hall has been a top priority of the college and capital budget for the last few years. This project was scheduled to be completed in four phases over multiple years. In 2010, the college secured a $16 million loan/bond issue on very favorable terms to begin construction. Currently, phases one and two have been completed, which include the lower level and first floor. Phases three and four are awaiting resource allocation or donations for completion. In addition to Science Hall, the Library Learning Commons plan is also being phased, with phases one and two already accomplished.
Canisius has worked with the architectural firm Cannon Design since 1998 to guide the development of facilities plans. A variety of studies, needs assessments, and planning documents were developed to respond to the strategic plan initiatives in place at the time. In more recent years, various assessment reports from 2004-2013 have been completed including: Main Street Project in 2007, Short Term Facility Needs Assessment in 2008, Bookstore in 2010, Bagen Hall in 2011, Main Street Wall in 2012, Campus Way-finding in 2012, Science Hall Phasing and Impact Study in 2012, Library Renovation Project in 2012, and Koessler Athletic Center in 2014.
With limited resources over the last several years, Canisius has continued to work with Cannon and proceeded with facilities planning and implementation on priority projects— Science Hall and the Library Learning Commons, in particular. As a result of reductions in the student body and an emphasis on consolidating functions and services, the college could require fewer facilities, which will enable the institution to continue driving down the operating budgets and improve efficiency. With a five-year plan in place, and a number of critical factors now coming into focus, the college is aware that the development of an updated facilities master plan will be necessary to accomplish these objectives.
HUMAN RESOURCES As described above, with the majority of operational resources allocated to salaries and benefits, the first line of institutional right-sizing has focused on the human resource strategy at the college. Declines in staffing have been detailed above, and faculty and staff levels will continue to be addressed in terms of student enrollment, departmental demands, projections in the marketplace and economy, and return on investment. In some cases, considerations about faculty composition are based on accreditation requirements, such as AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – International) guidelines for the Wehle School of Business.
Decisions about filling and eliminating vacancies are the responsibility of the divisional vice president and are considered in consultation with the full senior leadership. Faculty review, promotion, and tenure decisions are conducted through the Committee on Faculty Status, the process for which is detailed in Chapter 2. In the current budget environment, some vacancies have gone unfilled as a result of decreased demand for services; in other cases, there have been creative, cross-functional approaches to meeting the mission and goals of the college. The Griff Center for Academic Engagement provides a premier example of consolidation of student services, requiring fewer staff while advancing the college’s goals of advising and retaining students. 28
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As the Legacy of Leadership Campaign concluded, institutional advancement experienced a number of departures and was left with unfilled or vacant positions. This situation created a burden for existing staff but, with new leadership in place, the division is investing in critical personnel to prepare for the college’s next fundraising campaign, to energize alumni engagement, and to advance the marketing communication goals of the division.
The Division of Student Affairs has also experienced staff reductions, but each decision has been made to support the Canisius mission while preserving the student experience as much as possible. A number of graduate assistants drawn from the College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) program have provided essential support when full-time positions have been eliminated. An added benefit is that the graduate students are given valuable experiences to accompany their studies.
Reductions in staff, revisions to policies, and limitations in resources have impacted the morale of employees across the college. The administration is aware that there is some anxiety among faculty and staff in this difficult period of transition in higher education and at the college. As the college works to stabilize its operating budget and seek innovative strategies to move the college forward, the administration is committed to increasing communication to improve transparency, mitigate anxiety, and motivate its workforce. The senior administration of the college understands that salary increases must be a priority in the budgeting process.
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES The Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) has consistently developed strategic plans to address the evolving needs for technology resources to support the educational mission. Many of the delineated objectives in the 2012 ITS Strategic Plan have already either been finalized or have seen significant progress. Key among these is the implementation of a cloud-based learning management system (Desire2Learn) that replaced contracted ANGEL software. The application was selected after a thorough evaluation by a joint task force of faculty and key academic administrators, beta tested in a pilot of 36 courses in the fall 2013 and spring 2014 and rolled out as the sole provider in the summer of 2014. Considerable resources were committed to assist faculty not only with module training but also with document conversion and the development of teaching techniques in an enhanced online environment.
Canisius now offers 11 fully online programs, five online advanced certificate programs, and almost 250 online courses per semester. In the past academic year (2013-14), 527 students were enrolled in these courses, generating more than 13,000 credit hours. As a result of enrollment growth in online courses, the college has dedicated the majority of the Faculty Technology Center resources to this area.
In addition to distance education technology, Canisius’ main computing environment is Ellucian/Banner. The suite includes admissions, registrar, student information, human resources, and financials. The ITS staff trains all employees in the use of these systems and also designs a large number of specific applications for various functions in many offices.
LIBRARY RESOURCES The Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library’s mission is “to employ information resources and technology to enrich active learning for students, to facilitate research for faculty, to promote more interaction among all members of the Canisius College community, to leverage enrollment with prospective students, and to improve administrative process.” The library has been responsive to the needs of students, the vast majority of its patrons. The physical collection has been reduced to accommodate the needs of students by providing cooperative learning space, tutoring, and other student services. That reduction in the collection has been carefully planned and analyzed in an attempt to ensure that what remains will 29
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continue to meet curricular needs. Student survey responses have driven the inclusion of a multi- denominational prayer room, more group study rooms, the group study reservation system, flexible use library space, extended library hours, and the virtual availability of librarians 24/7.
The library is housed in an inviting modern facility that was recently renovated to include a learning commons and areas dedicated to student academic success and improved faculty development. In total, in 2013-14, more than 482,000 student and faculty visits occurred, and patrons took advantage of the varied study and collaborative learning spaces. Librarians also provide instructional support to ensure students develop information literacy skills.
The collection of academic resources adequately supports the curriculum and faculty research. Still, the migration of library resources from print to electronic form has challenged budget and staffing levels in recent years. There has been a decline in book circulation similar to what has been seen in peer libraries. As a result, the physical library collection has been evaluated in cooperation with 10 Connect NY libraries with the aim of making the cooperative collection stronger while allowing local holding to be reduced. In the general library collection, books account for 39 percent of library circulation. Other items in the collection, equipment such as cameras, headphones, and laptops, were added over the past 10 years as students identified the need for each and now account for more than 40 percent of overall circulation.
As a member of Connect NY and the Center for Research Libraries, Canisius students and faculty have access to an expansive network of additional resources, and the Interlibrary Loan Department has the ability to acquire requested materials, often in less than 24 hours. The college’s resources are further supplemented by membership in the Western New York Library Resources Council and participation in the On-line Computer Library Center (OCLC), an international library consortium that provides access to information held in libraries around the globe.
CONCLUSION This chapter has demonstrated that, even in difficult times, Canisius has moved toward greater institutional effectiveness. The totality of work performed over the past decade illustrates the college's success in establishing and meeting ambitions strategic goals. The last five years alone represent a major shift in the institutional culture for strategic planning, resource allocation, assessment, institutional renewal, and budgeting. Qualitative and quantitative measures are in place to assess critical outcomes such as retention and graduation rates, program quality, and return on investments. Results are being shared at the levels where action will make a difference. In nearly all cases, clear written plans are in place, with timetables, persons and positions responsible, resources needed, and expected outcomes outlined in detail. Canisius is in need of more financial resources, but the work has begun to set the college on firm financial footing and to define its strategic direction. Canisius has laid important groundwork to align processes, improve transparency, and define and incorporate assessment metrics into planning and budgeting. These changes have been implemented in such a way as to conform to and preserve the institutional goals and objectives presented at the beginning of this chapter. The mission and identity of the college are clearly aligned with the new strategic planning process. Canisius is confident that the visiting team will find that throughout the institution this cultural shift has occurred. The basic structure of all its efforts is the same: clearly stated and written goals; rigorous assessment of those goals; discussion of outcomes; and a focus on continuous improvement. The following chapters will demonstrate this structure at work.
Recommendations
1.1 Integrate strategic planning, budgeting, and institutional assessment under the new Strategic Planning Committee:
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• ensure that the strategic plans of the functional units of the college are current and in alignment with institution-wide goals, current priorities, and budget;
• ensure that the budget development and planning processes include regular review and refinement of five-year, three-year, and annual budgets aligned with strategic planning and assessment data; and
• ensure that the results from the assessment of academic and non-academic units inform planning and budgeting at the college.
1.2 Design, finalize and/or execute strategic plans in key areas that have undergone recent leadership transitions and lay the groundwork for a new institution-wide strategic plan:
• Designate the vice president for business and finance to facilitate the development of a facilities master plan for the institution and align it with budget and strategic planning processes.
• Finalize a new strategic plan for the Division of Institutional Advancement with specific goals and objectives, including plans for campaigns to raise funds to complete Science Hall and for a significant addition to the college’s endowment.
• Fully execute the new strategic plan for the Division of Enrollment Management.
1.3 Adopt a policy, plan, and practices for the regular review and update of the Canisius website, including department webpages, so that all publicly accessible content is current and accurate.
Sources (In Order of Appearance)
• Mission and Strategic Plan
• Ex Corde Ecclesiae
• Mission and Identity
• Campus Ministry Immersion
• Statement of Shared Purpose
• Characteristics of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Instrument
• 2014 Community Report
• Speakers since 2005
• President's Situation Analysis
• Diagnostic Report 2010
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• NYS High School Graduation Projections (Page 10)
• Organizational Review Report
• PAPPAS Executive Summary
• APB Bylaws
• Academic Programs and Faculty Productivity
• Non-Academic Program Review Action Items
• Griff Center for Academic Engagement
• Enrollment Plan Exec Summary, 2014
• Five-Year Financial Plan
• President Hurley's 2014 Convocation Address
• Athletics Task Force Report
• Advancement
• Strategic Action Working Outcomes
• Strategic Planning Update March 2013
• Strategic Planning Overview Oct 2014
• Strategic Planning Committee Charge 2014
• Budget Committee Revised Charge
• Accreditation Oversight Committee
• Core Curriculum Oversight
• 2008 Strategic Plan Status
• 2003 Strategic Plan Print
• Strategic Plan status January 2015
• Five-Year Financial Plan (Page 4)
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• Investment Policy
• Endowment Agreement
• Management Letter 2013
• Management Letter 2014
• Audited Financial Statement FY 2013
• Audited Financial Statement FY 2014
• Facilities Master Plan 2004-2013
• LIS Long Range Plan, May 2012
• APB Report to the President
• Audited Financial Statement FY 2010
• Audited Financial Statement FY 2011
• Audited Financial Statement FY 2012
• Campus Ministry
• Canisius College Mission Statement
• Catholic Studies Minor
• Community Based Learning
• Contemporary Writers Series
• Conversations in Christ and Culture Lecture Series
• Core Mission Statement
• Fitzpatrick Political Science Lecture Series
• Hiring for Mission
• Ignatian Scholarship Day
• ISHAR Speaker Series
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• Justice Project
• Living Learning Communities
• Logic Model Based Worksheet
• M&I Course Development Grant
• M&I Summer Research Grant
• Management Letter 2012
• Non-Academic Program Review
• Office of Mission and Identity
• Peace and Justice minor
• Schreiner Pre-Medical Distinguished Speakers Series
• Spiritual Exercises
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Chapter 2-Academic Excellence
Quick Links to Chapter Sections:
• The Faculty • Academic Programs • General Education • Online Programs • Other Standard 13 Categories • Assessment of Student Learning • Conclusion • Recommendations
Standard 10: Faculty The institution’s instructional, research, and service programs are devised, developed, monitored, and supported by qualified professionals.
Standard 11: Educational Offerings The institution’s educational offerings display academic content, rigor, and coherence appropriate to its higher education mission. The institution identifies student learning goals and objectives, including knowledge and skills, for its educational offerings.
Standard 12: General Education The institution’s curricula are designed so that students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiency in general education and essential skills, including at least oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, and technological competency.
Standard 13: Related Educational Activities The institution’s programs or activities that are characterized by particular content, focus, location, mode of delivery, or sponsorship meet appropriate standards.
Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning Assessment of student learning demonstrates that, at graduation, or other appropriate points, the institution’s students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional and appropriate higher education goals.
In this chapter, the academic programs and initiatives to measure and assure student success will be described. Additionally, the programs, institutes, and other activities undertaken to enhance and deliver upon the Jesuit-centered mission will be discussed. The college can point to many academic superlatives and distinctions. The goal of this chapter is to demonstrate that all of the college's academic enterprises are devised and monitored by faculty, display rigor in their goals and objectives, are assessed by effective methods, and are regularly improved and renewed by the analyses of those assessments.
Narrative
THE FACULTY The very heart and soul of Canisius is the faculty. Evidence of faculty quality is abundant. It begins with the recruitment of highly qualified individuals with discipline-specific expertise, and it continues through
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evaluation procedures and expectations for engaged service. Central to faculty members' role as teacher- scholars are teaching and research. As highly-qualified experts in their respective disciplines, the faculty is responsible for creating and maintaining the curricula of all programs across the college. Committed to the success of students, faculty members have the primary responsibility to deliver instruction and evaluate student learning. Currently (AY 2014-15), there are 194 full-time, tenured or tenure-track instructional faculty members, 97 percent of whom hold a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree. In addition, there are five full-time clinical faculty members who are primarily teaching faculty from the professional community. Consistent with enrollment declines, there has been some reduction in the number of tenured and tenure-track positions since a high of 235 in academic year 2011-12. Fortunately, the majority of these reductions have come as a result of attrition via retirements or resignations, and the college has continued to support faculty hiring in programs with strong enrollment.
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The faculty is organized under the traditional and typical departmental scheme, with fellow faculty members serving as chairs, elected by members of their respective departments. Academic departments are organized by division, and they are responsible for designing, delivering, and assessing their programs on a regular basis. In recent years, some programs have been developed based on a collaborative, interdisciplinary model that crosses departments, and at times even schools. As the landscape of higher education has changed, the academic departments of Canisius have worked with speed and agility to provide innovative new programs that have attracted new cadres of students and enhanced the college's mission (e.g., animal behavior, ecology and conservation, sport administration, forensic accounting, and online programs). Even in this time of overall declining enrollment, new faculty lines and replacement hires have been allocated to mission-centric programs with high or growing enrollments.
Recruitment and Hiring of New Faculty Based on documented department needs, the vice president for academic affairs authorizes new tenure- track lines, in consultation with the president and the vice president for business and finance. Departments work with Human Resources to create and post job descriptions on the Human Resources webpage and in appropriate national publications. Human Resources has created a web-based database for applications and supporting materials, interview rating forms, and verification of credentials for the
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selected candidate. In addition, the Office of Mission and Identity has created a Hiring for Mission policy that includes increasing the awareness of the mission in potential candidates.
All new faculty members have been offered an orientation that includes introduction to Canisius' Jesuit mission and identity, as well as the typical introduction to the services and offices that can help them in their first semester of teaching. In addition, they are provided a workshop on teaching with the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm. The orientation is designed to assimilate the faculty into the culture of the institution and to encourage best practices in teaching. There are follow-up meetings of individual first-year faculty with chairs, deans, and the academic vice president. Additionally, new faculty members are mentored within their departments by the chair or a colleague appointed by the chair.
The hiring of part-time, adjunct faculty is somewhat less systematic, given the contingent and variable circumstances that necessitate the staffing of courses. For many years adjuncts were budgeted by the dean of each school; however, with recent changes in the budgeting process and efforts to improve curriculum efficiencies, each department now budgets for its own instructional needs. Adjunct faculty members are recruited at the department level from a local pool of credentialed and experienced teachers, doctoral candidates in local universities, or professionals who share their expertise with students. Once an individual has been identified by a department, and the vice president and the dean have approved the hire, Human Resources verifies that the individual is properly credentialed to instruct the assigned course(s). Over the years, the college has relied on adjunct faculty to deliver many introductory and core courses as well as those courses for which an adjunct has professional expertise. Throughout 2013-14 (including the fall, spring, and summer sessions), 249 individuals served as part-time instructional faculty, 25 percent of whom held a doctorate or other terminal degree, and 80 percent of whom had a least a master’s degree. The few adjunct faculty members holding bachelor’s degrees tend to be music lesson instructors or laboratory managers. Adjunct faculty have access to the Adjunct Faculty Teaching Manual that contains information about teaching and resources available at Canisius. However, there is no employee handbook specific to the adjunct faculty role, to clarify and formalize responsibilities and expectations across the three academic units. Given the important role adjunct faculty have in the educational experience of students, the development of a comprehensive handbook is advisable.
Percentage of Courses Taught by PT Faculty
Academic Business Humanities STEM Education Overall Year 2010 12% 43% 30% 59% 46%
2011 15% 43% 30% 56% 45%
2012 17% 41% 31% 55% 45%
2013 15% 40% 28% 52% 41%
Faculty Development and Support The college has, even in these challenging financial times, fully and actively supported traditional areas of faculty development. The institution funds between 20-25 sabbaticals each year. Sabbaticals are typically one semester at full pay or one academic year at half pay, representing a significant financial investment (over $1 million per year since 2009). Faculty members must apply for sabbaticals and submit a summative report after completion. In addition, professional development programs in all schools are funded on an annual basis; they include summer research fellowships, deans’ grants for teaching or scholarship, and support for travel to academic conferences or academic research. A faculty committee 37
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reviews applications for the summer research fellowships and makes recommendations to the vice president for academic affairs. Twelve to 15 of these fellowships are funded each summer in combination with additional research grant funding available within the budgets of the academic deans. On average, the research grants total $50,000 annually. Travel funds have traditionally been shared between departments and the deans’ offices, but more recently, the centralized travel funds from the deans’ offices have been distributed to departments, and current review practices prioritize the travel requests based on merit. Travel was suspended for tenured faculty for part of AY 2012-13 due to budgetary constraints. Although reduced, funds have been restored, and faculty continue to be supported for meritorious travel for research or conference participation. On average, the total support for faculty travel is approximately $400,000 per year. In all, nearly $1.5 million is devoted to faculty development on an annual basis.
The needs for faculty development are constant and evolving. Faculty members must remain current in their fields, teach new populations of students effectively, and contribute to the generation of new knowledge through various forms of scholarship or inquiry. Over many years, the Center for Teaching Excellence offered a number of initiatives to help faculty develop the skills necessary to deliver a transformative education. When the center was initially created in 1992 the focus of faculty development was on the integration of technology into the classroom experience. The expansion of the faculty necessitated programs in early-career mentoring, socializing opportunities, and classroom observations. Over time, the focus changed, and the center engaged faculty in discussions of pedagogy, course design, and best practices in student learning and assessment. Annually, the center sponsored up to five faculty members to attend the International Lilly Conference on College Teaching in Oxford, Ohio—nearly 30 faculty members have attended since 2005. In addition, the center mentored faculty in the scholarship of teaching and learning which resulted in more than a dozen publications on teaching and learning.
Today, a new model for faculty development is required as the academic deans now lead program assessment in their respective schools/college, and more and more faculty members are in need of assistance in designing online or hybrid courses. Recognizing the institution’s increasing focus on improved retention and higher graduation rates, professional development should also include information and resources for faculty to support student success and strategies for working with failing or struggling students. As a result, in the summer of 2014, the Center for Teaching Excellence was disbanded and resources redirected to the Griff Center for Academic Engagement. Support for the teaching and learning process continues through the deans and academic departments while the staff of the new Griff Center works directly with faculty to raise awareness of the root causes of student attrition and the role faculty members can play to better engage and retain students. Faculty interaction with the Griff Center is a fundamental cornerstone of the institution’s effort to improve retention. Additional offices provide support for faculty activities and professional development.
• The Office of Sponsored Programs offers guidance and support to faculty who wish to investigate and/or pursue grant opportunities from government offices or public foundations. With this support many faculty members have successfully secured grant funding for a variety of projects.
• FacTS (Faculty Technology Services): The FacTS Center serves as a central location for technology assistance. As the campus and its constituents have evolved to become a hybrid campus, offering both classroom and online programs, so has the FacTS Center evolved. Today, the center is staffed by a full-time academic technology specialist, a part-time user services specialist, and an instructional designer, all of whom have extensive training and teaching experience. The center continues to build and evolve its many self-paced online training opportunities, including: an Online Teaching Resources site for faculty, a Readiness site for students, and guides to campus technology for both faculty and students. The center offers training on Desire2Learn (D2L) and on the integration of tools such as GoToMeeting and SoftChalk, all based on best practices in the
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application of technology in education.
• The Andrew L. Bouwhuis library offers a variety of services that support faculty research and teaching. The library maintains a collection of academic resources in print and electronic formats to support the curriculum and research. Canisius is a member of the Center for Research Libraries and Connect New York, two academic cooperatives that improve access to scholarly resources. Interlibrary loan services ensure prompt access to material that is outside of those collections. A staff of professional librarians is available to address student and faculty needs. Librarians collaborate with faculty on material selection, information literacy instruction, and assessment. In addition, librarians provide instructional sessions on information literacy, often tailored to specific courses and assignments.
Canisius created an Information Literacy Specialist position in 2006 as an acknowledgement of the fact that information literacy is an essential component of effective educational programs. The specialist oversees the library’s program of information literacy and library instruction and also leads campus initiatives advocating for information literacy and its application to teaching, learning, academic libraries, and higher education. With a team of instructional librarians, the specialist has taken a number of steps to expand the library instruction program. Ongoing collaboration between librarians and faculty includes an information literacy rubric for all First Year Seminar courses, new resources to discern the needs of faculty, new materials for faculty to use in information literacy instruction, the embedded librarian program, service on the First Year Seminar Advisory Committee, Core Curriculum Committee, and the College Level Assessment Coordinators Committee.
Faculty as Teacher-Scholars Faculty members are active teacher-scholars who also engage in a wide variety of valuable service activities. Some are recognized nationally or internationally in their fields. In addition, many faculty are well-known to students for their commitment to teaching and mentoring and the enthusiasm with which they introduce students to research and share credit for publications. Ignatian Scholarship Day provides many examples of student-faculty research and the success students experience as a result of these opportunities. In addition, faculty members are active grant writers, and several have received significant grants in support of new and innovative initiatives. For example, faculty in the highly successful Institute for Autism Research have received the largest awards in Canisius history, totaling nearly $3.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education. Faculty members align their research and teaching with service in a number of ways.
• Mission and Identity Course Development Grants and Mission and Identity Research Fellowships are awarded to faculty members each year.
• The Canisius Video Institute gives students the opportunity to produce social documentaries and service-oriented videos, partnering with numerous non-profits and community groups.
• The William H. Fitzpatrick Institute of Public Affairs and Leadership sponsors a series of public lectures and programs meant to stimulate civic engagement and promote leadership development for students.
• The Institute for Autism Research (IAR) offers student interns opportunities to participate in community outreach and national research.
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• The Institute for the Study of Human-Animal Relations (ISHAR) sponsors Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation, who advocate for animal welfare and conservation.
• The Institute for the Global Study of Religion (IGSOR) conducts international Ignatian Seminars, summer immersion trips to underdeveloped communities in El Salvador, India, the Philippines, East Africa, and the inner city of Buffalo where students integrate their study of religious practice with the call to service and justice.
• Faculty link service and teaching by incorporating community-based learning into their classes. In 2013-14, 107 course sections had the service-learning designation, and 1,739 students participated. In the fall of 2014, 75 courses were designated as service-learning sections.
• Faculty members serve as advisors/mentors for the All-College Honors thesis, a labor-intensive activity that is of great benefit to honors students’ intellectual skills and abilities. As part of the honors living community, honors faculty also join honors students for a variety of social and intellectual activities.
• Faculty members unify their roles as teachers and scholars by mentoring student research through The Canisius Earning Excellence Program (CEEP). Faculty sponsor and supervise CEEP students from across a range of disciplines in the sciences and humanities, from lab assistants to researchers and editors of scholarly manuscripts. The program, which the college supports with $100,000 per year, funds the collaboration of students with faculty on academic research and scholarship close to their major or career interest, but it also requires that students themselves complete a tangible product ready for presentation, performance, or peer review. In 2014, there were 91 CEEP students conducting research in a variety of projects.
• Faculty mentor student researchers by sponsoring them at Ignatian Scholarship Day, a festive annual conference that celebrates student scholarship and creativity from the academic year. Students present their work in diverse formats, including posters, digital presentations, orally presented papers, and musical performances. In 2013-14 over 300 students participated in Ignatian Scholarship Day, with over 75 faculty sponsors.
• Faculty members mentor students to present at conferences and meetings or to compete in academic competitions across the country, offering students an introduction and insight into the discipline they are studying.
Many of the examples above demonstrate the faculty commitment to student learning, which clearly includes experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Although the Faculty Handbook describes a typical teaching load as twelve undergraduate credit hours per semester, in many departments the typical load is nine. Over the past 10 years or so, teaching loads, in practice, have been reduced in many departments to support expanded faculty scholarship and to provide more time for faculty-student interaction. In the current economic and enrollment climate, this widespread practice may need to become more tailored to fit the particular talents and interests of individual faculty members in order to support professional growth and development over the life of a tenure career.
Faculty Evaluation and Review “The Norms of Faculty Status and Welfare” (Faculty Handbook) documents the policies and procedures governing full-time faculty life, from appointment and renewal to the evaluation process. The section of the Faculty Handbook pertaining to faculty evaluation is reviewed collaboratively by the Faculty Senate
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and the academic vice president on a four-year cycle, but there is not a regular cycle of review of the Faculty Handbook in its entirety.
All full-time, tenured faculty members are expected to submit an annual professional progress report documenting their teaching effectiveness, scholarship, and service activities. These reports are reviewed by the department and the appropriate academic dean.
Tenure-track faculty members prepare an annual, comprehensive professional progress report for each of five years as the tenure decision date approaches. Each year, the progress report is reviewed by their department peers, the chair, the dean, and the Committee on Faculty Status. At each level, an evaluation is provided and guidance, designed to support the continuing development and success of the faculty member, is offered. The committee, authorized to make recommendations for tenure and promotion, is comprised of eight tenured faculty members elected by the faculty and representative of the three academic units, the three academic deans, and the vice president for academic affairs. An affirmative vote of eight members is required to carry a tenure or promotion recommendation. The committee holds annual information sessions where the process is described, and members offer advice for compiling the annual evaluation and the tenure/promotion application. In addition, the Office of Academic Affairs posts guidance on its community portal page for faculty who are pre-tenure or considering an application for promotion.
Every department has developed criteria for tenure and promotion in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. It is the responsibility of the Committee on Faculty Status to ensure that these standards comply with expectations in the Faculty Handbook and to apply the standards of each department consistently. Every year, the committee offers feedback and suggestions for improvement in all three areas of evaluation via formal letters to each tenure-track faculty member with copies to the chair and the dean. In cases of tenure or promotion, the committee forwards its recommendation for action to the president, who makes the final determinations. Since 2008, 88 percent of tenure applications have been granted. When a tenured faculty member wishes to be considered for promotion to full professor, the same process is engaged, from the department to the president. Currently, 39 percent of the full-time faculty are full professors, 38 percent are at the associate level, and 22 percent are assistant professors. Promotion and Tenure Statistics
Adjunct faculty demonstrate teaching effectiveness through an online teaching evaluation instrument which is completed by students in the course. Department chairs review the student course evaluations of all adjunct faculty.
Faculty Benefits, Welfare, and Governance The college offers a variety of benefits in addition to salary, including medical insurance, total disability insurance, and a dental assistance plan. Faculty members may participate in a flexible spending account (Canisius Care) administered by the college. Faculty who contribute two percent to a retirement plan through TIAA-CREF receive an eight percent contribution from the college. The college also supports a generous undergraduate tuition waiver benefit for family members of full-time faculty and participates in the Tuition Exchange program that allows dependents to apply to enroll at nearly 350 colleges and universities in the exchange. Canisius also participates in FACHEX, the exchange program for Jesuit institutions.
For emeriti faculty who wish to stay active in the life of the college after retirement, the college maintains the Sloan Faculty Resource Program Suite, providing an office location on campus from which to work. For many years, the college has supported the Faculty Resource Program (FRP), allowing tenured faculty over the age of 60 to phase into retirement at either half-time or quarter-time for up to five years. As part of a retirement incentive offered to the college’s faculty this past year, the president set a deadline for the 41
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submission of applications for entry into the FRP for the 2014-15 year, and three faculty members entered the program. The president has indicated the need to redesign the program prior to re-opening applications for subsequent years. In 2014, full-time faculty members over the age of 62 in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education and Human Services were offered a one-time retirement incentive package as part of the initiative to reshape the number and composition of faculty, and six faculty members accepted the offer.
In recent years, the morale of some faculty members has declined as a result of some concerns regarding shared governance, relatively flat salaries, and increased healthcare costs. In 2012, the faculty participated in a survey administered by the Chronicle of Higher Education to identify “Great Colleges to Work For.” Although the data set differed from previous surveys, and the questions had changed, results showed the college had declined somewhat in the ratings. In this climate, the Faculty Senate has continued to voice faculty concerns, in various public fora and through resolutions, and it has championed faculty benefits and welfare, primarily through its Budget Committee, Governance Committee, and Faculty Welfare Committee. Recently, the senate and the president have been working together to improve shared governance, with new practices now in place for faculty participation in committees of the Board of Trustees meetings and more opportunities for faculty participation in high-level administrative searches and committees. These are steps toward building a culture of collaboration and transparency, and for fostering mutual respect between the faculty and the administrative leadership.
Curricular Design and Maintenance The faculty have primary oversight of curriculum design, which originates at the department level. Curricular guidance for the Undergraduate Core Curriculum is provided by the Core Curriculum Committee and for the honors program by the Honors Advisory Committee. The Faculty Senate approves both curricula.
Currently, new courses are approved by a vote at the department level and, with the approval of the dean, added to the course offerings. While this approach focuses course development appropriately at the department level, multiple major and core requirements, which often cross departmental lines, require a more sophisticated, integrated, and comprehensive process for institutional course management. Discussions regarding the development of a more effective course management system are underway.
New programs are proposed within departments in a process that begins with the sponsoring department which then, normally, works with the New Program Committee (NPC) for assistance in developing a viable proposal. New program proposals are presented to the Academic Program Board which is responsible for reviewing the proposal, offering feedback, and, ultimately, providing a recommendation to the vice president for academic affairs.
A major responsibility of the faculty is the design and implementation of the core curriculum, the academic foundation of the undergraduate educational experience at any Jesuit institution. A standing committee (the Core Curriculum Committee) reports to the senate and, in some cases, works collaboratively with another standing committee of the senate, the Educational Policy Committee.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS As a comprehensive university, Canisius offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts tradition as well as in the professions of business and education. Specialized programs complement the traditional majors for particular groups of students, the honors program and Urban Leadership Learning Community, for example, and a number of co-curricular and extra-curricular programs that are mission- focused. In recent years the college has emphasized efforts to retain higher numbers of students to graduation by creating initiatives designed to engage them academically, socially, and spiritually. By the 42
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time they graduate, students will have had multiple opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom, to engage the world in ways that emulate the Jesuit traditions of social justice and intellectual development. The academic programs at Canisius are characterized by rigor, coherence, and articulated learning goals as detailed below.
Undergraduate Programs The majority of course offerings and programs fall under the undergraduate units of the college. Cast in the Jesuit tradition of intellectual development, the undergraduate majors and minors, in conjunction with the core curricula, reflect the mission and values of that tradition. The Undergraduate Core Curriculum and the All-College Honors Program are the cornerstones of the undergraduate general education experience. All students must complete either the general core curriculum or the honors program.
A number of academic programs are accredited by external agencies. Programs in the Wehle School of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business - International (AACSB), and the teacher education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). In addition, individual programs such as chemistry, school counseling, and athletic training, among others have been accredited or recognized by national agencies in those specific fields.
Two committees are charged with developing and vetting new academic programs. The primary committee is the Academic Program Board (APB), which consists of faculty representatives from the two professional schools and the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the vice president for academic affairs and the respective deans of each school. This board is responsible for vetting and recommending new programs to the vice president. In 2009, the New Program Committee (NPC) was formed in order to support faculty through the development process for new programs. This group created criteria to be used to review and rate proposals, acting as a gatekeeper before final review by the APB. As a result of this more deliberate process, 10 new undergraduate programs and 15 new graduate programs have been vetted and approved via the APB since 2008. While program development is important, it must be supported by sufficient market analysis and, following implementation, ongoing program review to guide planning and resource allocation. Consequently, the APB has recently developed a program review process that examines the viability and relevance of programs across the college. Starting in 2013, all academic programs were asked to complete a substantive program review that included faculty productivity, enrollment data, return on investment data, teaching loads measured by various metrics, and results of assessment of student learning activities. In 2014, the APB began the process of evaluating the reviews.
The undergraduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) tend to be traditional, liberal arts majors and minors, including several interdisciplinary, mission-centric programs, most notably in justice studies, Catholic studies, and environmental studies. In addition to the humanities, science, and social science majors, CAS also offers programs in digital media arts, bioinformatics, animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC), and other interdisciplinary programs that meld existing courses into new majors or minors. There are several programs of distinction in CAS, including the pre-medical programs’ success in placing students in medical school. CAS programs offer students a wide range of experiential opportunities which enhance the academic experience including Mock Trial and EuroSim in political science, undergraduate research opportunities in the sciences, and Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation in ABEC, to name just a few.
The Wehle School of Business (WSB) offers undergraduate programs in accounting, accounting information systems, economics, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and, the newest addition, entrepreneurship. The business programs have a consistent record of student achievement and experiential opportunity, including the Golden Griffin Fund, a student-run, real-money, investment fund. Students participate in an investment research competition (the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute 43
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Research Challenge) and have placed in the top five percent of competing universities in North and South America two of the past four years. The Enactus economic development program is a strong mission- centric program which targets people in need and works to effectively improve the quality of life and standard of living for its project beneficiaries. The Canisius student team placed fifth out of 220 teams in the national competition held in Cincinnati. Accounting graduates ranked first overall in New York State on the 2013 CPA exam cycle in the category of large programs. In addition, strong partnerships with national firms such as Citi, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, and A.G. Edwards offer valuable student internship opportunities.
Programs in the School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) range from traditional teacher education to programs in health and wellness, sport management, and athletic training/sports medicine. Most programs provide significant real world experience through field experiences, internships, or clinical assignments. Consistent with mission and coordinated through the Office of Educational Partnerships, the SEHS develops and maintains strong partnerships with educational institutions in the community in order to provide varied and effective field experiences for teacher candidates. In addition to three professional development schools, the SEHS values many advanced partnerships with Buffalo Public Schools and other public, charter, and Catholic schools in the area. Each year, 10 Canisius College teacher candidates are awarded an opportunity to complete a 675-hour service requirement in high needs school settings through a partnership with AmeriCorps Builds Lives Through Education (ABLE). Teach for America has chosen Canisius as the exclusive partner in Buffalo to recruit, educate, and support corps members to become highly qualified teachers for the Buffalo Public Schools. Additionally, students are provided with opportunities to participate with faculty in research in a variety of programs including athletic training and through the Institute for Autism Research. The faculty are committed to social justice, particularly in relation to educational opportunities for the disadvantaged, as evidenced by the JUSTICE Project and numerous other service activities throughout the community.
GENERAL EDUCATION Canisius College offers all undergraduate students an exceptional grounding in general education; the majority of undergraduates experience the Undergraduate Core Curriculum while approximately 10 percent experience the All-College Honors Program which is parallel to, but not identical to, the core. In both cases, Canisius students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiency in essential skills and core content.
Undergraduate Core Curriculum The undergraduate core curriculum is the hallmark of any Jesuit university; it embodies Ignatian values; it espouses the ideal of academic excellence along with a sense of responsibility to use one’s gifts for the service of others and the benefit of society. Aligned with the institutional learning goals, the Canisius Core Curriculum demonstrates high aspirations for undergraduates as it seeks to develop a:
• breadth of knowledge in the liberal arts with a view to developing faculties of reflection and judgment;
• focused awareness of the human condition, as marked by both cooperation and conflict, and an understanding of the ways in which educated people of good will and good spirit have contributed thoughtfulness and understanding to human progress;
• foundation of skills that students need to turn their knowledge and understanding into academic productivity and social responsibility.
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In 2007, the Faculty Senate, which has authority over the structure and content of the core curriculum, asserted that the core must be commensurate with the Ignatian mission of the college to educate the whole person and embrace the Jesuit mission of the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Therefore, the mission of the core is to provide undergraduates with a strong foundation in the humanities and liberal arts as the first step in a transformative experience that will expose them to the richness of human diversity and infuse them with a sense of service in the cause of justice for all peoples, but especially for the poor and marginalized of the world. The resulting liberal arts core curriculum, approved by the senate in 2007, consists of: (1) a range of courses falling under the traditional disciplines in the arts and sciences (fields), and (2) specific courses designed to infuse a set of cross-disciplinary attributes which are central to the mission and Jesuit identity of the institution and critical to student success. These attributes are identified as either knowledge attributes (justice, ethics, diversity, and global awareness) or skills attributes (writing intensive and oral communication).
The overall intent of the core curriculum is to prepare students to think critically, imaginatively, and independently while developing in each student the knowledge and skills necessary for a fulfilling life.
The core curriculum requires students to complete between 12 and 18 courses (some courses meet more than one requirement). Foundation courses, normally taken during freshman year, include: Explorations of Academic Writing: Special Topics (FYS 101), Writing About Literature (ENG 101), Introduction to Philosophy (PHI 101), and Introduction to Religious Studies (RST 101). This early experience in reading and expository writing and an introduction to developing information literacy skills begin to foster students’ critical thinking and analytic skills. Courses which meet field requirements are discipline based, and students are expected to complete a course in each of the following “breadth of knowledge” fields: religious studies and theology, philosophy, literature and the arts, history, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematical sciences. Over the life of their academic experience, students select courses which express each of the four cross-disciplinary knowledge attributes and each of two cross-disciplinary skills attributes. These attributes may be embedded in major or field courses. The core was designed so that each student might encounter the attributed courses at several points during the course of study. Core Structure At or about the senior year, each student is required to complete a core capstone course; such courses may or may not also serve as major capstones. In these courses, students apply the knowledge and skills of their core experiences to their own or another discipline. These courses also provide an opportunity for summative, end-point assessment of the goals and objectives of the core curriculum and, in some cases, the major.
All-College Honors Program Approximately 10 percent of undergraduates experience an alternative to the core curriculum by participating in the honors program, a program that has been in place for 55 years. In the 1980s the program was approved by the Faculty Senate to serve as the core curriculum for honors students; revisions to the curriculum in 2007 created the current program. Many of the most distinguished graduates of the institution, including numerous PhDs, 21 Fulbright scholarship awardees, physicians, attorneys, religious, and campus/community leaders are proud alumni of the Canisius honors experience.
As outlined in the honors program constitution, the program seeks the development of a full range of human qualities essential to the intellectual, moral, and social dimensions of life. In particular, an honors education promotes a basic understanding of Western culture, interdisciplinary inquiry, strong critical thinking skills, and effective expressions, as well as an understanding of humanistic values.
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Honors students begin their experience in the first year of the program with a literature and writing course (HON 101 English) and an introduction to the Western tradition in philosophy, history, and the arts (HON 110 Western Tradition I and HON 111 Western Tradition II). Students in the All-College Honors Program complete 12 courses designed exclusively for honors-style learning (i.e., combination lecture and seminar), and two courses in a foreign language (either ancient or modern) while they complete the requirements for their academic major. In this way, the honors program fashions a unique academic experience for its students. Above the 100-level, honors students are required to take at least one honors- designated course in history, two in religious studies, one in philosophy, one in social science, one in fine arts, one in literature, and one in science/mathematics/or technology. Within this framework, students are required to select at least one course with the American Experience designation and at least one with a global awareness and/or diversity designation. All of these academic experiences are tailored to the advanced academic abilities of the honors student population. Near the conclusion of their course of study, and under the guidance of a faculty mentor, honors students research, write, and defend a thesis, a project that serves as a valuable and individualized capstone experience. The thesis requires a set of intellectual skills common to most forms of scientific, social scientific, and humanistic inquiry:
• identify a question to investigate;
• undertake appropriate research;
• devise a hypothesis or argument;
• determine the validity of the argument;
• analyze results; and
• report the results for public review or comment.
It is the mission of the honors program to create a community of scholars who are engaged with academics and the world around them; therefore, the honors program also offers students a number of experiential learning opportunities, including guided travel abroad during breaks, excursions to local and regional cultural events, museum visits, performances, and service opportunities. The program emphasizes the Jesuit mission of service and justice in many ways including its own community service days.
The honors program offers a demanding intellectual and cultural core experience to academically gifted and highly motivated undergraduates. The table below summarizes the alignment of institutional goals and objectives and the MSCHE general education requirements with the Undergraduate Core Curriculum and the All-College Honors Program
Undergraduate All-College Honors (Alignment with Institutional G&O’s Core Curriculum Program MSCHE Gen Ed) Academic Excellence Foundations Western Traditions
Written Communication FYS 101, ENG 101, Written Communication Information Literacy PHI 101, RST 101 Hon 101 Information Literacy
Knowledge Honors Academic Excellence Essential Knowledge Attributes Requirements
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Diversity OR Different Perspectives Diversity Diversity Global Awareness
Foreign Language Global Awareness Global Awareness Western Tradition I Western Tradition II Ethics Ethics Ethics
Social Teaching Justice Values
Honors Critical Thinking/ Critical Thinking Skills Attributes Requirements Essential Skills Speak Oral Communication Thesis* Oral Communication Write Advanced Writing Thesis* Written Communication Breadth of Honors Fields Essential Skills Knowledge Requirements Humanistic/Cath. Jesuit 1. Religious Studies Religious Studies Humanistic 2. Philosophy Philosophy 3. Arts and Humanistic Fine Arts & Literature Literature Humanistic 4. History History Social Science 5. Social Sciences Social Science Scientific 6. Natural Sciences Depending on the Scientific Reasoning topic, the thesis requires a set of intellectual skills 7. Mathematical common to most Quantitative
Sciences forms of scientific, Reasoning social scientific, and /or humanistic inquiry.
When the honors curriculum was approved by the Faculty Senate in 2008, the senate stipulated that all honors courses have always emphasized oral communication and advanced writing, which is why separate skill attributes did not need to be added to honors. The honors thesis places additional/special (not introductory or exclusive) emphasis on written and oral communication.
Challenges and Opportunities in General Education In order to ensure that the core curriculum accomplishes its established outcomes, it is essential that the management, support, and communication of the core are effective and robust. Recognizing that additional attention is needed in these three areas, the steps described below have begun.
Committee Oversight and Management: The Faculty Senate and Core Curriculum Committee (CCC) created an ambitious core curriculum, but its complexity has fostered unforeseen consequences in terms of operationalizing the curriculum. The Faculty Senate has taken steps to clarify the roles of the committees that oversee the core and its implementation. The roles and relationships among the Faculty Senate, the Educational Policy Committee (a committee of the senate which studies the educational needs of the college and recommends policies for improvement to the senate), the academic vice president,
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deans, and the CCC should be more clearly defined to facilitate and formalize processes for core curriculum implementation, management, assessment, and revision.
Information should be regularly shared with members of each committee and with the rest of the college community. Progress has been made to ensure that minutes and attendance of the Core Curriculum Committee are recorded, preserved, and publicized consistently, so that the entire college community is fully aware of the core curriculum as it continues to evolve. This information is important to academic departments for course scheduling, to admissions for recruitment, to the deans for planning purposes, and to the faculty as the foundational educational experience of undergraduate students.
Administrative Support: The ongoing work of the Core Curriculum Committee is demanding and time- consuming for the director, a faculty member who is given a single course reduction each semester; past directors have indicated that the position requires far more of their time than preparing and teaching a single course would take. In an attempt to address this issue, in the spring of 2013, the academic vice president approved the role of “Associate Director” of the core curriculum, and a tenured professor was appointed to this position for the 2014-15 academic year. This additional resource is intended to facilitate the finalization of goals and objectives, and for the CCC to redouble its efforts on progress toward assessment of the core. This arrangement will be evaluated at the end of the academic year to determine if it had the intended effect to provide a stronger, more adequate level of support for the work of the committee.
Curricular Management: Between approval of the core (2007) and implementation (2009-14), core components, including learning goals and objectives, have been revised and refined. Approval of courses for inclusion in the core has continued since initial implementation, allowing for refinement and improvements. However, based on the review of a large sample of syllabi from core courses, inconsistencies have been identified in the application of the learning goals for the fields and attributes associated with the courses. These concerns are related to the management of core implementation and not a critique of the rigor required in these courses. In general, the challenges associated with implementation of the new core have limited the ability to develop an effective and comprehensive assessment plan.
Communication: In addition to ensuring appropriate resources to manage the core, the Canisius vision of general education needs to be better communicated to constituent groups as a coherent program which emphasizes the mission and supports the learning goals of the institution. There is a need for a more cohesive narrative to foster an understanding of the core as a unique and valuable mission-centered general education experience. This opportunity is already partially realized as both cores offer students the possibility of following individually tailored pathways through the components of general education. Such pathways could connect their interests, majors, minors, hopes, and aspirations in a way that engages them to transform their minds and spirits. Each core could effectively deliver the competencies of general education in a way that aligns with the college’s mission, and in a way that is unique to each core.
The All-College Honors Program The All-College Honors Program fulfills the college mission in somewhat different, often more extensive, ways than the general core. In some cases the explicit terminology used is different, while the aims remain the same. For example, institutional core learning goals include both global awareness and diversity. In its Mission Statement, honors outlines those characteristics clearly, but the honors program’s stated learning goals and objectives do not explicitly mention these attributes. Instead, honors explicitly states that every student must take courses beyond those required in the core, i.e., two foreign language courses and two Western civilization courses (encompassing philosophy, history, the arts and culture, and science)—to assure a greater breadth of knowledge and skills related to global awareness along with a course with an American focus that invariably addresses diversity (e.g., Introduction to Latinos, or New 48
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Perspectives on the Civil Rights Movement). Honors students must also take courses in religion, philosophy, history, literature, and the social sciences that address ethics and justice (e.g., African Ethics and Christianity, or Women and Religion) without an explicit attribute designated in non-honors courses. Students also take courses with such attributes as part of the curriculum beyond the honors program. Moreover, the thesis requirement is of such rigor that an honors student is assured of meeting high standards of general intellectual inquiry from research and writing to oral skills in a defense process that is open to the public for challenge and discussion. Honors students ultimately fulfill the Jesuit mission and a curriculum parallel to the core that is even more demanding, including a more substantial global component, comparable to the best honors programs at other Jesuit schools. This rigor explains why Canisius’ All-College Honors Program graduates are leaders in fields ranging from law and medicine to education and business in today’s world.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS The majority of graduate programs are housed in the two professional schools: business and education. The Wehle School of Business (WSB) offers three variations of an MBA program: one year, evening, and professional accounting. The school recently added a master’s in forensic accounting. Although graduate enrollment across the college has declined, enrollments in the school’s MBA programs have remained relatively stable.
The School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) has been very active in developing and offering new and innovative graduate programs for teacher education, literacy, school counseling, sport administration, and college student personnel administration. The SEHS piloted the college’s first fully online program, advanced physical education, in 2005, after intense study of the potential for online graduate programs. The program proved to be successful, and in 2008 the school began to develop additional online and on- campus graduate degree and certificate programs to serve the professional development needs of working professionals in the fields of education and counseling. The Office of Professional Studies (OPS), a sub-unit of the SEHS, was created specifically to develop online graduate programs in specific niche areas in allied health fields: nutrition, community and school health, respiratory care, and health and information technology. In 2011, a task force was formed to develop and implement polices to assure the quality and consistency of online education across the institution. The final report recommended policies and procedures required to keep pace with the growth and demands of online programs. Task Force on Online Education. This document continues to guide protocol to prepare faculty to teach effectively online and to inform administrative structures.
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) offers two graduate programs, one in communication and leadership and the other in anthrozoology. The first aims to develop the leadership skills of professionals working in a variety of profit and non-profit organizations. Enrollment has been relatively stable. Anthrozoology (the study of human-animal interaction) is offered as a modified online format. Students and faculty meet together on campus for an intensive four-day sequence of course orientations, planning sessions, classroom meetings, and special seminars by invited speakers. The remainder of the course work is conducted in a vibrant online learning community maintained throughout the semester. The program opened in 2011, has maintained strong enrollment, and graduated its first cohort in 2013. High national demand for the anthrozoology master's degree has a resulted in a very selective acceptance rate.
Challenges and Opportunities in Graduate Education Economic realities and declining demographics in Western New York and throughout the Northeast have led to enrollment declines in a number of graduate programs in recent years. Graduate-level teacher education and physical education programs have been impacted significantly and experienced dramatic decreases. The declining population base and subsequent school district consolidation has reduced the demand for teachers, and the trend is not likely to change in the near future. In the past, large numbers 49
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of Canadian students enrolled in the graduate education programs, but that population has also diminished owing to changing conditions in Canadian teacher preparation requirements and employment opportunities. To a certain degree, the impact of those decreases has been mitigated by growth in online programs in the SEHS. The college is acutely aware of the smaller enrollments in these programs, and it has been working creatively to reassign faculty who find their courses under-enrolled, while working long term to bring the number of full-time faculty in line with current enrollment levels and to create programs that will be attractive to new populations of graduate students. The availability of faculty from some under-enrolled programs provided an opportunity to invite their participation in the new first-year experience program (GRIFF 101) for freshmen and the first-year seminar (FYS 101), and many accepted.
One bright spot in graduate enrollment has been the growth in almost every online program the School of Education and Human Services offers. Some of the more successful online programs in the SEHS are sport administration, school building and district leadership, and literacy. All have experienced increases in enrollment since implementation. As enrollment has declined in on-campus programs, similar programs online have experienced enrollment increases, indicating that the move to graduate-level online programming was a wise decision.
ONLINE PROGRAMS Online learning has substantially grown over the past 10 years. The college has made great strides in developing these programs through coordinated systems, faculty development, and student support. Currently, the college has actively cultivated a number of online initiatives and now offers 11 online master’s degrees and five online advanced certificates, all at the graduate level. While Canisius offers online degree and certificate programs, the college does not offer distributed learning or correspondence education. Online programs attempt to weave deep interactions among faculty, students, and content into these locally-developed and maintained learning experiences and the online communities they create. Therefore, embracing the whole student, Canisius provides online courses and programs that are consistent with its institutional role, mission, and Catholic, Jesuit identity.
Proposals for new courses or degree-granting programs must minimally meet the same standards of quality established for on-campus instruction and, in addition, must meet standards specifically applicable to online instruction. The instructor, program directors, and deans oversee the curriculum management, assuring that courses are offered at intervals that will allow for timely completion of the program, and the deans and program directors oversee the instructors.
Instructors, program directors, and the department chairs are responsible for ensuring all program materials accurately represent the program, that all course materials represent the courses, and that all materials clearly and accurately define any specific background knowledge or technical skill needed to successfully complete the distance learning courses. In addition, program materials describe any course- specific technical equipment and/or software required or recommended. All instructors are fully involved and engaged in the creation, delivery, and assessment of their courses, despite the fact that many instructors are physically not on campus. Faculty members engaged in online learning are expected to maintain course design and delivery that supports student-student and faculty-student interaction and engagement.
Hiring, Training, and Support of Online Faculty Currently, the hiring and supervisory authority (dean, associate dean, and chairperson), in consultation with the instructional designer, has been responsible for ensuring that course instructors possess the necessary skills and qualifications to teach online. Instructors must be willing and able to master the unique skill set required for online instruction. To aid in this process, an online teaching readiness questionnaire was designed to determine a candidate’s preparedness and aptitude for teaching online. 50
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If instructors have received a certification from another institution or can demonstrate a proven record of online teaching from another institution, they can submit a copy of the certificate or their curriculum vita to qualify as exempt from the training program. However, first-time online instructors, including those with an exemption, must complete a comprehensive orientation to teaching online at Canisius including an overview of available online resources and a survey of readiness to teach in the online environment.
In addition to the orientation, a five-week Online Course Development Workshop is available to help faculty to prepare for online teaching. The instructional designer is also available to work with instructors to ensure course quality. The five-week workshop and one-on-one consultation are available for instructors wishing to teach in hybrid and blended formats. The workshop has graduated 136 full-time and adjunct faculty members as of September 2014. The instructional designer also offers continuing professional development opportunities to help faculty stay abreast of the newest and best online teaching practices and learning trends. To facilitate best practices among online instructors and encourage collegial support and faculty mentorship, new faculty members are invited to be mentored by experienced online instructors. In addition to training faculty, the instructional designer collaborates with online program directors and the Office of Graduate Admissions to ensure that students are enrolled in courses, oriented to the learning management system, and have the resources they need for the coursework. Two Online Teaching Summits have been held in the summer to encourage faculty participation. In short, online faculty are not only trained for their specialized role but are also supported by these services.
The Andrew L. Bouwhuis library publishes an Online Learning Community Resource page to keep online faculty apprised of the resources available through the library. Librarians are available to assist online faculty and students via email, phone, online conferencing, or in person.
Recruitment and Admissions for Online Programs The admissions team has focused on recruiting students for online programs by targeting populations within specific career fields using mass emails, location visits, graduate fairs, and media campaigns (print and social media). Canisius has a comprehensive website that details every program and the requirements for completing it. Potential online students are expected to meet the same requirements as on-campus students, including the international students who are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is not their first (native) language. During the enrollment process, online students are directed to the Readiness for Learning site, permitting them to explore the learning management system and learning online process step-by-step. The site includes a Readiness to Learn Online survey which is available to the public and is distributed to all online students. This survey is not required, but completion is highly recommended.
Support Services for Online Students Canisius strives to make the same support services available to distance education students as those received by their on-campus counterparts. Support from the Counseling Center and services offered in the Griff Center (tutoring, career services, accessibility assistance, and veterans’ support) are available by phone, email, and Skype.
ITS and library resources are available online. Students are issued authentication credentials for their account, which gives them access to email, the learning management system, the library databases, and other services. The myCanisius portal allows students to register online, access course schedules, grades, degree audits, financial aid, billing information, and tuition payments.
The library offers online resources that may be used to access articles, eBooks, music, and videos from any computer or mobile device. Research assistance is available to students and faculty in person, by 51
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phone, text, email, or via 24/7 chat service. There are also online research guides and tutorials. Technology assistance is available, but it is not 24/7. The ITS Help Desk may be reached by phone, email, or in person Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm.
The library has steadily developed a collection of online resources to support remote students. Librarians collaborate with faculty and the FacTS Center staff to provide material and assistance as needed. The library collaborated with ITS to conduct a standardized survey that measured information service outcomes in 2013. The library staff have used the information gathered to improve services, including evaluating the website and online resources to increase accessibility, increasing outreach efforts to raise awareness of services, and improving technology implementation in collaboration with ITS.
Challenges and Opportunities in Online Education The current support structure for online learning, while presently sufficient, may limit continued growth and development in this area. Besides staffing, the many efforts needed for successful online learning require continuous coordination. Meeting the challenges and demands associated with the dynamic growth in online learning points to the need for more developed processes and structure going forward.
OTHER STANDARD 13 CATEGORIES Basic Skills Canisius has well-developed programs to address the needs of students who show potential to succeed but are weak in particular academic skills or fall below Canisius’ normal admissions requirements (see Chapter 3 for additional information on the Canisius Opportunity Programs in Education (COPE) and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)). For students who are disadvantaged and do not meet regular admission standards, intensive academic support services are delivered though the HEOP and provided by instructors, counselors, academic advisers, academic skills coordinators, and tutors. Regarding measures of success, an analysis of HEOP student grades and freshman-to-sophomore retention rates show HEOP student performance to be comparable to other Canisius students. The six-year graduation rate for HEOP students is lower, but an increasing emphasis on retention should improve this rate in the coming years.
Overall, Canisius denies admission to approximately 25 percent of applicants, suggesting that the seventy- five percent of students admitted are adequately prepared for college-level work, as their academic profiles would suggest. Even so, a subset of students present SAT scores and high school grades which indicate they might have some challenges for success in writing, mathematics, and/or chemistry courses. These students are offered MAT 105x, ENG 100, and/or CHM 109, all courses designed to provide the highest potential for success in subsequent courses. Students placed in ENG 100 have an average SAT verbal score of 468 and a high school average of 83.6. These scores indicate that an intensively supervised introduction to writing in ENG 100 will improve their success rate in the first year seminar (FYS 101) leading to improved retention. Similar criteria are used to place students in MAT 105x and CHM 109. These courses provide additional contact hours to support students with homework and extra attention. In ENG 100, academic support has been enhanced by providing graduate assistants as mentors who can continue with them into FYS 101. Student success has improved materially from approaches such as this as evidenced by retention rates. Comparing the fall 2012 freshman cohort to that of fall 2013, freshman to sophomore retention increased from 73 percent to 83 percent in ENG 100, from 73 percent to 82 percent for students in CHM 109, and from 77 percent to 82 percent for MAT 105x. While direct causality to particular interventions is not scientific yet, the recent improvement in retention is indicative of student success across a broad spectrum of potentially at-risk students.
Certificate Programs
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The certificate programs offered at Canisius are integrated within their respective academic units. All courses for the certificate are also available within the degree programs. Students enrolled in the certificate programs are integrated into courses with degree program students, and there is no distinction made between them and degree students. Each certificate program has learning goals and objectives that are publicly available, and all are in compliance with expected knowledge, skills, and competency levels.
The following certificate programs are currently offered at Canisius:
• Bilingual Education
• Community Mental Health
• Computer Science
• Education Technologies and Emerging Media
• Educational Leadership (School Building Leader and School District Leader)
• School Counseling
• Teaching English as a Second Language
• Women and Gender Studies
Prior Learning Credit Currently, there are no procedures in place to award credit for prior learning to undergraduate students. The Office of Professional Studies (OPS) has a posted policy for students entering master’s degree programs with significant experience in their field. Only two students have attempted to obtain Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit in the last three years, and neither was successful. The PLA process exists because the professional nature of these master’s programs often provides candidates with the opportunity to learn on-the-job. If candidates ask for prior learning assessment for credit, their request is subject to the standards issued by the Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning, and it usually takes the form of a challenge exam or portfolio.
Community Based Learning Community Based Learning (CBL), which includes service learning, inspires students to become men and women with and for others while connecting their service experiences to the classroom, often recognizing the need to witness justice and stand beside those who are marginalized in society. Community and service learning opportunities are part of over 50 different classes and are taken by approximately 750 students across all three schools every semester. While these experiences are not typically considered program field experiences or internships, they demonstrate a connection between the academic program and the Catholic, Jesuit mission of the college.
Internships In addition to service learning, Canisius encourages students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to internship experiences. Students are offered internships for credit, and those opportunities are monitored by a faculty member who assigns a grade (or Pass/Fail) based on the work the student performed as part of the work experience. Non-credit internships are also possible and common, but they are more difficult to track and verify. Starting in 2014, students who can document a non-credit internship will be given verification on a co-curricular transcript. 53
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Internship experiences vary slightly across the three schools, but there are common threads: all have established learning goals and objectives for internships; the SEHS programs developed goals and objectives based on set criteria established by their accreditor. Recommendations to improve and expand internship opportunities have been outlined by the Career Center Task Force and include the development and implementation of a four-year career plan for all students and stronger, more accessible and assessable internship opportunities. The college uses College Central to assist with the organization of internship opportunities but recognizes the need to better coordinate all internship opportunities in ways that provide students with information to take advantage of the college’s network of alumni and employers who are interested in supporting Canisius students.
Non-Credit Offerings The Canisius Center for Professional Development and the Women’s Business Center, both reporting to the dean of the Wehle School of Business, offer non-credit instruction and professional development to individuals, groups, and companies in the local community.
The Women’s Business Center provides real-world expertise to guide the professional development of women business owners. It provides a comprehensive package of programs and services, including coaching, education, business development programs, and networking opportunities that enable clients to build and strengthen their enterprises and networks. It is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Center for Professional Development (CPD) provides open enrollment programs and custom solutions for businesses, individuals, and groups from the region that engage all levels of leadership, supporting individual and organizational success.
Branch Campuses, Additional Locations, and Other Instructional Sites Canisius College maintains two off-campus instructional sites: the Center for Professional Development and the Deaf Education Program sited at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf. As stated above, the CPD offers non-credit bearing programs for professional development and training. However, MBA program courses in the Wehle School of Business are taught at the site, which is fully equipped with instructional technology staff support.
The St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, located between the two sections of the main campus, is the site of the Graduate Deaf Education program, a collaborative two-year program to train educators of the deaf. The 58-credit program is housed at St. Mary’s in the Graduate Suite of the St. Mary’s campus where all courses are taught. The program follows a comprehensive philosophy, preparing graduate students to be teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing in a variety of educational placements using a variety of communication methodologies. The program relies on St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, and other residential schools in New York State and Pennsylvania as well as public school programs serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing, to provide a wide-range of practicum and student teaching experiences. The Deaf Education Program is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) and follows the CED standards as well as New York State standards. The graduate students in the program are Canisius College students and receive full access to support services.
In addition, through a collaborative agreement with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), undergraduate business students who qualify spend either the junior or senior year studying at the institute in New York City. While there, students complete coursework in fashion design, manufacturing, and retailing.
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Undergraduate students in the Medical Laboratory Science program spend their fourth and final year in a hospital-based, accredited internship program. During this experience, students become proficient in all areas of the clinical laboratory, including hematology, clinical chemistry, immunology, microbiology, histology, and immunohematology. Rochester General Hospital and WCA Hospital in Jamestown, New York, are the college’s partners for this educational experience.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING A culture of assessment has taken root at Canisius. Recommendations from the visiting team report of 2005 and the PRR of 2010 have strengthened these roots. In the intervening years, Canisius has appointed individuals and created committee structures to assess student learning over all units and programs. The effort has had many positive effects, including the revitalization of classroom practice, the design of new teaching spaces, and the deeper understanding of students’ different learning styles and forms of intelligence. This Self-Study process has served as a catalyst for the college to reflect on the substantial progress made in assessment. While the college has achieved many successes, there are still areas where greater coordination, accountability, and communication are needed. As an iterative process, practice will continue to be refined and revised as the culture of assessment continues to mature, and as assessment information is used for continuous improvement and to inform decision making and resource allocation.
As first noted in the PRR of 2010, the college has gone through an evolutionary process to learn how best to develop and manage multiple concurrent assessment processes and to communicate their importance and progress. A timeline of investments in leadership, organizational structures, and technologies highlights this evolution. One of the most helpful tools has been the assessment dashboard as it tracks assessment activity across the different schools and units.
As the college began its work to prepare for the current Self-Study in 2011 with the appointment of the Accreditation Oversight Committee (AOC), the structures that needed to be in place, including an overarching assessment plan for the college, began to take shape. The first AOC Annual Status Report for Standard 14 (2012-13) articulated areas of strength and areas in need of improvement based on the fundamental elements and a review of collected evidence. At that time, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education and Human Services had made the most progress in the assessment of student learning and effectively satisfied the components of the assessment standard. The Wehle School of Business and most programs not aligned with a specific academic unit were close to meeting the elements of the standard, and assessment of student learning in the core curriculum was in need of significant improvement. It was also noted that where assessment was occurring, the results were sometimes shared in annual reports to deans, but there was not strong evidence that results contributed to decision-making beyond the level of the individual program. In most instances, reports were not shared beyond the immediate program level, nor were they focused on improving student learning.
In 2014 the college adopted an overarching plan, Policies Governing College-Wide Student Learning Assessment in Academic Programs to create a common understanding of assessment of student learning practices and reporting processes. The document includes instructions for creating a plan for assessment, constructing annual assessment reports, and information on making assessment processes useful and valid. The document grew out of the College of Arts and Sciences’ process and guidelines which had evolved over a period of eight years. It is intended to be used by all units of the college that impact student learning: the academic units, student affairs, and those programs that do not report directly to a dean.
The current status of assessment of student learning by unit is summarized below.
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College of Arts and Sciences (CAS): The CAS has a track record of planned, systematic, and sustained assessment practices that are of reasonable quality and are used to improve student learning. The processes, templates, and rubrics developed by the CAS have served as the model for the development of the institutional guidelines for quality assessment practices. CAS has developed a robust assessment of student learning process under the guidance of the associate dean (Assessment Dashboard). Since 2007, the majority of programs have been fully engaged in the assessment process, and in 2013, a Four-Year Summary Report was submitted by each program, and it included overall reflections on the assessment processes and actions taken to improve learning and program effectiveness. Assessment activities of all programs are overseen by the Outcomes Assessment Advisory Committee (OAAC), a group of six faculty members who are appointed by the dean on a rotating basis and who represent the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The OAAC is trained to review program reports for quality of the assessment processes, and annual reports on each program are forwarded to the dean for use in planning and decision making.
Results of the assessment of student learning are being used to improve student learning. The most recent summary report to the dean (2013-14) identifies curricular and pedagogy changes in 10 programs. In addition, 11 programs improved the assessment process in the method or measure used.
Wehle School of Business (WSB): WSB responds to two accrediting bodies, each with a slightly different focus. The broad-based disciplinary knowledge and skills provided through a common business core (BSBA) is the focus of AACSB while higher order learning as developed and represented in an undergraduate major or graduate degree is the focus of MSCHE. Taken together these complementary perspectives create a comprehensive understanding of student learning with the specialized training in the major/program built upon a common core for the degree program. Strengthening both through a comprehensive, efficient, and streamlined process with clear accountability has been the focus of recent efforts.
In 2010, AACSB accreditation was reaffirmed, and the school was given high praise for its assessment processes. At that time, the Assurance of Learning (AoL) committee worked with the Undergraduate and Graduate Curriculum committees to gather data on the level of student learning on all of the learning goals in the business core and many of the goals of the majors. The curriculum committee instituted some changes to address issues raised by the assessment process. Due to personnel fluctuations, there are gaps in the records documenting the assessment process since 2009. Starting in 2012, the school turned its attention to maintaining the reports and records of the assessment process in the Campus Labs Planning module.
Current practice (effective 2013-14) requires the use of assessment plans for learning objectives to be assessed each year. The plans are submitted to the AoL for review using a program review rubric, and feedback is provided for plan improvement as needed. As evidenced in their assessment plans, each major/program has learning goals and objectives that are aligned with the institutional learning goals, the WSB mission, strategic plan, degree program learning goals, and AACSB knowledge/skill areas. Annually, each assessment plan conforms to the institutional assessment guidelines in relation to curriculum mapping, populations assessed, methods and measures, processes for communicating results, and use of results for the improvement of student learning. Progress is documented on the Assessment Dashboard.
Thirty-three action items were identified through the process of assessment of student learning in the WSB for the academic years 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Summary of Program Changes indicates that changes were implemented in assessment procedures, learning goals and objectives, pedagogy or curriculum, and staffing.
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School of Education and Human Services (SEHS): The SEHS has carefully aligned its mission, vision, learning goals, and conceptual framework to create a common foundation for the many programs within the school. This common foundation also facilitates the alignment of assessments with the requirements of specialized accreditation agencies. In addition to MSCHE, these include the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (formerly the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education), the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), and the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED).
The focus in the SEHS on assessment in recent years has been on bringing greater consistency to the reporting in teacher education programs and expanding assessment activities to include non-teacher education programs. Until recently, student learning assessment in the SEHS primarily focused on candidate (student) proficiency in teacher education programs as per the accreditation requirements of CAEP/NCATE. In 2013 the processes and expectations for assessment were expanded to include the non- teacher education programs, and the SEHS Assessment Handbook was revised to serve all programs. The role of the Assessment Committee (AC) was expanded to serve both teacher and non-teacher education programs and is now titled the Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement committee (QACI). QACI not only ensures the integrity of the assessment processes and provides feedback on matters of quality to the programs, it also provides a forum to discuss assessment, results of assessment, and the overall reliability of the assessment plans for all SEHS units. Progress on assessment in SEHS is tracked on the Assessment Dashboard.
For the 2012-13 and the 2013-14 academic years, assessment of student learning in the SEHS identified 78 action items. For example, the faculty realized that there is a need for improvement in students’ awareness of inclusive strategies and have incorporated Universal Design for learning principles into science methods and ECCH 221/222.
Core Curriculum: In 2007, the faculty embarked on a revision of a core curriculum that, with minor modifications, had been in existence since the 1970s. The former core was deemed to be overly constrictive and not fully representative of the Jesuit mission of the college. In response, the faculty drafted the current Undergraduate Core Curriculum. The new core, grounded in the liberal arts tradition, as was its predecessor, was implemented in the fall of 2009 as core courses were phased in to offer foundation courses to incoming first-year students. The graduating class of 2012-13 was the first to experience the core in its entirety.
In October 2012 the Faculty Senate approved the Strategic Plan for Assessment of Student Learning in the Core Curriculum, outlining a framework and timeline for assessment of student learning in the new core and assigning responsibility for the development of learning goals and objectives for each core area to special committees consisting of faculty teaching in the relevant fields. The plan has been revised, once in late 2013 and more recently in September 2014, with that version including a schedule documenting the assessment cycle over the next four years. Progress is documented on the Assessment Dashboard.
The administrative work of implementing the new core delayed the more conceptual work required for assessment and its execution. However, senate approval of core learning goals and objectives began in fall 2013; final approval of learning goals and objectives of all core components, including all fields and attributes, was completed in fall 2014. By spring 2015, all attributes are expected to have rubrics.
Since spring 2012, in anticipation of the need for student work to evaluate, the Core Curriculum Committee (CCC) asked for direct assessment artifacts of student work from across the core courses, with special emphasis on the capstones, the foundational courses, and the attribute courses. Those artifacts 57
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were stored in the learning management system while the goals and objectives and accompanying rubrics were being finalized in early summer of 2014. Assessment pilots were launched in the summer of 2014; by the end of the summer, two knowledge attributes (ethics and diversity), the skill attribute of advanced writing, and the foundation courses (RST 101, PHI 101, ENG 101, and FYS 101) were analyzed with rubrics developed by faculty working on the various assessment teams. The majority of the artifacts were student papers or examinations reflective of relevant goals and objectives. Results were shared in fall 2014 with the Faculty Senate, the CCC, and faculty teaching in the relevant areas. This preliminary work has already yielded data that can be used to improve student learning, and the CCC has begun to consider the results, with recommendations to be implemented in spring 2015. For example, assessment data indicated that faculty were only teaching one rather than two different ethical theories in ethics-attributed courses, and as a result the CCC held two workshops in the fall to give examples of what it meant by ethical theories. There was also conflation of “Codes of Conduct” with the application of ethical theories. This issue was addressed in the workshop. The CCC is assessing the ethics attribute again in the spring 2015 semester to make sure that each section addresses two ethical theories and that there is no confusion between the “Codes of Conduct” and the ethical theories. In the last assessment faculty did not have the approved rubric until after the course was well underway; this spring the rubric was available in advance of the semester.
All-College Honors Program: As noted above, the honors program serves as the core curriculum for approximately 10 percent of undergraduates. The All-College Honors Program’s curricular evolution has been driven in large part by course proposals from individual faculty. The resulting curriculum has a heavy focus on cross-disciplinary critical thinking and writing, culminating in a capstone thesis project, as reflected in the learning goals and objectives. Summative assessment focuses on the learning objectives represented in the thesis. Honors assessment reports demonstrate that every thesis is reviewed by at least three faculty members, including the director, against a rubric that includes all learning objectives for the thesis.
Because the assessment method in the honors program uses the capstone thesis to address multi- dimensional aspects of the thinking and writing process, data have been accumulated over a large, multi- year sample of theses in order to reliably track trends in student performance. The program has focused its assessment of student learning on the stated learning goals and objectives, and on the categories and criteria in the thesis rubric. The evolution of the college’s expectation for more explicit assessment of institutional and general educational learning goals may require some revision of this assessment structure.
Non-Aligned Programs: Non-aligned programs have been defined as those programs that affect student learning and report to standing units of the college but are not degree/certificate programs, so their assessment systems do not follow typical degree program procedures. The College-Level Assessment Coordinators Committee (CLACC) has the responsibility to oversee assessment processes (quality management) across the campus, with the understanding that the traditional units have systems in place to assure the quality of their processes. However, the non-aligned programs have self-contained assessment systems, and their reports and procedures are reviewed for quality by CLACC.
• English as a Second Language (ESL): The ESL program for Canisius’ international students is comprised of eight classes that scaffold learning for four target skill areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Learning goals and objectives are linked to courses via the ESL curriculum map and appear on the website and all syllabi. Direct evidence of learning to augment the indirect evidence already tracked (e.g., grades, course evaluations, student satisfaction) was collected in 2012. The assessment results were the impetus for the curriculum revisions that went into effect in 2013-14. The ESL timeline for assessment addresses two of the four learning goals every year, ensuring each will be assessed every-other year, and changes in learning, over time, will be 58
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tracked. This program’s processes are a model for the use of assessment information to inform decision-making and program improvement.
• Community Based Learning: Community and service learning co-curricular opportunities are a part of over 50 different classes (approximately 750 students) across all three academic units each semester. Program-relevant data have been collected annually and include spreadsheets that indicate course-level information and more recent summary reports covering the last five years. There is currently a plan for assessment outlining goals and objectives, timeline, and the measures that will be used to assess student learning in service learning projects.
• Urban Leadership Learning Community (ULLC): ULLC is a co-curricular, four-year educational program designed to develop leadership potential in a population that has historically been denied positions of influence or power in Buffalo. The program has been conducting assessments of student learning since 2008 and using the results of assessment to make curricular and programmatic changes.
The Division of Student Affairs: Assessment in the Division of Student Affairs has been a priority over the last five years, with oversight by the dean of students/vice president for student affairs. In 2011, the division completed its strategic plan. Student affairs uses Campus Labs’ Baseline and planning tools to collect both evaluative and assessment data to assure that divisional resources are appropriately allocated based on divisional priorities as outlined in the strategic plan. Several student affairs departments (Campus Ministry, New Student Orientation, International Partnerships and Study Abroad, Student Life, Counseling Center, Student Health Center) are assessing student learning goals. Other student affairs departments (athletics, club and intramural sports, the ALANA Student Center, Public Safety) evaluate student satisfaction of departmental programs and services. In all student affairs offices, assessment and evaluation data are analyzed, and results inform decision-making with regard to reallocation of resources and future programming and service offerings.
Challenges and Opportunities in Assessment of Student Learning Broadly speaking, the faculty and administrative staff of the college have taken the pursuit of assessment of student learning seriously. Since 2005, through the efforts of many individuals, these efforts have been transformational. The foundation has been laid and structures created that will propel the institution forward into the next phases of assessment practice as processes mature, and all organizational structures support stronger, more effective engagement across the campus.
Over the years, the focus on assessment has ebbed and flowed with the assessment cycles of various accrediting bodies. The sharing of assessment results and reports has been inconsistent across programs and units within the college. Awareness of assessment activities taking place across campus is relatively low, and there is not a platform in place to promote a greater understanding of what has been accomplished. In addition, leadership of the Core Curriculum Committee has changed numerous times over the past 10 years, the normal rotation of faculty onto and off of the Faculty Senate, and the many issues that require the attention of the senate have worked in concert to impact the progress of assessment of student learning in the core. Throughout the implementation phase of the new core, the Core Curriculum Committee focused on the review of proposals and approval of courses but, more recently, has worked diligently to address assessment of student learning.
Overall, assessment of student learning is becoming more coherent by linking student learning assessment at the program level to wider budgeting and resource allocation decisions at the institutional level, and will result in a campus that is more engaged in the assessment of student learning.
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Recent initiatives to use data to drive decisions in academic affairs have resulted in faculty becoming more deeply engaged in assessment and data analysis for program improvement related to learning goals. At the same time, however, engagement in assessment work can be perceived as an added burden that offers no reward or benefit. Assessment activity is not explicitly recognized in the Faculty Handbook in its current edition, nor is it represented in the annual faculty evaluation process. As a result, assessment is often perceived as an invisible, unrewarded “extra” responsibility of the faculty for which there is no formal recognition. Additionally, some programs approach the task as something that has to be done to satisfy internal or external entities, but not necessarily to improve learning or program delivery. The development of a true culture of assessment at Canisius is required to demonstrate that “our students are learning what we and the world need them to learn. The data collected on student performance must shape innovative reforms across the Canisius curriculum” (President Hurley’s 2014 Convocation Address). Developing this culture requires a clear and shared understanding across the institution of expectations, responsibilities, and benefits.
In summary, assessment of student learning at the college has evolved significantly in the past 10 years. The language in use every day, the thoughtful attention to syllabi and course design, the ways students are engaged in and out of the classroom have all been deeply affected by an awareness of the importance of understanding the role assessment plays in improvement of the teaching and learning endeavor. Canisius will continue to support the growth and development of assessment practice as it is now a part of the institutional culture.
CONCLUSION Canisius believes it is substantially in compliance with Standards 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 and welcomes the further development of the culture of assessment and the use of assessment information in its planning and resource allocation in the future. The college has a well-qualified and dedicated faculty and administrative staff. The curricula offered to students are reflective of the mission of a comprehensive, Catholic, Jesuit university with a strong emphasis on the liberal arts at the undergraduate level. Students are given multiple opportunities to engage in transformative intellectual and spiritual experiences.
Recommendations
2.1 Through a collaborative process involving faculty and administrators, engage in a comprehensive review and revision of the Faculty Handbook and associated policies. Establish a regular cycle of review for all contents of this handbook.
2.2 Formalize staffing and compensation policies for adjunct faculty and develop a handbook that clarifies roles and responsibilities, making practices more consistent across the three academic units of the college.
2.3 Identify opportunities to improve the morale of faculty and staff. For matters affecting faculty specifically, continue to identify opportunities that enhance shared governance and communication.
2.4 Continue the implementation of the assessment plan for the core curriculum and use the results of that assessment to guide discussions about the need and desirability of pursuing revisions of the core that would make it more focused, more coherent, and more easily assessed.
2.5 Formalize processes for coordination among the Core Curriculum Committee, the director of the All-College Honors Program, the Faculty Senate, and the vice president for academic affairs to:
• ensure alignment of the core curriculum and the honors program with the college’s institutional learning goals and objectives and the general education requirements as described by the Middle 60
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States Commission on Higher Education;
• ensure strong and sustainable oversight of the cores; and
• determine a means by which core curricula directors can reallocate their time and efforts to focus on strategic academic issues in the management of the cores rather than routine administrative matters.
2.6 Develop and implement processes and systems for curriculum management across all programs, including the core curriculum.
2.7 Strengthen the assessment culture on campus to ensure that student learning assessments drive program improvement and improve mission-based student outcomes.
2.8 Improve leadership, coordination, planning, assessment, and oversight of online learning to meet the demands associated with growth in online education, and alternative pedagogies for instructional design.
Sources (In Order of Appearance)
• Common Data Set 2013-14 (Page 25)
• Hiring for Mission: Guidelines
• Orientation schedules 2010-13
• Ignatian Pedagogy
• Adjunct Teaching Manual 2013-14
• Sabbatical Announcements 2014-15
• Griff Center for Academic Engagement
• Office of Sponsored Programs
• FacTS Center
• Faculty Technology Support Center
• Library
• Faculty Publications
• Ignatian Scholarship Day
• Video Institute
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• Fitzpatrick Institute
• Fitzpatrick Institute
• Autism Institute
• ISHAR Institute
• Institute for the Global Study of Religion
• Community Based Learning
• Community Based Learning
• CEEP
• Faculty Handbook, 2013
• Promotion and Tenure Stats
• Tuition Exchange Program
• Fachex Program
• Shared Governance Response Feb 5, 2014
• New Program Committee Membership
• APB Bylaws
• Honors Program Information: General and Overview
• ULLC
• Core Curriculum
• All College Honors Program
• New Program Evaluation Tempalte
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Wehle School of Business
• Golden Griffin Fund
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• Enactus
• School of Education and Human Services
• SEHS Graduate Offerings
• Educational Partnerships
• ABLE
• Teach for America: Canisius
• Justice Project
• Core Structure
• Constitution
• Syllabus Analysis for Goals and Objectives
• Honors Mission Statement
• Enrollments by Program (Page 3)
• Task Force on Online Education
• Readiness to Teach Online
• Online Readiness Guide
• Online Teaching Resources
• Online Lib Guides
• FacTS Center Online support
• Online Learning Community
• Online Readiness Survey
• Online Academic Support
• MISO Survey Faculty Summary
• HEOP Statistics
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• Freshman Profiles (Page 5)
• Bilingual Education
• School and Mental Health Counseling Certificates (Page 13)
• Computer Science Certificate
• Ed Tech/Emerging Media Masters
• Educatioanl Technologies
• Educational Leadership Cert.
• TESOL
• Women's and Gender Studies
• Prior_Learning_Assessment
• CAEL_Standards
• Career Center Task Force Report
• Center for Professional Development
• Women's Business Center
• Deaf Education
• St. Mary's School for the Deaf
• Fashion Institute of Technology
• Medical Laboratory Science
• 2010 PRR
• Milestones in Investments in Assessment of Student Learning 2004-2014
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015
• Institutional Assessment Guidelines 2
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015 (Page 1)
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• College of Arts and Sciences Assessment Reports
• AACSB 2010 report (Page 47)
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015 (Page 3)
• Summary of Changes based on Assessment
• SEHS: Unit Assessment Handbook 2013-2014
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015 (Page 2)
• Strategic Plan for the Assessment of Learning in the CC Core Curriculum
• Core Curriculum Assessment Timeline
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015 (Page 4)
• Honors Program Goals and Objectives
• Honors Thesis Handbook (Page 43)
• CLACC Charge
• ESL Curriculum Map
• ESL Website
• ESL Merged Goals and Objectives
• Assessment Timetable ESL
• CBL 2003-2014 Statistics
• ULLC Assessment Report 2013 2014
• 2013 Assessment Plan Campus Ministry
• 2014-15 REVISED Org. Chart
• 2014-15 Tenure & Promotion Announcement
• 2015-16 Sabbatical Application
• AACSB 2010 report
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• Academic Affairs Website
• Accreditation Oversight Comittee Charge
• AJCU
• Animal Behavior
• Arts and Sciences Four Year Review link to D2L
• Assessment Dashboard-January 2015 (Page 5)
• Audit Form: All-College Honors Program
• Campus Ministry Website
• CBL Community Highlights
• CBL Required Courses
• Chronicle 2012 Survey Results
• College Mission Statement
• Colleges of Distinction
• Community Based Learning
• Core Curriculum Directors Annual Report 2013-2014
• Curriculum Checklist
• Digital Day
• Education Leadership
• Enrollments by Program
• Faculty Senate Minutes in Learning Management System
• Griff Center Announcement
• Guide to Campus Technology
• HEOP website
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• Hiring for Mission: Jesuit Terms and Definitions
• Hiring Policy (HR)
• Honors Assessment Plan
• Honors Curriculum
• Honors Thesis Handbook
• Immersion
• Initial Teacher Certification Masters
• Institutes
• Institutional Learning Goals
• Literacy Education
• MISO Survey Grad Summary
• MISO Suvey Undergrad Summary
• Mission & Identity Fellowships and Grants
• Mission and Identity Course Development Grant
• Mission and Identity Research Grant Application
• New Program Committee
• New Program Proposal Form
• NYS Certification Exam Preparation
• OAAC Charge 2007
• Office of Mission and Identity
• Online Programs web page
• Physical Education
• Provide opportunities to work with diverse cooperating teachers
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• Research Institutes
• Revised ESL 2013
• SEHS: Conceptual Framework
• Sponsored Programs Annual Reports
• Sport Administration
• Study Abroad
• Summer Fellowship Application
• Summer Fellowship Application
• Technology Workshop Schedules
• Thesis Handbook, Aug. 26, 2013
• Thesis Rubric
• Tutoring Center Annual Reports, 2010-2012 (SASS)
• ULLC Assessment Plan
• Undergraduate Research
• Video Institute
• Women's Studies
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Chapter 3-Student Formation
Quick Links to Chapter Sections:
• Undergraduate Admissions • Graduate Admissions • International Admissions • Financial Aid • Student Retention • The Griff Center for Academic Engagement • Academic Advisement • Students of Concern Reporting and Intervention Team • Student Support Services Staff Qualifications • Intercollegiate Athletics • Club Sports • Intramural Sports • Residence Life • Grievance Policy • Student Clubs and Organizations • International Student Programs • Office of International Partnerships and Study Abroad • ALANA Student Center • Campus Ministry • Student Health Center • Counseling Center • Public Safety • Assessment of Student Support Services • Conclusion • Recommendation
Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention The institution seeks to admit students whose interests, goals, and abilities are congruent with its mission and seeks to retain them through the pursuit of the students’ educational goals.
Standard 9: Student Support Services The institution provides student support services reasonably necessary to enable each student to achieve the institution’s goals for students.
This chapter explores the efforts made to recruit, admit, and enroll qualified students in a challenging economic and demographic environment. The institution also demonstrates efforts to reach new potential student populations, and once they arrive on campus, offices and systems designed to keep them engaged with their studies, the college as a whole, the Western New York community, and the larger world. The chapter summarizes the comprehensive student services that facilitate these transformational experiences. As in other chapters, the goal is not just to describe but to analyze and evaluate these services as contributors to the strategic dimensions of the institution, particularly the strategic goals of improved retention and graduation rates. The evidence reported in this chapter will demonstrate that Canisius is in compliance with Standards 8 and 9. The college enrolls students who can benefit from the academic and cultural experiences of the campus environment, and it offers extensive support services to help students achieve both their personal goals and the institutional goals.
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Narrative
In June 2014, the college appointed its first vice president for enrollment management who oversees all admissions efforts and student financial aid. Previously, this position was held by a dean or associate vice president who reported to the academic vice president. The new vice president reports directly to the president and is a member of the president’s senior staff and the Strategic Planning Committee. She is a consultant to the Board of Trustees Academics Committee and reports at each meeting of that group.
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS To support the institutional enrollment goals, the director of undergraduate admissions, in conjunction with the vice president of enrollment management, annually determines primary, secondary, and tertiary markets, as well as inquiry, application, conversion, and yield goals for each market. An annual review of recruitment practices allows for assessment and evaluation of recruitment methods and strategy. Aside from these strategic planning initiatives, the admissions staff works directly with prospective students, their families, and high school counselors. These efforts take many forms: travel to target high schools, college fairs, community college visits, one-on-one admission interviews, electronic communication, personal counselor communication, direct mail, and telecounseling.
The undergraduate admissions office manages all aspects of the admission application process for freshman, transfer, and international students. Admission criteria and policies can be found in the college catalog, on the website, and in various admissions publications. The office works closely with the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to provide admissions surveys, annual reports, and comparative data which are collected, summarized, and used for future recruitment, communication, and marketing. These data are then analyzed and presented in the Annual Freshmen & Transfer Admissions Report. The results of these analyses are used when developing recruitment plans for the aforementioned populations.
Recent years have represented a challenge for the institution in realizing enrollment goals, as noted in previous chapters. The demographics of graduating high school students in the Northeast and New York State have been in decline for the past several years. The college recruits heavily in New York State, but the graduating high school cohort of 2014 in New York was the smallest since 2006-07. The need to expand the college’s geographic enrollment footprint in order to generate steady enrollment is a key factor in future recruitment planning. Out-of-area markets that represent enrollment potential have been identified, and recruitment plans are underway. It remains important for the college to find a balance between application numbers and application quality. Attracting high quality applicants who will benefit from a Canisius education as well as contribute to the Canisius community is a focus of the admissions team.
The admissions office continues to focus on primary and secondary target markets as well and is making strides to increase the college’s footprint in new markets. Primary markets include Western and Central New York with secondary markets including the rest of New York State and select states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.
The entire admissions team understands the importance of ethnic diversity and shares the responsibility of recruiting students from underrepresented populations. Overall, freshman minority (African American, Latino/a, Asian American, and Native American) enrollment continues to increase; it rose from 18 percent in fall of 2013 to 21 percent in the fall of 2014. The office is dedicated to increasing this percentage in future years through recruitment initiatives, such as: the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Dr. Martin Luther King Scholarship (MLK), and the Urban Leadership Learning Community (ULLC). These programs have specific admissions criteria and educational goals.
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The HEOP program recruits students with high school averages and/or SAT scores that fall below the college’s normal entrance requirements, and who are from economically disadvantaged families. The program is made possible by grants from New York State. About 60 percent of enrolled HEOP students are African American, and another 20 percent are Hispanic. A significant percentage of students in the program are recruited from the New York City area. In addition to TAP, Pell, HEOP, and other grant sources, Canisius provides over $1.8 million per year in institutional financial aid. The HEOP is administered by the Canisius Opportunity Programs in Education (COPE) Office which also supervises the Academic Talent Search Program and the MLK Scholarship. Academic Talent Search is one of five federally funded TRIO programs established under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Serving approximately 600 youth recruited from area schools and community service organizations, the main program objective is to provide educational, social and career support services, and co-curricular and cultural enrichment experiences that will heighten the possibility of participants becoming enrolled in post- secondary institutions. The MLK Scholarship exists to acknowledge and honor the ideals of Dr. King and the Jesuit heritage of Canisius College. Incoming freshmen of all ethnicities who have practiced and lived a life of social justice and volunteerism to the less fortunate, and are committed to continue to do so, are invited to apply for this scholarship. Recipients provide a set number of service hours to the community’s marginalized and needy each semester and are awarded a small stipend in their financial aid award package.
The ULLC Program focuses on leadership development for students from urban backgrounds. Admissions decisions for ULLC are made jointly by the admissions office and two dedicated faculty members who direct the learning community. In total, the college’s contribution to these three programs amounts to nearly $2.8 million annually.
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS Graduate enrollment goals are influenced by several factors: enrollment trends, faculty/student ratio, and accreditation standards. The graduate enrollment team sets enrollment goals in collaboration with the academic deans from each school. On an annual basis, the enrollment management team develops and evaluates recruitment initiatives to help meet the graduate enrollment goals.
Below are enrollment and credit hours for the past five fall semesters in each of the graduate divisions:
Graduate Student Enrollments 2009 - 2014 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013
School Students Hours Students Hours Students Hours Students Hours Students Hours S
SEHS 1,212 10,374 1,357 11,378 1,344 10,582 1,191 9,151 1,058 7,723
WSB 320 2,411 341 2,706 342 2,759 343 2,734 311 2,492
A&S 46 255 44 246 81 537 94 619 84 537
Total 1,578 13,040 1,742 14,330 1,767 13,878 1,628 12,504 1,453 10,752
Admissions requirements are determined by each school and can be found in the college catalog, on the college website, and in additional recruitment materials. General admissions requirements include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with a grade point average of 2.7 or higher.
Canisius offers online masters degrees and certifications. Recruitment strategies for online teacher education programs include digital and direct marketing focused primarily on New York State teachers. The online Sport Administration program has a larger reach and is marketed online through Google 71
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AdWords, banner ads, and graduate-focused websites. Online information sessions and live chats are also used as recruitment tools for the online programs. Marketing of online graduate degree programs is program specific and guided by the defined target market.
Graduate admissions has a fully developed communication plan for students to assist them through the process from inquiry to registration. Graduate students at Canisius are provided with information regarding tuition, financial aid, payment plans, and loans throughout the recruitment process. Information is available in the college catalog and on the college’s website. Students receive program, financial aid, acceptance, and registration instructions. Graduate admissions uses the Banner system to track all communications with students and develop a responsive communication flow. In an effort to welcome and orient incoming graduate students, Canisius has developed both an on-campus and online graduate orientation program. Online orientation is offered in a live, virtual format as well as in video recordings from each department. On-campus orientation includes faculty and staff from all student services departments, including: financial aid, student accounts, public safety, the Griff Center, and student health. Students are provided with registration assistance as well as introductions to library and research services and online learning tutorials. In addition to the student support information, the event includes opportunities for networking with other new graduate students, as well as current students, to help assimilate new graduate students into the Canisius culture and community.
INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS In response to changing demographics within the traditional recruitment territories, and with a goal of increasing global awareness among the Canisius student body, Canisius has taken steps to increase international student enrollment.
Undergraduate: The Office of Undergraduate Admissions continues to expand international reach and diversity of undergraduate students at Canisius. Recruitment efforts throughout Asia and North America continue. In 2012, Canisius entered into a partnership with Kings Colleges to establish a Pathways program by which students study intensive English and then transition into degree studies at Canisius or other US institutions. The first intake of students under this program was in the fall 2013 semester and resulted in four students; 15 students entered in fall 2014. In addition, the college continues to rely on partnerships with agents while fostering and vetting new international admissions agents to drive enrollment goals.
Graduate: International admissions efforts at the graduate level are targeted and specific, with limited recruitment taking place in Canada and Asia. Canisius is also listed with the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission as an approved institution. International students, online or on-campus, are most attracted to the programs in the Wehle School of Business and the School of Education and Human Services.
FINANCIAL AID All students are encouraged to file the FAFSA form and consult with the Financial Aid Office prior to, during, and after the admissions process, and financial aid information is available throughout the admissions process. The undergraduate admissions counselors are trained to discuss financial aid with parents and students. Aside from speaking with admissions counselors, students are encouraged to speak directly with their financial aid counselor. The college’s tuition, housing costs, and fees are indicated on the financial aid website. The link to the financial aid office page is accessible via the college’s home page and is linked to other Canisius pages.
The net price calculator (NPC) is available to all prospective students. The NPC allows students to enter income and academic information and receive an estimated financial aid award. Using these tools, 72
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students can estimate the total net cost of attendance. The website breaks down the average financial aid award, the types of aid that can be found in a financial aid package, available merit and talent scholarships, and payment plans.
Information is also accessible directly from the admissions and financial aid offices. The Financial Aid Fact Sheet is provided to all prospective students. The sheet lists all merit and talent scholarships, grants, and possible elements of a financial aid package. Trained counselors are available to discuss financial aid with students and assist them throughout the process.
From 2011 to the present time, the college has employed the services of Maguire Associates to assist with financial aid leveraging. Prospect information for freshmen and transfers is sent in a weekly tracking report and run through the firm’s predictive model. The methodology seeks to balance the competing needs of class size, academic quality, and discount rate. Returning students are awarded financial aid in a manner consistent with their awards from previous years. Factors that can increase or decrease their awards include changes in the family contribution, residency status, or a change in state or federal regulations. Graduate students are funded through federal direct loans and assistantships.
STUDENT RETENTION As noted in Chapter 1, a key observation of the Pappas Report was that the college’s first-to-second year retention rates lagged behind the average of the selected comparison group. This was in spite of the fact that while the college enrolls students with on-average higher reported SAT scores than the average of that comparison group.
Freshman Retention 4-Year 5-Year Fall Soph. Junior Senior Size Graduation Graduation Cohort Retention Retention Retention Rate Rate 2007 846 83% 74% 69% 58% 67% 2008 807 82% 74% 69% 57% 67% 2009 707 84% 75% 71% 60% 69% 2010 705 84% 76% 71% 61% 2011 810 82% 75% 71% 2012 712 80% 74% 2013 680 86%
Transfer Student Retention Fall Spring One-Year Graduation Size Cohort Retention Retention Rate 2007 165 88% 76% 63% 2008 133 88% 76% 68% 2009 119 92% 80% 71% 2010 160 90% 76% 63% 2011 156 87% 74% 56%
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2012 151 81% 72% 2013 116 94% 84%
The president determined that a comprehensive approach was needed to impact retention and significantly improve graduation rates. In late spring 2013, President Hurley created a campus-wide Retention Task Force (RTF) charged to:
• determine root causes of the retention and graduation problems through a comprehensive study that included a review of best practices;
• develop a comprehensive plan to improve the retention and graduation rates; and
• develop reliable and accessible data to measure the progress of the plan.
The Retention Task Force worked from May 2013 through June 2014 to address its charge and implement strategies to improve retention and graduation rates.
An important element of this effort was to raise awareness and understanding of the issues that impact student retention. Members of the task force delivered presentations to, and answered questions at, virtually every significant faculty, administrator, student, and governance group meeting during the year. The over-arching goal was to develop a culture of student support and success resulting in consistent and steady improvement in fall-to-spring and fall-to-fall retention for freshmen and transfer students, as well as improved graduation rates for all.
Recommended strategies and examples of action taken to date are noted below. More detailed information and the full list of strategies can be found in the final Task Force Report. The new Retention Committee, appointed by the president, is responsible for the implementation of action items and new strategic recommendations.
Task Force Recommendation 1: Address academic transition challenges and facilitate engagement through a comprehensive first-year experience program to ensure that every freshman is positively engaged with the campus (academic and student life) within the first six weeks of the fall semester.
Action Taken: The Griff 101 first-year experience program began in the fall of 2014. The program has been designed to actively and positively engage all freshmen with a peer group, a faculty/staff facilitator, and the institution within the first six weeks of the first semester. Sections focus on an area of common interest shared by students and the facilitator.
Task Force Recommendation 2: Restructure the advisement process so that it is comprehensive and intrusive; creates a layered net of support for each student; and engages students with diverse and valuable opportunities for academic, personal, and career development throughout their Canisius experience.
Action Taken: The Griff Center for Academic Engagement has been created with 11 staff members and 5 graduate assistants and reports jointly to academic and student affairs. This action involved a restructuring and reorganization of offices for advisement, retention, career services, accessibility support, and new student orientation that had operated independently prior to the formation of the Griff Center.
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The Griff Center staff is cross-trained to provide academic and career advisement, accessibility and veterans’ services, academic mentoring services, oversight and coordination of internships, new student orientation, and coordination for Griff 101 and ENG 100, a course that tends to enroll the highest at-risk population. Recommendations from the Career Center Task Force are guiding and informing the work of the Griff Center.
Task Force Recommendation 3: Realign the organizational structure to integrate services which are functionally related from the perspective of the student, eliminating silos and creating a seamless, effective, and engaging experience for all students.
Action Taken: The offices of Student Accounts and Student Records and Registration have been relocated to shared space. The offices of International Partnerships and Study Abroad, and International Student Programs have temporarily relocated to shared space. Plans are in process for a comprehensive student engagement corridor that will relocate the majority of student service offices, including the Griff Center, to one or two floors in a central location.
Realignment in the student affairs division led to the creation of an Office of Student Life that includes athletic facility operations, recreational sports, events management, campus programming (including all student clubs and organizations), and residence life. The Office of Student Life works closely with the Department of Athletics to achieve a comprehensive approach to scheduling events and use of facilities. The Office of Student Life focuses on fewer, but larger events, creating greater student participation, and developing new traditions while enhancing existing ones.
Task Force Recommendation 4: Examine admission and financial assistance policies to ensure that limited resources are directed to students most likely to attend, engage, and persist.
Action Taken: The group of Canisius staff members meeting regularly with Maguire Associates regarding financial aid packaging was expanded to include co-chairs of the Retention Task Force to strategically connect the work of the RTF to enrollment planning. Retention factors are being considered in financial aid modeling and packaging.
Task Force Recommendation 5: Examine academic policies and procedures to ensure that they provide the strongest opportunity for academic accomplishment.
Action Taken: iAdvise, an online tool for faculty and staff available in myCanisius was upgraded in summer 2014, and additional enhancements will be available for spring 2015. Additional efforts to review and possibly revise academic policies and procedures is the ongoing work of the Retention Committee. These enhancements will improve communication among students and those who provide support services.
Task Force Recommendation 6: Improve communication and ensure that cura personalis is a lived reality throughout the campus community.
Action Taken: A comprehensive examination of communication with first-time freshmen from inquiry to application, from deposit to registration, and from registration to orientation was conducted and will inform the work of the Retention Committee.
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Task Force Recommendation 7: Develop, communicate, and use information and data on retention to inform institutional decision-making.
Action Taken: The Student Tracking Attrition Report (STAR*) has been designed to provide a week-by-week accounting of students who have left Canisius, students who have indicated their intention to leave, and students who have not yet registered for the following semester, signifying a potential attrition risk.
THE GRIFF CENTER FOR ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT
The Griff Center for Academic Engagement, created from a recommendation of the RTF, is a student- centered initiative that provides a range of programs, services, and resources to promote student academic and career success.
The Griff Center provides a comprehensive orientation for all new students; academic advisement for freshmen, undecided majors, and transfer students; career development; internship services; academic mentoring; accessibility support; and veteran support services. The Griff Center oversees the Tutoring and Study Center and the college’s general exam proctor site.
New Student Orientation (NSO) is a four-day orientation program for all new undergraduate students (freshmen and transfer) prior to the fall semester and a one-day orientation program for all new students prior to the spring semester. Canisius has participated in a national benchmarked orientation survey for new students since 2011 and has made changes to NSO yearly based on the data from this survey. Parents of new students are also surveyed and data are used to improve the parent portion of NSO. The training for student NSO leaders has established learning goals and these goals are assessed after training each year. Reallocation of resources and changes to the training program are made based on the assessment data. A myCanisius portal-based new student checklist was developed and launched in spring 2014 for accepted and deposited students. This process is interactive and personalized to facilitate the steps required for deposits, course scheduling, financial aid, and housing.
The Tutoring Center, certified by the College Reading and Learning Association, provides a variety of opportunities for students to achieve their own academic success. The services are free-of-charge and open to all Canisius students. Student success workshops on time management, learning styles, note- taking, and career development are also free and available to all students. First-year students are required to attend a specific number of workshops as part of their Griff 101 first-year experience program.
Advisement for freshmen, transfer students, and undecided students is offered through the Griff Center. Each freshman student’s high school transcript and standardized test scores are reviewed for appropriate course placement. Students access their schedules through myCanisius, and freshmen meet their freshman advisor/Griff 101 facilitator during New Student Orientation. Advisors meet individually with each student to assess academic progress, respond to problems that may arise, direct students to institutional resources, answer questions, and assure registration for the coming semester. The director of the honors program meets with all new honors students during NSO to explain the honors curriculum and assist honors students with any schedule changes that might be necessary. Major advisement is offered by the academic departments and coordinated through the Griff Center. Assessment of the advisement process from the perspective of students as well as faculty members is done regularly, and changes to the advisement process and training for advisors have been made based on this assessment.
Academic advisement for new transfer students is the responsibility of staff members in the Griff Center. New transfer students work directly with a dedicated staff member until they move to advisement in their academic department. Undecided students are an important constituent group of the Griff Center. The 76
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centralization of advisement and career services and the cross-training of staff members helps to ensure that undecided students can explore their interests, learn about potential career paths, experience internships, and ultimately select a major which will lead to a fulfilling career. Generally, students select a major before or during sophomore year. When they do, academic advisement is offered through the major department.
Career services, previously offered through the former Career Center, have been incorporated into the Griff Center. Recommendations to improve these services have been outlined by the Career Center Task Force and include the development and implementation of a four-year career development plan for all students and stronger, more accessible and assessable internship opportunities. The college uses College Central to assist with the organization of internship opportunities but recognizes the need to better coordinate all internship opportunities in ways that provide students with information to take advantage of the college’s network of alumni and employers who are interested in supporting students.
The Academic Mentor Program (AMP) offers assistance to students with a variety of issues that may arise through their academic career. Academic mentors (professional staff of the Griff Center and graduate students) meet regularly with students to offer guidance on study skills, campus resources, study habits, note-taking skills, and time management to achieve academic success. In 2013-14 the Retention Task Force moved forward with several smaller pilot projects based on analysis of the attrition rates of specific groups of students. Freshmen enrolled in ENG 100 were identified as a population of students at risk for attrition. Therefore, the coordinator of the ENG 100 courses and the director of the Academic Mentoring Program worked together to create an additional recitation hour per week with student academic support services provided by a graduate student mentor. The AMP has been successful in retaining at-risk students and assisting them in achieving higher grade point averages. Student mentees are very satisfied with the program and often ask to continue their mentoring relationships.
Accessibility support is coordinated through the Griff Center. Canisius is committed to creating equal access for all Canisius students with disabilities. Meeting the needs of individuals registered and documented through the center and arranging appropriate accommodations, whether the disability is permanent or temporary, is central to the center's mission. In addition to administering accommodations to students registered with accessibility support, the Griff Center oversees all proctoring of special need and make up exams. Students use this service a great deal due to travel required by their sport, family and health issues, and/or course conflict.
Veteran support services are dedicated to providing an environment that is supportive and friendly, where veteran students feel comfortable seeking assistance concerning both academic and non-academic issues. In addition to staff support in the Griff Center, a dedicated space, the Veterans’ Lounge (Old Main 320), provides a comfortable place for veterans to meet, relax, and share information.
ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT Advisement for upper-class students in the major is the responsibility of the faculty and the academic associate deans. The director of the honors program continues to provide advisement assistance to upper- class honors students. All students have access to web-based registration and degree audit systems. The assistant director of student records works closely with department chairs and academic associate deans regarding appropriate course substitutions.
STUDENT OF CONCERN REPORTING AND INTERVENTION TEAM Through the college portal and iAdvise system, faculty and staff members can complete an electronic “student of concern” report for any student. The information in the report is then shared with the appropriate student support services staff person, who then connects with the student. The “student of 77
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concern” intervention team meets every two weeks during the academic year to discuss students who are at-risk socially or academically. Historically, this team was led by the dean of students and is now led by the assistant vice president/director of the Griff Center for Academic Engagement and includes the academic associate deans, assistant dean for new students, and representatives from residence life, campus ministry, public safety, athletics, accessibility support services, veterans’ services, student health, counseling center, and several graduate assistants assigned to these support service offices. Members of the group also identify students at-risk. An appropriate individual from the group is assigned to engage the student, assess the level of concern, and assist the student to a successful outcome. Follow-up reporting on students is also provided to the group.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES STAFF QUALIFICATIONS All professional staff members providing student support services at Canisius College are appropriately credentialed. With few exceptions, the professional staff members in student affairs hold master’s degrees in their respective fields. Similarly, the staff members in academic affairs who provide student support services hold either master’s or doctoral degrees. The academic and student affairs vice presidents both possess PhDs and each has over 30 years of higher education experience.
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS Canisius College sponsors 20 varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that compete at the NCAA Division I level. Baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country/indoor and outdoor track, golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s volleyball and women’s rowing all compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The college joined the MAAC prior to the start of the 1989-90 academic year. The school’s men’s ice hockey program competes in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) and proudly play on its home ice at Buffalo’s new HARBORCENTER.
In 2005, the college made the strategic decision to reduce the number of intercollegiate athletic teams and reallocated resources to the remaining programs to achieve greater success at the conference level. In the last 10 years, Canisius teams have combined to win 36 conference or regional championships and earn 13 NCAA post-season appearances. The most recent two years in the athletic department’s history may very well go down as among its best all-time. The 2012-13 academic year was one for the record books, as three varsity teams (ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, and baseball) all qualified for the NCAA Tournament in their respective sports, making Canisius the first Western New York Division I school to send three varsity programs to the NCAAs in the same year. The hockey program won its first Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament title in 2013 and returned to the championship game in 2014. The women’s lacrosse program became the first MAAC women’s lacrosse team to win four straight conference crowns and NCAA berths, and the Canisius baseball team earned its first NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament bid in 2013 and earned the regular season championship again in 2014. The men’s basketball team posted consecutive 20-win seasons in 2013 and 2014 and advanced to the post season. The Canisius athletic experience has served students well; 15 former student-athletes have been drafted into the professional ranks since 2005.
The intercollegiate athletics program strives for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and service to others while embracing the principles of good sportsmanship, ethical conduct and equity in opportunity. Over the past 10 years, 34 Canisius student-athletes have been named Academic All-Americans. The cumulative grade point average, the first to second-year retention rate, and the four-year graduation rates of intercollegiate athletes all exceed that of the general, full-time undergraduate student population. In fall 2014, full-time student-athletes earned an average GPA of 3.27; all full-time undergraduates (excluding student-athletes) earned an average fall GPA of 3.03. The cumulative average GPA for full-time student athletes is 3.19 and the cumulative average GPA for all full-time undergraduates (excluding 78
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student-athletes) is 3.08. Graduating student-athletes evaluate their coaches and the athletic department, and data from these evaluations are shared with coaches and athletic administrative staff to support continuous improvement in the department.
The college engaged in an athletic department self-study in 2009-10 and received re-certification from the NCAA for its program, without requirements, in 2010. As a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Canisius participates in a MAAC compliance audit every four years. There were no compliance issues in 2010 or 2014. Athletics has an Intercollegiate Athletics Board (IAB) made up of faculty and staff that meet regularly and conduct reviews. The director of athletics makes a yearly report to the Student Life Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) is a member of the IAB and meets on a consistent basis with the president of the college.
As a component of the Strategic Assessment, President Hurley commissioned a review of the college’s intercollegiate athletics program. To carry out this charge, an Athletics Task Force (ATF) was formed from the membership of the college’s IAB, supplemented with two faculty representatives recommended by the Faculty Senate and an additional member from student affairs. The ATF was charged with examining the intercollegiate athletics program in a holistic manner to determine the extent to which athletics does or does not contribute to the life of the campus, the mission of the college, and the financial health of the institution; examining the finances of the intercollegiate athletics program and identifying where possible cost savings might be achieved without fundamentally compromising the integrity of the programs or the quality of the student experience; and determining whether the scope of program offerings is appropriate for Canisius at this time. The findings of the task force indicated that intercollegiate athletics contributes materially to the life of the campus and the mission of the college in positive and significant ways. The ATF determined that intercollegiate athletics also contributes to the financial health of the college and that its program offerings were appropriate for the college at this time.
CLUB SPORTS The club sports program has seen considerable and intentional growth over the last 10 years, with many programs joining national associations and providing a sport and recreation option that is less competitive than intercollegiate athletics but involves significant practice, training, and competition. Club sports connect students to the team and the college in ways similar to that of intercollegiate athletics.
INTRAMURAL SPORTS Canisius is a member of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). Structured to provide students the opportunity to participate in a variety of competitive and recreational sports activities, more than 1,000 students play on over 140 teams, in 10 different men’s, women’s, and co-ed activities. The intramural program is expected to grow significantly in the next several years and was strategically connected to the newly structured Office of Student life so that intramural programming was planned collaboratively with intercollegiate athletics and other college programming.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE Canisius offers a residential living program with traditional residence halls (Frisch Hall and Bosch Hall) for first-year students, a modern residential living facility (Dugan Hall), primarily for sophomore students, and apartment style complexes (Village Town Houses and Delevan Town Houses) for upper class students, transfer students, and graduate students. Both the Delevan Town Houses and Dugan Hall were built after 2005. Over 70 percent of first-year students and 45 percent of all undergraduate students now live in campus housing, consistent with the long-term transition to a more residential college. The training process conducted for undergraduate resident assistants (RAs) and graduate hall directors (HDs) has established learning goals that are assessed yearly, and resource allocation and training program components that are revised based on assessment data. 79
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Canisius Care, an outreach and tracking program for first-year residential students, is coordinated by student life. Resident assistants and hall directors work together to make contact with all first year residential students in the first week of classes, mapping student connections with others on the floor, in the building, and with campus clubs and organizations. Extra attention and support is provided to students who are having difficulty making connections.
GRIEVANCE POLICY Canisius College students have multiple ways to voice complaints or grievances. The Undergraduate Student Association (USA) has a mechanism whereby undergraduate students can bring complaints forward. USA senators work with students to voice their concerns and serve as advocates for students. Canisius also has grade grievance policies for both undergraduate and graduate students. The policies are published in the respective academic catalogs and are available through the college website. If a student believes another student has violated the College’s Community Standards, the student can file a formal complaint. The procedures for doing so are available in the Student Handbook. Copies of the Student Handbook are provided to students at the beginning of each academic year and made available through the myCanisius portal. Title IX complaints can be made directly to the Title IX coordinator. A Dining Services Committee with faculty, staff, and student members and chaired by the senior associate dean of students works diligently with the food service vendor to hear student complaints regarding dining services and to resolve these complaints in a timely fashion. The senior associate dean of students also chairs the Campus Safety Committee. Students, faculty, and staff serve on this committee and share their concerns directly with the college president.
STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS The Office of Student Life supports and guides the Undergraduate Student Association (USA), the Council of Presidents (representatives of all clubs and organizations), and over 100 clubs and organizations. In addition, student life staff members provide additional educational and social programming for the entire student body. Traditional annual events include the Fall Bonfire, Fall Fest, Thanksgiving dinner served by faculty and staff, Christmas in the Quad, Spirit Week, Relay for Life, Shin-diggy, and Spring Fest. Students evaluate these annual events, and program improvements and changes to resource allocations are made based on these evaluations.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAMS The Office of International Student Programs is a center for the international students at Canisius. To address their needs, the office provides a specialized orientation that takes place for several days prior to NSO, a comprehensive health insurance policy, academic advisement by specially trained staff, activities to introduce new students to the city of Buffalo, and customs and immigration regulation advice when necessary. In addition the office sponsors the Canisius Community Family Program whose faculty and staff volunteers agree to “adopt” international students and have them interact with family events, and a Peer Mentor Program where international students interact with Canisius students who assist them with any adjustment difficulties.
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND STUDY ABROAD An experienced professional advises and assists students who seek to study abroad at any one of the 21 exchange sites that are Canisius partners, including institutions in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Latin America. Goals for study abroad are assessed, and changes to resource allocation and programming are made based on this assessment.
ALANA STUDENT CENTER
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Established in 1989 and formerly known as the Office of Multicultural Programs, the ALANA Student Center supports African American, Latino/a American, Asian American, and Native American (ALANA) student success at Canisius and after graduation. The center also introduces the entire student population to cross-cultural issues through expressions in the arts and performances, cross-cultural workshops, and invited speakers. While most services are co-curricular, the ALANA Student Center staff members also serve as a referral and support unit for academic, financial, personal, and social matters.
CAMPUS MINISTRY Campus Ministry at Canisius College encourages students to engage the world in order to find and manifest God within the environment, society, communities, and the Catholic Church. The Jesuit and lay staff help students discern their gifts and grow as leaders to become women and men for and with others. The Campus Ministry staff invites students to discover the world in transformative ways, from ministering to the homeless in the streets of Buffalo to finding solidarity with the untouchable people of India, from encountering God while on retreat to encountering their true calling in life through regular spiritual direction. Approximately 800 students offer service to the community as part of the college’s Community Days initiative; 200 student a month participate in hunger programs throughout Buffalo; approximately 50 students travel over break periods to participate in service programs, and 40-50 students travel internationally for immersion programs. On average, about 18 students commit to a year of post-graduate service per year. Campus Ministry is a pastoral and prophetic presence on campus and develops programs, activities, and services that respond to the spiritual and religious needs of students. The staff engages students in their first semester and beyond, regardless of faith tradition, and offers retreats, faith-sharing groups, a rich liturgical life, local service/justice initiatives, and domestic and international service-immersion programs that challenge and inspire. Campus Ministry has collaborated with the Office of Mission and Identity on the Cura Personalis and My Magis projects, connecting all constituent groups in the campus community. The comprehensive Campus Ministry Assessment Plan links learning goals and their assessment to an array of events, explicitly addressing student learning and using reflections, surveys, interviews, and focus groups as well as pre- and post-questionnaires to both evaluate programming and assess student learning. Changes to resource allocation and programming have been made based on these assessments.
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER The Student Health Center supports the students by offering services that are easy to access, individualized, and targeted to sicknesses and injuries common to college students. The staff views each visit as an opportunity to meet health needs as well as educate students about wellness and prevention strategies that lead to lifelong good health. Learning goals related to health information and preventative care have been established and assessed. Changes to resource allocation and programming have been made based on these assessment data.
COUNSELING CENTER The experienced, fully licensed, clinical staff, most of them parents of college-aged children, understand that college life can be challenging and that lessons learned and obstacles overcome during college can provide emotional growth and maturity. The Counseling Center is committed to developing the personal and academic potential of Canisius College students by providing comprehensive counseling services and outreach education to support the emotional and mental health of all students. Student clients are administered the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) at intake. This tool measures distress experienced by college students in eight common problem areas. Students are reassessed for progress in these areas by taking the CCAPS throughout their time in counseling. On-site medication evaluation by a psychiatric nurse practitioner is a recently added service through the counseling center. Counselors are available to help students work through personal challenges in an effort to enhance their quality of life, as well as to improve their overall functioning as students. An on-call 81
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counselor is available to students who experience crisis after hours. Pre- and post-testing of learning related to the implementation of a suicide awareness and education program was conducted. Additional outreach programming has been developed based on the data collected.
PUBLIC SAFETY Public Safety at Canisius keeps the environment free from the threat of physical harm, property damage, and disruption. Officers and staff build and maintain a high level of cooperation with the campus community and neighborhood. They also maintain communication with other law enforcement agencies and provide regulatory services to assist the college. The department enforces federal, state, and local statutes as well as Canisius College Community Standards. Public Safety officers are trained peace officers and provide emergency services for the injured and ill, traffic and parking supervision, and fire prevention and safety services.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES All student support service offices conduct student satisfaction evaluations of their services and use these evaluations to improve services by eliminating programs students do not find helpful, adding new programs suggested by students, and enhancing existing programs to make them more useful and helpful. In addition, several of the student service support offices have developed learning goals and assess these learning goals. Assessment results are analyzed and used to reallocate resources and to improve both the delivery and quality of student services.
CONCLUSION Student services at Canisius are a visible manifestation of the most cherished values of the college: the care for individual persons, the desire to educate the whole person, the importance of service to others, especially those most in need, the value of a spiritual dimension in human lives, and the development of a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle. The vibrant and substantial collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs in caring for students and promoting their academic, personal, and career success is a testament to Canisius College's commitment to the Jesuit values and identity of the institution.
Recommendations
3.1 Continue to refine, implement, and assess the initiatives outlined in the Retention Task Force Report and implement plans to integrate retention into the enrollment management and financial aid strategies.
Sources (In Order of Appearance)
• Enrollment Plan Exec Summary, 2014
• Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2015
• Admissions Criteria
• 2014 Entering Freshman Data
• High School Demographics Northeast (Page 33)
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• Enrollment Plan Presentation (Page 5)
• College Support for Targeted Scholarships
• COPE
• Graduate Catalog 2012-2014 (Page 15)
• Graduate Orientation
• Kings College
• Financial Aid
• PAPPAS Executive Summary
• Retention Task Force Final Report 2014
• Griff Center
• 2014-15 REVISED Org. Chart (Page 11)
• Career Center Task Force Report
• New Student Orientation
• SASS 2013-14 Report (Page 7)
• Sample Griff Audit
• Athletics Task Force Report
• Club Sports
• RA Manual 2013-2014
• Student Handbook
• Student LIfe/CPLD
• International Student Resources
• Study Abroad
• 2014-15 REVISED Org. Chart (Page 9)
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• Canadian Teacher Certification
• College Catalog
• COPE MLK Scholarship
• COPE/HEOP
• Enrollment Plan Presentation
• Fall 2014 Census
• Graduate Admissions Financial Aid
• Graduate Catalog 2012-2014
• Graduate Catalogs
• Griff 101 Webpage
• High School Demographics
• Kings Pathway Requirements
• Organizational Chart: Senior Leadership
• Student Handbook, 2012-2013
• Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2015 (Page 25)
• Undergraduate Price Calculator
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Chapter 4-Leadership and Governance
Quick Links to Chapter Sections:
• Leadership: An Overview of Administration • Governance: The Board of Trustees • Decision-Making and Shared Governance • Recommendation
Standard 4: Leadership and Governance The institution’s system of governance clearly defines the roles of institutional constituencies in policy development and decision-making. The governance structure includes an active governing body with sufficient autonomy to assure institutional integrity and to fulfill its responsibilities of policy and resource development, consistent with the mission of the institution.
Standard 5: Administration The institution’s administrative structure and services facilitate learning and research/scholarship, foster quality improvement, and support the institution’s organization and governance.
Standard 6: Integrity In the conduct of its programs and activities involving the public and the constituencies it serves, the institution demonstrates adherence to ethical standards and its own stated policies, providing support for academic and intellectual freedom.
This chapter describes the leadership and governance structures of the college, the administrative units and roles, and the integrity standards and safeguards built into the workings and interactions of all the groups. This chapter will demonstrate that the relationship to the essential mission and identity of the college is clearly understood by all parties and guides their decisions and actions. In its present mode of strategic assessment and restructuring, Canisius has also identified new and creative ideas for management and governance that strengthen this relationship. These new ideas and structures promise renewed and improved operations at all levels.
Narrative
LEADERSHIP: AN OVERVIEW OF ADMINISTRATION The chief executive officer of the college is John J. Hurley, who is in his fifth year as president. His chief responsibility is to lead the college and ensure that the Canisius mission is realized in every aspect of its operation. President Hurley reports to a 35-member Board of Trustees and is ultimately accountable for identifying and guiding the strategic direction of the college. The board is responsible for the governance of the college and is charged by law with fiduciary responsibility for Canisius. On a day-to-day basis, President Hurley delegates most internal administrative duties to five vice presidents: academic affairs, institutional advancement, business and finance, student affairs, and most recently, enrollment management. This last role was created to centralize authority for enrollment at the vice presidential level and separate it from academic affairs. All administrative units of the college report to one of the vice presidential areas. The president meets weekly with each vice president to discuss items specific to that vice president’s areas of responsibility and to monitor their progress on annual goals and plans (Organizational Chart). The president, vice presidents, and the assistant to the president comprise the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), which meets on a weekly basis to address critical issues, institutional challenges, and opportunities and strategies for accomplishing institutional goals. In addition, the 85
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president and vice presidents hold four quarterly business reviews each year to address the critical institutional issues in a more concentrated forum.
In 2010, President Hurley created a Senior Operating Team (SOT), comprised of the vice presidents, associate vice presidents, academic deans, and many directors of the college’s major operational units and offices. This team met monthly to share information and discuss recommendations for initiatives. This group had over 25 members and proved to be too large for effective action. Much of the meeting time was devoted to the lifeblood issues of enrollment, tuition, financial aid discount, and college finances, which are relevant to all but outside the span of control for many members. Recent formalization of the organizational, reporting, and membership structure of the Strategic Planning Committee, and its enhanced charge, was determined to be duplicative of the intended functions of SOT, and so it was dissolved.
GOVERNANCE: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Overview Canisius College is governed by an active and informed Board of Trustees responsible for appointing a president, approving annual budgets, purchasing or disposing of real property, and conferring degrees. The board is a self-perpetuating corporate body made up of not more than 35 members, of whom no fewer than eight and no more than 11 are members of the Society of Jesus. Aside from emeritus members, trustees serve three-year terms, subject to reelection for a second three-year term. Election of new members and recommendations for renewals are held on an annual basis and conducted by the board’s Committee on Trusteeship. Meeting four times a year, the board is supported by an Executive Committee as well as various board committees and institutional consultants. At present the board has nine standing committees: Academics, Audit, Executive, Finance and Facilities, Investment Advisory (a subcommittee to Finance and Facilities), Institutional Advancement, Mission and Identity, Student Life, and Trusteeship.
Current Membership Currently, the board consists of 33 members with two vacancies. The current rector of the Jesuit community also serves as a consultant to the board. In addition to trustee members, the president of the college and president of the Alumni Association serve as ex-officio voting trustees during their respective terms of office. The vice presidents and the chair and vice chair of the Faculty Senate, the president of the Undergraduate Student Association, and the chair of the Board of Regents attend meetings as consultants, but they have no vote. Established by the trustees in 1953, the Canisius College Board of Regents is an advisory board whose members serve as advisors to the president and ambassadors for the college in the community. Some members of the regents also serve as non-voting members on some board committees.
Board Integrity Policies Conflicts of interest are subject to the provisions set forth in the college's Standards of Ethical Conduct. Members of the board and senior administrators are required to complete an annual questionnaire to identify any potential conflicts, and the responses are reviewed by the Board of Trustees Audit Committee. Furthermore, trustees, beginning in 2014, are required to complete an Independent Director Questionnaire to determine their status and eligibility to serve on the Executive or Audit Committees of the board. The college developed this additional form, made revisions to the Board of Trustees Bylaws (adopted on October 20, 2014) and updated its Standards of Ethical Conduct as a result of changes to the New York State Non-Profit Corporation Law through the 2013 Non-Profit Revitalization Act. Also, as a result of the provisions in the new law, the college is currently in the process of developing an electronic form for all faculty, staff, and board members to obtain acknowledgment that they have read and accepted the college's whistleblower policy, which is contained in the Standards of Ethical Conduct.
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No significant conflicts have been identified although there are instances where board members, or companies they own or work for, are conducting business with the college. Such relationships are subjected to heightened scrutiny by independent trustees. If a true or apparent conflict emerges, members recuse themselves from any meeting or decision at which the conflicting issue would be discussed or voted upon.
The Nonprofit Revitalization Act has also impacted other integrity policies for Canisius. This law includes provisions to assure that the board is not chaired by an employee of the college, that members or members’ families who do business with the college are scrutinized, that a whistleblowers’ protection policy exists, and that other assurances of integrity are in effect for the board, the leadership, and administrators. Canisius consulted with legal counsel to ensure that it is in compliance with this act. Canisius takes all steps necessary to remain vigilant that its highest levels of governance and management are in full compliance with ethical practices required by law and good practice.
Board Orientation All new members of the board participate in an orientation program to acquaint them with the history, mission, strategic plans, finances, and priorities of the college. Also, new trustees receive an overview of their roles and responsibilities on the board. A book of orientation materials is compiled annually and distributed to new and returning trustees. New trustees participate in a program with the chair, president, officers of the college, and select others to learn in more detail about the state of the college and the expectations of the board.
Board Effectiveness The Board of Trustees periodically assesses its effectiveness through a quantitative and qualitative survey process. Although there have been lapses, this survey is generally conducted every two years, most recently in May 2013, and it is administered by the Committee on Trusteeship. The board evaluated its general performance, the quality of full board and committee meetings, board culture, their understanding of strategic priorities, and opportunities for improvement. In addition, the survey enabled the members to assess their own personal effectiveness as board members and also examined questions specific to their experience at a Board of Trustees retreat. The results of the survey were distributed and summarized at the December 2013 board meeting, and a series of action items was recommended. The Committee on Trusteeship also evaluates trustees whose first terms are expiring and makes recommendations based on their engagement and institutional support for the renewal of their terms. Going forward, the board intends to administer annual surveys to understand its general effectiveness and develop more in-depth questionnaires every two years.
The Board of Trustees represents a wide spectrum of professional disciplines, and the members play a significant role in generating resources that sustain the institution. Nearly 100 percent of board members contribute to the college financially, and the Jesuits offer a gift from the community on behalf of all Jesuit trustees. In the last comprehensive campaign, board members serving during the campaign period (2004- 11) contributed nearly 30 percent of the $95.5 million raised for A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College. In addition, they have generously supported special initiatives, such as the Strategic Assessment and Organizational Review, both financially and with their time. In fact, the board contributed more than $300,000 to underwrite the fees for the Pappas study.
Periodically, the board convenes a Board of Trustees retreat to focus on critical matters facing the college, such as the development of a new mission statement and strategic plan in January 2011 and, most recently, in October 2013 regarding the Strategic Assessment, the state of higher education, Middle States accreditation, and shared governance. A special delegation of faculty also participated in the 2013 retreat and discussion. 87
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Meeting Effectiveness Canisius strives to provide high-quality information to the board on a regular basis. In general, members believe they have the data for informed decisions. Seven to 10 days prior to each meeting, the secretary to the board provides members with the trustee agenda book in hard copy and electronic form. The chair, in conjunction with the president, vice presidents, and Executive Committee, assists in the production of the agenda book which includes minutes from the previous meeting, meeting materials for each committee, and all documentation relevant to pending trustee discussion. Committee materials may include reports that are reflective of comments from students, faculty, administrators, and staff. Students, faculty, and administrators make presentations at board meetings on a regular basis to keep trustees up- to-date on new developments and issues facing the college. Information regarding the college’s finances and facilities, enrollment management, academics, student life, faculty welfare, and fund-raising is presented at each meeting. Trustees are also provided with information in advance of press releases to the general public regarding events or new developments at the college.
Board Communication Several mechanisms are in place for the board to communicate with college constituencies and solicit input regarding policy development and decision-making. Open forums are used occasionally to promote interaction and discussion among various constituents on issues facing the college. Modifications to planning and implementation of facilities, tuition structure, and academic requirements have occurred as a result of input from college constituencies. The president of the Undergraduate Student Association attends board meetings as a consultant. Students also serve on the Student Life Committee and contribute indirectly to the Finance and Facilities Committee through their work on the College Budget Committee. Faculty and staff have input on policy and decision-making through several committees including the College Budget Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, Senior Leadership Team, and the Academic Program Board as well as through department chairs, deans, and appropriate vice presidents. The trustees have delegated responsibility for the college’s core curriculum to the Faculty Senate. Representatives of the Faculty Senate and its Core Curriculum Committee attend the board’s Academics Committee meetings. Faculty and administrators are also invited to serve as consultants to various board committees as outlined in the bylaws, and the constitutions of the Faculty Senate and Undergraduate Student Association. Documents and policies regarding the governance structure are made available to the campus community through the myCanisius portal, the secretary to the Board of Trustees, and chair of the Faculty Senate. Highlights and a summary of board meetings are electronically distributed to the college community. This summary includes the president’s report and board announcements and actions. Lastly, press releases and announcements disseminate relevant information to the general public.
DECISION-MAKING AND SHARED GOVERNANCE While the president is charged by the board with the overall management of the college, Canisius functions in an environment of shared governance in which certain committees or bodies participate in the development of important decisions and strategies affecting the college. In the academic area, this occurs most notably in the administration of the college’s core curriculum and the process for faculty tenure and promotion. The college also facilitates shared governance through formal committee structures, including the Strategic Planning Committee, Budget Committee, Accreditation Oversight Committee, the Academic Program Board, as well as on search committees for top-level administrative positions, and other special task forces as formed by the president. In each of these committees or bodies, faculty are appointed by the president, elected by the Faculty Senate, elected by the faculty, or self-selected by volunteering. In addition, the Undergraduate Student Association represents students’ interests on the Strategic Planning Committee and the Budget Committee. As described in Chapter 1, the college is making continual progress toward a more effective model that integrates and aligns processes of assessment, budgeting,
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and strategic planning and more broadly involves the necessary stakeholders in critical decisions affecting the college.
In July 2012, President Hurley and the Faculty Senate began a dialogue about the meaning, status, and processes for improved shared governance at the college. These efforts have resulted in initiatives that represent important steps toward enhanced engagement between faculty and administration for institution-wide decisions.
The present situation may be described as one of increased participation and transparency in an environment where hard decisions have to be made. To engage with the faculty and staff directly about priority issues facing the college and to listen to the concerns and ideas of all college employees, the president has conducted listening tours. In his first year, he met with every academic and non-academic department on campus to listen to their concerns and ideas. Since his inaugural year, he has continued to meet with departments on a three-year rolling cycle. In addition, he hosts town hall-style meetings twice per semester. President Hurley’s efforts to work across boundaries have been positive and facilitated important two-way communication. The goals of shared governance are always the same: increased mutual understanding and shared communication for the long-term good of the college.
Administrators’ Qualifications President Hurley became the first lay president of the institution in July 2010. An alumnus of the college, he previously served as executive vice president and vice president for college relations. Through his leadership, the most recent capital campaign set an institutional record, surpassing its $90 million goal by $5.5 million. Recent appointments and promotions to senior administrative roles have resulted in continued stability in leadership. The vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Richard Wall, was permanently appointed to the position in 2013. He had held the position on an interim basis since 2011. Dr. Wall came to the college in 1980, and he is a highly respected professor in the Department of Economics and Finance in the Wehle School of Business. He has held the position of M & T Bank Distinguished Professor since 1990. He will return to the faculty in fall 2015. The vice president for student affairs and dean of students, Dr. Terri Mangione, also was permanently appointed in 2013. She had held the position of dean since 2007 and had previously worked at the college from 1991 to 1999 in a variety of leadership positions, including associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. When the previous vice president retired in 2013, the positions of vice president and dean were combined. Dr. Mangione was first appointed on an interim basis, but the appointment was quickly made permanent. The vice president for business and finance, Marco F. Benedetti, CPA was appointed in 2013 and is new to the college. He comes directly from the private sector and brings corporate experience to the position. The two newest vice presidents both joined the college in the summer of 2014. Kathleen Davis, the vice president for enrollment management, formerly served as the chief enrollment officer at St. Joseph’s College in Maine. William Collins, the vice president for institutional advancement, came to the college following an extensive and impressive professional career in advertising and public relations. Although the majority of vice presidents are new to their positions, many are not new to their responsibilities or to Canisius College, and the most recent appointees come with great breadth of experience and expertise in their fields.
Many academic administrators have been recently appointed, but the individuals have been respected members of the faculty and know the institution well. Dr. Margaret McCarthy, associate vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Richard Shick, dean of the Wehle School of Business, are both full professors, and each has served previously as a dean. Dr. Patricia Erickson, professor of criminal justice, was appointed as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences when the former dean resigned to accept another position. The dean of the School of Education and Human Services, Dr. Jeffrey Lindauer, has been an associate professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology since 2008. All senior leadership positions are held by experienced academic professionals. 89
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In addition, Canisius has the benefit of many staff members with excellent credentials and long-standing experience in their fields. Of special note are the associate academic vice president/registrar, Blair Foster, and the assistant vice president/director of the Griff Center, Anne Marie Dobies, as both have significant years of service to the institution and its students. The college is fortunate to have staff members in information technology, faculty technology services, library, faculty development, admissions, financial aid, business and finance, sponsored programs, advisement, residence life, student activities, international student programs, student leadership, student counseling, health services, and many other offices, all of whom are both experts and outstanding collaborators. Typically these individuals have at least master's degrees in their immediate or a closely related field, have experience at other institutions as well as Canisius, and are viewed as regional leaders in their areas of practice. All administrators' CV's can be found here.
The decline in enrollment has had an effect on the administration of the college. Some administrative positions have been reorganized, consolidated, and eliminated. Funding for travel to conferences and other professional development activities for administrators has been scrutinized and prioritized in recent years. In its analysis of staffing and personnel, the Pappas Report concluded that Canisius was “consistent with the peer median for the distribution of personnel between instructional functions and administrative functions.”
Change in Staffing Levels 2011 - 2015 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 % Change Faculty 235 224 213 199 (15%) Adjunct 143 137 116 116 (19%) Admin 213 207 191 186 (13%) Non- 243 233 213 199 (18%) Exempt
However, the report suggested that the college review administrative staffing to right size the number of professionals who “play key roles in retention and graduation” since the staff to student ratio appeared to fall below the median of its peer institutions. Following the recommendations of the Retention Task Force, the college has reorganized administrative resources into the Griff Center in order to focus on retention and persistence to graduation.
External and Internal Integrity The college demonstrates an adherence to ethical and moral standards in the conduct of its programs and activities involving the external public and internal constituencies, providing support for academic and intellectual freedom. It strives to treat all individuals with mutual respect and understanding and to create an environment that promotes learning and human development. These principles are manifested in many different ways.
Canisius has not had an academic freedom complaint from a faculty member at any time in the recollected memory of even its most senior personnel and covering a period that has included many controversial issues in the life sciences, the interpretation of sacred books, the role of the Catholic Church, human sexuality, multiculturalism, post-humanism, environmentalism, feminism, cultural studies, and many more. It is a tribute to the culture and tolerance of the institution that no academic freedom grievance or complaint has come forward even during these turbulent intellectual times.
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On the student side, there have been minor controversies regarding invitations to speakers or performances. When such a conflict occurs, the resolution generally comes through extensive discussion between the student group and senior student affairs staff. Students come to respect that the stages and podiums of the college are intended both as places for the exchange of ideas and, to some degree, also as places that honor the mission and goals of the college. In some cases, programs have been modified by having the stage shared with speakers and programming that offer alternative perspectives. As a private, non-profit organization, Canisius does not endorse political candidates, offer its facilities for political fundraising initiatives, nor bestow its major institutional awards to individuals running for public office.
Canisius Standards To the public, the college offers factual information on its external website on assessment data and other topics required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, verifies the accuracy and reliability of data reported to external agencies. Because Canisius enrolls a number of Canadian students, including many student athletes, the college respects a stringent law in the Province of Ontario requiring email recipients grant permission for electronic communications.
Canisius requires constituents to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in all practices both inside and outside of the college. The Canisius College Discrimination and Harassment Policy is designed to support and maintain an educational and working environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Definitions, the process for filing a complaint, and responsibilities of members of the Canisius community are outlined in the policy.
The Standards of Ethical Conduct, most recently revised in 2014, require personal responsibility and accountability in employee actions and reporting of suspected violations. The document is comprehensive, mandating compliance with all laws and contractual obligations, avoidance of conflicts of interest or their appearance, protection of confidential information and intellectual property rights, ethical conduct in employment practices as provided by the relevant handbook, financial reporting, record retention, computer use, and an unbiased and consistent treatment of individuals. The policy requires that all employees are trained on the standards every two years. An online training module has been created for policies on harassment, and there are plans to create a similar module for the Standards of Ethical Conduct.
An important element of equity and fairness is assurance that all students have the opportunity to complete the academic requirements of their degree programs within the published program length. Advisors provide information regarding general academic bench-marks and steps for success, graduation requirements, commonly asked questions, strategies for getting back on track, and campus support services. Faculty, advisors, and students have access to the automated degree audit system, GriffAudit which tracks an individual’s progress toward program completion and remaining curriculum requirements. Department chairs and deans actively manage course offerings to ensure that required and elective courses are sufficiently available, and associate deans report that limited course availability to fulfill graduation requirements is not an issue for students. The directors of the core curriculum work closely with the associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences to ensure adequate course offerings for all students to complete their core requirements on time. The Griff Center continually reviews data and procedures, monitors mentoring and tutoring activities, and tracks student outcomes.
It is evident that the college is moving successfully toward policies that are transparent and widely disseminated.
Handbook Policies
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The Faculty Handbook was revised in 2012-13, promulgated by the president, and approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2013. It provides for academic and intellectual freedom of faculty and for its defense through the Faculty Grievance Policy. No changes to the college’s statement on academic and intellectual freedom were made in the most recent revision. The Committee on Faculty Status and the Evaluation Review and Appeals Committee ensure that academic and intellectual freedoms are protected in tenure and promotion decisions. Representation of faculty interest in academic and intellectual freedom by the Faculty Welfare Committee of the Faculty Senate is also provided by the Constitution of the Faculty Senate. A review of the Faculty Handbook section pertaining to faculty evaluation is required every four years. Revisions to the handbook may be proposed at other times; as a collaborative process, all revisions require the approval of the administration, the Faculty Senate, and the Board of Trustees. There is not a regular cycle of review for the Faculty Handbook in its entirety.
Academic policies are published in undergraduate and graduate catalogs, the Advisement Guide, and on the college's website; however, it would be useful to create a comprehensive academic policies and procedures handbook for clarity, transparency, and ease of access for all constituencies.
The importance of academic and intellectual freedom to the rights of pursuit of knowledge, free expression and exchange of ideas, and to dissent for students are recognized and protected in The Student Handbook, Student Club/Organization Handbook, revised in 2009, and the Graduate Catalog.In support of intellectual freedom, the Student Handbook specifically provides student groups with the right to invite speakers to campus with “reasonable limitations applied by the college,” and this has not precluded speakers whose ideas are antithetical to Catholic and Jesuit belief. The college celebrates intellectual freedom and promotes the benefits of free and open access to information. A student’s right to be graded without regard to countervailing or iconoclastic expression or beliefs is defended through Grade Grievance Policy published in the Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog. The Office of Student Affairs reviews the Student Handbook every three years.
Administrators, librarians, administrative and technical support, public safety, and the faculty are provided handbooks which serve as a source of policies, outline mutual expectations, and guide the relationship between the college and its community. Staff handbooks are currently under revision (as of fall 2014).
The college’s internal website has been upgraded and reorganized into a password protected portal (myCanisius), and all employees have access to the many policies hosted there for reference. The college’s adherence to policies and standards is demonstrated by the relative infrequency of complaints or grievances by members of the community. When grievances are brought forward, they are addressed in a timely manner, and policies and procedures are closely followed.
Annual evaluations for exempt and non-exempt personnel can be found in the Office of Human Resources. One of the issues raised in the last institutional Self-Study was that formal performance evaluations were not conducted consistently. Progress has been made in addressing this issue; most recently, the performance evaluation process for administrative employees has been improved by moving to an electronic platform and identifying the behavioral and technical competencies that will be evaluated. This revised annual performance appraisal process involved campus-wide training of supervisors and employees to ensure that performance discussions are being held and appraisals are completed annually for all exempt and non-exempt staff. This initiative has increased discussions regarding priorities, resources, and performance.
Respect for Diversity Human Resources has clear, non-discriminatory policies in the hiring process for all positions. In academics, a commitment to diversity is widely embraced. The core curriculum has attributes that explicitly address issues of both diversity and global awareness. Canisius has programs in women and 92
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gender studies, Native American studies, and individual courses on African-American history, arts, and literature.
Many features of the Canisius culture demonstrate an embrace of the value of human diversity. Chief among them are the ALANA Student Center (African American, Latino/a, Asian American, Native American). The center has commissioned art work, publishes the “Cultural Times Bulletin” newsletter, and sponsors programs and activities to increase multicultural awareness on campus. It also sponsors annual Martin Luther King, Jr. awards to faculty, students, and staff which are made at the annual honors convocation. The Unity Club promotes education about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. The Office of Community-Based Learning facilitates service learning and service work with many charitable institutions in the community of need that surrounds the college. It has also sponsored presentations on such topics as migrant workers and immigration. Campus Ministry’s three community service days each year draw large numbers of students to agencies in the area who typically serve minority and immigrant populations, and many faculty members have incorporated service learning as a requirement into their courses.
More Opportunities for Participation In addition to the formal committee processes outlined previously, the college, at appropriate times, establishes ad hoc task forces to address specific issues, e.g., the Retention Task Force, the Online Learning Task Force, and the Athletics Task Force. In addition, the college is in the process of reviewing the charges and need for all of the standing committees that currently exist. Some will be eliminated as new reporting and decision-making structures evolve, and others may be merged into newer structures. In all cases, there will be opportunities for faculty and staff to add their voice to decisions and actions.
In general Canisius urges its community members to seek out opportunities to learn more about the college, see it from various perspectives, speak to its issues, and actively engage to improve the institution at all levels.
Recommendations
4.1 Develop a comprehensive institution-wide policy manual that includes all governance documents, policies, and handbooks. Establish a regular cycle of review for all contents of the policy manual.
Sources (In Order of Appearance)
• 2014-15 REVISED Org. Chart
• Strategic Planning Committee Charge 2014
• Board of Trustees Roster 2014
• Standards of Ethical Conduct
• Conflict of Interest Questionnaire
• Independent Director Qestionnaire
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• BoT Bylaws Current 2011
• BoT Roles and Responsibilities Mar 11, 2013
• BoT New Trustee Orientation Notebook 2013
• Trustee Survey 2013 Final
• Retreat Survey Results
• Survey Action Items 2013
• BoT Talent Inventory 2013-2014
• Board Retreat Agenda 2011-01-23
• Board Retreat Agenda 2013-10-20
• Retreat Feedback Survey Reports
• Faculty Senate Constitution (Page 6)
• Undergraduate Student Association: Constitution
• Board of Trustees Highlights and Summary
• College Committees
• Shared Governance Response Feb 5, 2014
• President John Hurley resume
• Richard Wall CV
• Terri Mangione resume
• Marco Benedetti resume
• Kathleen Davis resume
• William Collins resume
• Margaret McCarthy CV
• Richard Shick CV
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• Patricia Erickson CV
• Jeffrey Lindauer CV
• Blair Foster resume
• Anne Dobies resume
• Administrators' CV's and Resumes
• PAPPAS Executive Summary
• Retention Task Force Final Report 2014
• Political Speaker Policy
• HEOA Webpage
• Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
• Discrimination and Harassment Policy 2013
• Sample Griff Audit
• Faculty Handbook, 2013 (Page 66)
• Student Handbook
• Graduate Catalog
• Administrators' Handbook, 2001
• Librarian Handbook, 2005
• Secretarial/Technical Personnel
• Public Safety Handbook, 1997
• Student Handbook, 2012-2013 (Page 9)
• Online Task Force Report
• Athletics Task Force Report
• Academic Policies: General
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• Acceptable Use of College Computer/Network by Employees
• Acceptable Use of College Computer/Network by Students
• Admissions: Literature and Viewbook
• Career Center Annual Report 2009-2010
• Career Center Annual Report 2010-2011
• Career Center Annual Report 2011-2012
• Class of 2011 Survey
• Code of Academic Integrity
• COMDOC Help Desk Procedures
• Community Standards
• Computer Asset Disposal
• E-Mail Retention
• Faculty Handbook, 2013
• Faculty Senate Constitution
• FERPA Information for Faculty and Staff
• FERPA Information for Students
• Grade Grievance Policy
• Graduate Catalog 2012-2014
• Guidelines for Research Conducted on Human Subjects
• HEOA File Sharing Policy, 2009
• Hiring for Mission
• Hiring Policy
• Information Security Plan: CIMS Security Steering Committee (CISSC)
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• Institutional Review Board (IRB): Guidelines for Research
• Librarian Handbook
• Library and Information Services Long Range Plan, May 2012
• Marketing Points of Excellence
• MLK Award
• President's Webpages
• RA Manual 2013-2014
• Records Retention and Disposal Policy, 2012
• Records Retention Schedule
• Repair of Damaged Laptops
• Secretarial/Technical Personnel Handbook, 2004
• Student Handbook, 2012-2013
• Supported Software, Equipment, and Computer Repair
• Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2015
• Values and Outcomes
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Summary Recommendations
Chapter 1 Recommendations:
1.1 Integrate strategic planning, budgeting, and institutional assessment under the new Strategic Planning Committee:
• ensure that the strategic plans of the functional units of the college are current and in alignment with institution-wide goals, current priorities, and budget;
• ensure that the budget development and planning processes include regular review and refinement of five-year, three-year, and annual budgets aligned with strategic planning and assessment data; and
• ensure that the results from the assessment of academic and non-academic units inform planning and budgeting at the college.
1.2 Design, finalize and/or execute strategic plans in key areas that have undergone recent leadership transitions and lay the groundwork for a new institution-wide strategic plan:
• Designate the vice president for business and finance to facilitate the development of a facilities master plan for the institution and align it with budget and strategic planning processes.
• Finalize a new strategic plan for the Division of Institutional Advancement with specific goals and objectives, including plans for campaigns to raise funds to complete Science Hall and for a significant addition to the college’s endowment.
• Fully execute the new strategic plan for the Division of Enrollment Management.
1.3 Adopt a policy, plan, and practices for the regular review and update of the Canisius website, including department webpages, so that all publicly accessible content is current and accurate.
Chapter 2 Recommendations:
2.1 Through a collaborative process involving faculty and administrators, engage in a comprehensive review and revision of the Faculty Handbook and associated policies. Establish a regular cycle of review for all contents of this handbook.
2.2 Formalize staffing and compensation policies for adjunct faculty and develop a handbook that clarifies roles and responsibilities, making practices more consistent across the three academic units of the college.
2.3 Identify opportunities to improve the morale of faculty and staff. For matters affecting faculty specifically, continue to identify opportunities that enhance shared governance and communication.
2.4 Continue the implementation of the assessment plan for the core curriculum and use the results of that assessment to guide discussions about the need and desirability of pursuing revisions of the core that would make it more focused, more coherent, and more easily assessed.
2.5 Formalize processes for coordination among the Core Curriculum Committee, the director of the All-College Honors Program, the Faculty Senate, and the vice president for academic affairs to: 98
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• ensure alignment of the core curriculum and the honors program with the college’s institutional learning goals and objectives and the general education requirements as described by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
• ensure strong and sustainable oversight of the cores; and
• determine a means by which core curricula directors can reallocate their time and efforts to focus on strategic academic issues in the management of the cores rather than routine administrative matters.
2.6 Develop and implement processes and systems for curriculum management across all programs, including the core curriculum.
2.7 Strengthen the assessment culture on campus to ensure that student learning assessments drive program improvement and improve mission-based student outcomes.
2.8 Improve leadership, coordination, planning, assessment, and oversight of online learning to meet the demands associated with growth in online education, and alternative pedagogies for instructional design.
Chapter 3 Recommendation:
3.1 Continue to refine, implement, and assess the initiatives outlined in the Retention Task Force Report and implement plans to integrate retention into the enrollment management and financial aid strategies.
Chapter 4 Recommendations:
4.1 Develop a comprehensive institution-wide policy manual that includes all governance documents, policies, and handbooks. Establish a regular cycle of review for all contents of the policy manual.
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Draft Report - Racial Diversity Survey Results Background
In the 2018 spring semester, the College’s Racial Diversity Team administered a campus climate survey to the Canisius College campus community. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative questions, the survey sought to gain a better understanding of the campus racial climate through the experiences of students, faculty, and staff.
Method
Survey
The survey was designed and approved by members of the Racial Diversity Team in the 2018 spring semester. The online survey was administered through Baseline and remained open for the final six weeks of the spring semester. Email invitations to participate in the survey were sent to students’ Gmail accounts beginning mid-April, and a reminder email was sent once a week for the subsequent four weeks.
Participants
The survey received an approximate twenty percent response rate, with over 550 student responses. Respondents were given an option to self-identify race and ethnicity. Of the student respondents who completed this question:
• 72% Caucasian or White • 12.5% African American or Black • 4.4% Latinx • 5% Biracial or Multiracial • 2.75% Asian • 3.6% Other/No response (Verify these in data)
This report will focus primarily on the student responses to open-ended questions that were included, addressing racially motivated incidents, experiences regarding race relations on campus, and general feelings towards the overall campus climate.
Data Analysis
MAXQDA software was utilized to organize and sort survey data. While this was not designed entirely as a Grounded Theory study, associated coding techniques were adopted and provided the framework for analysis. This method allows for studying participant open-ended responses to explore what “analytic sense we can make of them” (Charmaz, 2006, p. 3).
Student team members conducted initial coding through line-by-line analysis, identifying in vivo and process codes (Saldaña, 2013; Charmaz, 2006). The initial coding phase resulted in approximately 900 in vivo and 23 process codes. (*Recalculate after finishing final section of analysis.) Upon completion of the first cycle coding, student and faculty team members completed second cycle coding by identifying focused codes (Charmaz, 2006). Through comparison of these data, twenty (*Recalculate after finishing final section of analysis) focused codes were identified. These codes included: (a) identity/nationality, (b) microaggressions, (c) isolation/ “left out”, (d) stereotypes, (e) communication, (f) gender, (g) in class, (h) silenced/ignored, (i) direct words/statements, (j) hair, (k) employees, (l) religion, (m) feelings/emotion, (n) places, (o) white/whiteness, (p) outside of the classroom, (q) politics, (r) events, (s) public safety/police, and (t) no one who looks like me. These categories were determined by the frequency of occurrence and significance across survey data.
Once the team completed the focused coding, the codes were organized and synthesized to the point thematic codes emerged. Theoretical codes “integrates and synthesizes the categories derived from coding and analysis to now create a theory” (Saldaña, 2009, p. 164). In this stage, three themes surfaced that were central across our data: (a) Language and Communication, (b) Identity and Isolation, and (c) Public Safety.
Trustworthiness
In order to ensure rigor in this study, various methods were employed throughout the data analysis process. To ensure credibility, student and faculty members of the Racial Diversity Team served as multiple investigators in the analysis process. Through investigator triangulation, findings of each investigator were compared within the team and identified codes were agreed upon with team consensus (Korstjens & Moser, 2018). To ensure validity, peer debriefing was employed throughout the analysis process (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
Results
While the survey was administered to faculty, staff, and student members of the Canisius community, this report will focus on the student responses. Their responses provide important considerations for faculty and staff, and highlight implications that cross campus divisions.
Three themes emerged from the questions centered on challenges and barriers to campus racial diversity: (a) Language and Communication, (b) Identity and Isolation, and (c) Public Safety. Each theme is described in detail below. Participant responses are provided as examples in order to support the findings.
DRAFT: Findings from Qualitative Questions focused on Challenges/Barriers
Theme #1: Language & Communication
Inside the classroom: Faculty comments Student comments on discussion board Student comments in classroom that are unaddressed by faculty
Outside of the classroom: Social media (Snapchat/Twitter/videos) Afro-American Society’s White privilege clubroom door Use of the n-word by White people Doll incident Inability to talk to peers about racial incidents that take place (told too sensitive, worried about peer perception, etc.)
Theme #2: Identity & Isolation
Inside of the classroom: Being the only person or one of two people of color in class Being looked at when topic of immigration comes up Group work is challenging (“I don’t want to work with this person, because I want a good grade”)
Outside of the classroom: Extremely relational: desire to want to center their understanding of race around their relationships (ex. For White students: “I was called a racist despite the fact that I have many Black friends”, For students of color: “My experience being the only person of color…”) “No one who looks like me”
Overall- Feeling of being misunderstood
Theme #3: Public Safety
The presence of Public Safety for some groups of students and not for others (ex. checking of ID’s at the KAC for black students only, shutting down of events for students of color, the incident at Subway last year)
3 Questions remaining to be coded: How would you like the culture at Canisius to change in regards to racial diversity? How do you want to be involved in this change? What does a safe, just, anti-racist college look like to you? 1
The Catholic and Jesuit Mission of Canisius College: A Primer
John J. Hurley President, Canisius College
This whitepaper has been prepared as a background document for the Canisius College Board of Trustees meeting on February 26, 2018 at which the board will discuss the Catholic and Jesuit mission of Canisius, the mission and identity challenges before the college and the board, and the board’s readiness to play an active role in addressing these challenges going forward.
The Context for Our Discussion of Mission and Identity
The mission statement of Canisius College contained in the college’s strategic plan, Canisius 150: Excellence, Service, Jesuit, states:
Canisius College, a Catholic and Jesuit university, offers outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional programs distinguished by transformative learning experiences that engage students in the classroom and beyond. We foster in our students a commitment to excellence, service and leadership in a global society.
The mission statement prioritizes the college’s status as a Catholic and Jesuit university. The plan includes an explanatory note which states what it means for Canisius to be Catholic and Jesuit:
Canisius is an open, welcoming university where our Catholic, Jesuit mission and identity are vitally present and operative. It is rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition’s unity of knowledge and the dialogue of faith and reason. Founded by the Society of Jesus as a manifestation of its charism1, Canisius espouses the Jesuit principles of human excellence, care for the whole person, social justice, and interreligious dialogue. Jesuit spirituality calls us to seek God in all things and Jesuit education aims to form students who become men and women for and with others.
Prior to 1968, there was no question that Canisius was Catholic and Jesuit. Founded originally by a German-American province of the Society of Jesus, the college employed dozens of Jesuits and was governed by a small Jesuit-only board of trustees. The president of the college served in the dual role of rector of the Jesuit community and president of the college and as such, was appointed to his office by the Superior General of the Society. The college offered a curriculum rich in Catholic theology and philosophy. The students were overwhelmingly Catholic and Catholic sacramental and devotional life were present on the campus and were mostly mandatory for students. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Canisius and most other
1 When we speak of “charism” or Ignatian or Jesuit charism, we mean a unique spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit that animates a person’s or group’s work. In this case, charism means the essential inspiration of the Jesuits. 2
Catholic universities enjoyed a “time of harmonious integration of faith and intellectual life, a “Catholic” revival to lead the ever-present battle against secularism.”2
In the 1960’s, however, this period of harmonious integration began to fray. The impetus was the Second Vatican Council and its emphasis on an increasing role for the laity in the Church. Additionally, Catholic universities increasingly became “Americanized,” in the sense that the principles of academic freedom and of the free and open pursuit of truth became priorities. These priorities could cause conflicts with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Catholic universities looked at prominent universities in the United States - places like the Ivy League schools, the University of Chicago and some of the great state universities - and asked themselves how they could continue to compete for the best faculty and students. The funding of American higher education was changing as well and issues were raised as to qualification of faith-based institutions and their students for federal and state aid.
Land O’Lakes and New Thinking about American Catholic Universities
In 1967, leaders in American Catholic higher education gathered at a University of Notre Dame retreat center in Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin to discuss the new role and identity of American Catholic higher education. The meeting produced the now-famous document “The Nature of the Contemporary Catholic University” which has been acclaimed as a statement of independence from the Church by American Catholic colleges and universities.3 It represented an attempt by leaders in Catholic higher education to place their universities in the mainstream of American higher education. Its opening statement reads:
“To perform its teaching and research functions effectively the Catholic university must have a true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself.”
To some, the statement was seen as a necessary claim if Catholic colleges and universities were to become great academic institutions. To others, it signaled the beginning of the end of Catholic higher education and an inevitable road to secularization.4 But according to Alice Gallin in Negotiating Identity, both sides failed to read the second paragraph of the statement: “Distinctively, then, a Catholic university must be an institution, a community of learners or a community of scholars, in which Catholicism is perceptibly present and effectively operative.”5
Much has been written about Land O’Lakes and the myriad issues it raised. It is not possible in this short whitepaper to explore all of the issues involved, nor to address in detail the corollary issues involving the intersection of canon law and civil law. The bibliography to this whitepaper contains some additional reading on these topics.
Instead, this whitepaper will focus on the situation at Canisius and what has happened over the past 50 years with respect to our status as an American, Catholic, Jesuit university.
2 See, Gallin, Negotiating Identity: Catholic Higher Education Since 1960 (2000), p. 54. 3 Gallin, Negotiating Identity, 56. 4 Gallin, Negotiating Identity, 56. 5 Gallin, Negotiating Identity, 56. 3
Canisius College and the Transition to Lay Control
In the late 1960s, American Catholic universities began the process of moving from exclusively religious boards of trustees to lay boards of trustees. This was driven at first by a desire of Catholic schools – Canisius included - to qualify for state and federal aid, but this also represented a move toward increased independence of the universities from their founding congregations and the institutional Church.
In 1968, Canisius president Fr. James Demske and his administration, working in concert with the Jesuit province, began the process of moving the college from a board comprised solely of Jesuits to a larger lay-controlled board. This move was driven by the college’s desire to qualify for state and federal aid to the extent possible.6 Its charter was amended to increase the size of the board to 25 members and Jesuit members were limited to one less than one-third, to prevent the Jesuits from having an effective veto power over significant corporate actions requiring a two-thirds majority. The following year, Judge Charles S. Desmond ‘17, the Chief Judge of the State of New York, was elected as the first lay chair of the college’s board of trustees.
The move to a lay-controlled board did not change the corporate status of the college. The assets of the college remained in The Canisius College of Buffalo, NY, Inc., a New York not for profit educational corporation. What had changed was the Jesuits’ relationship to that corporation. They no longer controlled the board and by extension, the assets and operations of the school corporation.
The Jesuit community still resided on the campus, so as part of this transition, the Jesuit community was separately incorporated and took legal title to the Loyola Hall residence on the campus. It executed a number of agreements and easements with the college to insure parking, access, etc., given that the building was surrounded by college property.
Canisius was not alone in structuring its approach this way. Most of the other 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States did something similar although a minority implemented a two-tier board structure in which a “board of members,” consisting solely of Jesuits, retained certain critical corporate powers (disposition of property, fundamental corporate changes, and the appointment of the president, among others) and existed over the board of trustees, which was responsible for the governance of the institution.
The transfer of control of the college to a lay board introduced a new era of lay-Jesuit collaboration at Canisius. In the intervening 50 years, the college has seen only two presidential
6 The Canisius initiative was part of an effort in New York State to qualify private institutions for state aid. In 1967, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller appointed a Select Commission on the Future of Private and Independent Higher Education, chaired by McGeorge Bundy, whose name became associated with the direct aid program that was developed as a result of the Commission’s work. When this move was challenged as a violation of the Blaine Amendment in the New York State Constitution (the amendment which prohibits any public funds going for sectarian (i.e. religious) purposes), Canisius decided to change its governance structure consistent with what other Catholic universities in the United States were doing. See, Gallin, Negotiating Identity, p. 54 4
transitions: in 1993, the transition from Fr. James Demske to Fr. Vincent Cooke, and in 2010, the transition from Fr. Cooke to John Hurley. In both of these transitions, a search committee appointed by the board conducted the search and presented the eventual candidate to the board for approval. In each case, there was substantial consultation with the provincial of the Jesuits’ New York Province.7
The relationship between the college’s board of trustees and the Province requires a short explanation. As a New York not for profit corporation, the college is governed by its board which selects the chief executive officer. However, as a Jesuit college, the board must select a president who can be “missioned” by the Province to become the leader of a Jesuit college. Put another way, under civil law (i.e., the law of New York State), the president functions as the chief executive officer of the school corporation. In the Jesuit world, which incorporates canon law to some extent, the president holds the title of “Director of the Apostolic Work.”8 Practically speaking, what does this mean? It means that a president of the college must be acceptable to the board and to the Province and must, in some senses, answer to both.
In 2010, I was the fourth lay person to become the president of a Jesuit college or university. In 2018, there are now 15 lay presidents. Fortunately, to date there have not been any serious conflicts between the president’s role as CEO of the school corporation and his/her role as Director of the Work as schools, boards and provinces navigate the initial transition to lay leadership. But, the topic of how boards and provinces will work together to identify future leaders of Jesuit colleges and universities remains a topic of conversation.
The Changing Church and American Catholic Universities; Ex Corde Ecclesiae
While these board transitions were taking place, the Catholic Church in the United States began to see sharp declines in the number of vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a decline in the number of both baptized and practicing Catholics in the country. The Jesuits were not immune from this. In 1965-66, for example, Canisius had a faculty that numbered 197, of whom 45 were Jesuits. At the start of the 2017-18 year, the faculty numbered 184, of whom four were Jesuits. In 1965-66, Jesuits held most of the major administrative posts at the college including president, vice president for academic affairs, vice president for business and finance, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and dean of students. Today, there are no Jesuits holding any administrative positions at the college.
As lay people assumed a larger role in the governance and operation of Catholic colleges and universities, questions were raised as to how a school could remain Catholic with a much- reduced presence of vowed religious on the campus. These questions and concerns have been expressed in many ways:
7 The consultation with the Provincial generally followed the process laid out in the joint document of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Jesuit Conference: The Role of the Society of Jesus in the Selection of a President for a U.S. Jesuit College or University. This remains an operative document today. 8 The Jesuits sponsor several different types of works – secondary schools, colleges and universities, parishes, and retreat houses are the most numerous. 5
• Is there a minimum percentage of Catholics that we want on our faculty or within each department at the college to insure a Catholic emphasis in the curriculum? • What is the percentage of Catholic students at the college and what is their participation in Catholic liturgical and sacramental life? • Are there Catholic icons and images present on the campus, primarily crucifixes in the classroom, to convey that one is on the campus of a Catholic college? • Does the curriculum reflect an emphasis on the exploration of faith and reason and Catholic social teaching? Does the core curriculum emphasize Catholic theology and philosophy? • How does the institution navigate the intersection of academic freedom and Catholic Church teaching? • How does the institution address student interest groups that may espouse positions inconsistent with Church teaching (LGBTQ/A, pro-choice groups)? • How does the institution address awards and honors or speaking invitations for individuals who may hold positions contrary to Church teaching?
In the 50 years since Land O’Lakes, these and many other issues have been the subject of debate and dialogue in Catholic colleges and universities, among interest groups outside the academy, within religious orders, and within the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB)9.
In 1990, St. John Paul II issued the Apostolic Constitution10 on Catholic Universities: Ex Corde Ecclesiae (From the Heart of the Church). Ex Corde represented an attempt by the Pope to define the essential characteristics of a Catholic university. It is an incredibly rich and inspiring document that remains an aspirational challenge for all of us in Catholic higher education. At Canisius, I have often cited Ex Corde’s statement that Catholic universities spring from the “heart of the Church,” are places with “a Christian inspiration,” a place where Catholicism is “vitally present and operative,” and where integration of knowledge is marked by the dialogue between faith and reason.11
9 The USCCB is the umbrella organization of all Bishops in the United States. 10 An Apostolic Constitution is the highest level decree that can be issued by a pope in the Roman Catholic Church. By its nature, it is not a prescriptive document but instead is a higher-level discussion of an issue. In the case of Ex Corde, the application to the situation of the American Catholic colleges and universities was developed by the USCCB when it developed its norms, or rules, for Ex Corde’s application in the United States. See, The Application of Ex Corde Ecclesiae for the United States (Washington, DC, United States Catholic Conference, 2000).
11 Allow me to share a brief reflection on the integration of knowledge and faith and reason for those who may not be products of Catholic higher education (understanding that this could easily be the world’s longest footnote): The emphasis on employing both the powers of reason and the gift of faith in discerning truth in the world dates back to the writings of St. Augustine. In the Catholic philosophical tradition, scholars have posited that the study of philosophy – which generally concerns itself with human knowledge (i.e. what is true, what can we know, and how can we know it) – must be illuminated by theology and faith to be fully understood. In Catholic universities, students are encouraged to search for ultimate truths which may be beyond what reason might suggest. Similarly, they are encouraged to apply the powers of reason to the study of theology to reach a better understanding of the faith. See, Alasdair MacIntyre, God, Philosophy, Universities: A Selective History of the Catholic Philosophical Tradition (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). 6
The application of Ex Corde to American Catholic institutions was a cause for concern in 2000 when the USCCB published norms, or rules, which created a process by which a professor of Catholic theology was required to obtain a mandatum from the local bishop to, in essence, allow the faculty member to teach.12 This created great concerns about conflicts with academic freedom and institutional autonomy. In most dioceses in the United States, this process has been managed as bishops have been generally reluctant to attempt to exert too much control, and both bishops and university presidents have found it better to focus on fulfilling the mission of the Church in the diocese than wrangle over this issue. That has certainly been the case for Canisius, which has enjoyed a warm, supportive and respectful relationship with its bishops throughout its history.
A New Emphasis on Mission and Identity at Jesuit Colleges and Universities 2010-2018
In the eight years I have served as president of Canisius, there has been an increased emphasis on the mission and identity of our Jesuit colleges and universities. The driving force for this has been the decline in the number of Jesuits on our campuses and the concern over maintaining our Catholic and Jesuit identity in an era of increasing secularization. Mission highlights to date at Canisius include a Hiring for Mission document; the formation of the Board of Trustees’ Mission & Identity Committee; increased service-learning and experiential learning in the curriculum; mission-focused grants in course development and faculty research projects; mission criteria in annual academic program and department evaluations; the Canisius Colleagues Program - a primer in Jesuit history, Ignatian spirituality, the Catholic intellectual tradition, and their applications in Jesuit education for faculty, staff and administrators; and mission-centric features on the college website.
At the request of the New York Province and as part of an initiative of the Jesuit Conference in the United States to reach understandings with all 28 Jesuit colleges and universities, Canisius worked with the college’s Jesuit community and the New York Province to develop in 2011 a Statement of Shared Purpose. The Statement, which was approved by all three parties, contains a declaration of intentions by the college’s board of trustees, the Province and the Jesuit communities regarding things each would do to insure that Canisius remains Catholic and Jesuit.
In 2011, the presidents of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities published an excellent whitepaper, “The Jesuit, Catholic Mission of U.S. Jesuit Colleges and Universities.” This short, 22-page essay opens with the bold declaration:
“Being ‘Catholic, Jesuit universities’ is not simply one characteristic among others but is our defining character, what makes us to be uniquely what we are.”
The whitepaper was originally created to foster dialogue between the presidents and the Jesuit provincials in the United States about the future of American Jesuit higher education. That discussion resulted in further work to expand the analysis of what it means to be Catholic and Jesuit and in 2012, the presidents and provincials jointly produced Some Characteristics of Jesuit
12 See, The Application of Ex Corde Ecclesiae for the United States (Washington, DC, United States Catholic Conference, 2000). 7
Colleges and Universities: A Self-Evaluation Instrument. Some Characteristics identified seven essential characteristics of Jesuit colleges and universities and posed a number of questions for schools to consider and discuss as part of their ongoing mission and identity initiatives.
Additionally the AJCU schools have created lay formation programs for our faculty and staff: the Ignatian Colleagues Program, an 18 month program devoted to study, reflection, prayer and social justice to give participants a deeper understanding of the Jesuit way of proceeding; and the AJCU Leadership Seminar, a four day program for faculty and more senior staff focused on Jesuit higher education issues. The AJCU also sponsors approximately two dozen conferences where faculty and staff in specific areas can build networks of their counterparts in the 28 schools.
The publication of Some Characteristics prompted further thought on whether a more formal process for assessing mission and identity in the Jesuit colleges and universities could be developed. In 2015, the Jesuit Conference in the United States (the umbrella organization for all Jesuit works and all of the Jesuit provinces in the United States), in consultation with the presidents, developed the Mission Priority Examen Process. The process involves a school preparing a self-study document which assesses how it is living its mission and identity, a visit by a team of outside mission and identity consultors, and a report to the school’s Provincial about the extent to which the school is faithful to its mission and identity. The Provincial then sends a report to the Superior General of the Jesuits in Rome who reviews the findings and decides whether the school should continue to be a sponsored work of the Society of Jesus. His finding is also shared with the Congregation for Catholic Education in the Vatican so that it has a record that the school has been determined by the Jesuits to be Catholic and Jesuit.
We are currently in the third year of this program and Canisius has agreed to be part of the fourth-year program. Work has begun on our self-study and we have scheduled a campus visit for our visiting team the week of November 11, 2018.
The Mission Examen process and all of the preliminary work that led to its creation have been aimed at defining what a college or university must do and must be in order to be considered Jesuit and Catholic. This recognizes that with a declining Jesuit presence on the campus and with the Jesuits having ceded control of its colleges and universities to lay boards, the Society of Jesus needs a mechanism to determine whether a school is authentically Jesuit and Catholic and therefore worthy of remaining a sponsored work of the Society. To this point, there has been no real question about the Jesuit identity of a college or university as it was presumed that if Jesuits were working and living there, they were considered to be the primary animators of the mission. This new process recognizes that a small number of Jesuits may not, in fact, be the “primary animators” of the mission and that the Society may need to rely on the university and its lay leaders to perform that function.
This should not suggest that the thinking of the Jesuits and the colleges and universities has crystallized into a definite set of answers and processes. What I have presented here is not spelled out in a written contract or any code or regulation of the Society. Instead, we have only partial answers to emerging questions. One fact has become clear: the provincials do not have 8
sufficient men to cover all of the existing works in the provinces and some difficult choices about the assignment of Jesuits and the sponsorship of works will need to be made.
In meetings of the Jesuit college and university board chairs – both nationally and at the province level – the chairs have been asking questions about the provinces’ plans for addressing these challenges. In meetings I have attended, the board chairs appear to approach the issue from a business perspective. This, they say, is a question of strategic planning, and their reasoning goes something like this: We all agree and accept that our Jesuit identity is very important to who we are. We accept the fact that boards and lay faculty and staff at our schools need to insure that our commitment to our Jesuit identity remains strong. But, a big part of that identity has been the Jesuits themselves and while we understand that provincials have fewer Jesuits to assign to our schools, we need some clarity as to what the provincial and Jesuit Conference plan is for the staffing and sponsorship of our schools.
The board chairs I have spoken with tend to look at the Jesuit brand identity as somewhat like a franchise and the question they are, in essence, asking is, “What must a school do and be to retain its Catholic and Jesuit ‘franchise?’” From this perspective, the Mission Priority Examen process could be one way of clarifying the answer to that question.
The Present Challenge for Canisius College and Its Board of Trustees
Having approved a strategic plan and mission statement that commits Canisius to the pursuit of its Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity, the college’s board of trustees has a fiduciary duty to assure that the college is living its mission.13 In order to discharge that duty, trustees must develop a deep understanding of what it means to be Catholic and Jesuit so that it can be an active, contributing partner with the president, the college community, the Jesuit community and the Provincial in the process of animating that mission.
What does it mean to be Catholic? We are committed to and guided by Ex Corde when it comes to our Catholic identity. At its essence, it means being a university that stands together with the Church in the sense that (1) there is a respect for official Church teaching that is reflected in the academic and co-curricular life of the campus, and (2) the college does not do anything that would undermine Church teaching. It means a commitment to the essential framework of faith and reason as a pathway to truth and to the centrality of the Catholic intellectual tradition in the college’s mission and curriculum. But it does not mean surrendering our status as a university, a place where academic freedom and the search for truth are the highest priorities. We support the work of the institutional Church, but we are not the institutional Church.
What does it mean to be Jesuit? The first chapter of Fr. Jim Martin’s book, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, contains a good basic summary of the Ignatian charism and the history of the Jesuits. Our Jesuit universities, according to the presidents’ 2011 essay, “are a continuation of the Ignatian heritage and of the distinctive tradition of Jesuit education. This
13 This is not to suggest that the college’s mission and identity is immutable. Subsequent boards and administrations could, I suppose, determine that being a Catholic and Jesuit college is not the college’s mission. But having decided that this is our mission, the board has a duty to see that the college pursues that mission. 9
means that St. Ignatius, with his charism and his Spiritual Exercises, inspires and gives shape to how we educate in a way that seeks God in all things, promotes discernment, and ‘engages the world through a careful analysis of context, in dialogue with experience, evaluated through reflection, for the sake of action, and with openness, always, to evaluation.”14
Contrary to what some believe, there can be no Jesuit without Catholic. As Jesuit universities, we are a unique way of being Catholic but we remain at our core, Catholic.
The Board’s challenge with respect to mission and identity is made more urgent by the dwindling number of Jesuits working at the college and in residence at Loyola Hall. At a meeting of the Canisius board in 2017, Fr. Jim Miracky, the provincial assistant for higher education for the Jesuits’ Northeast and Maryland provinces presented some statistics on the decline in the number of Jesuits in the province and employed at Canisius from 1970 to 2017.
1970 1990 2010 2017 Jesuits in New York Province 1572 896 385 52515 Jesuits in Formation 385 94 16 52 Jesuits Employed at Canisius College 42 24 18 5
During Fr. Cooke’s presidency, the Jesuit community (which included Jesuits employed at the college, Canisius High School, the Nativity Miguel School and in other places in Buffalo) hit a peak of 37 Jesuits, both active and retired. Today, in February 2018, the community has shrunk to 11 Jesuits, of whom only three are teaching at the college. The number is likely to decrease further this summer. We are reaching a point where the community and the Province will need to decide whether that community can be sustained on the campus in Loyola Hall or not. If the Jesuits move from Loyola Hall to an off-campus location, Canisius would become a Jesuit college without a resident Jesuit community and the questions are likely to be:
• Do we as trustees agree that our Jesuit identity is very important to who we (Canisius College) are? Why? • Without a Jesuit community to participate/lead the animation of the mission on the campus, will the Board, the president, and the faculty and staff be in a position to assure the Society that the college remains Jesuit? • What will the Board be called upon to do in this case? • How prepared do individual trustees feel they are to accept this responsibility? • What would they need or want to make them feel better prepared? • Since a Jesuit university derives its inspiration from the charism of St. Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises, are trustees willing to commit to a significant and personal experience with the Spiritual Exercises as a means of achieving a deeper understanding of the dimensions of that mission? • Understanding that the board’s most important responsibility is the selection and evaluation of the president, how prepared do trustees feel they are to identify, select
14 The Jesuit, Catholic Mission of U.S. Jesuit Colleges and Universities (Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, 2011), p. 4. 15 This higher number reflects the merger of the former New York Province and New England Province into the Northeast Province between 2010 and 2017. 10
and evaluate a person who could lead the college in animating its Catholic and Jesuit mission?
These are challenging questions, to be sure, but we hope that by having an open and honest discussion, the board will put itself in a better position to work with the administration, faculty and staff of the college to develop a sound plan for insuring the college’s future as a Catholic and Jesuit college.
Dated: February 12, 2018
Bibliography for Mission and Identity
Primary Sources
Alice Gallin, O.S.U. ed., American Catholic Higher Education: Essential Documents 1967-90 (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1992). This volume of seminal documents includes the 1967 Land O’Lakes statement.
Pope John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (From the Heart of the Church). The Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities (1990).
Pope John Paul II, Fides et Ratio: Encyclical Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Relationship between Faith and Reason. (1998)
The Application of Ex Corde Ecclesiae for the United States (Washington, DC, United States Catholic Conference, 2000).
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, “The Jesuit Catholic Mission of U.S. Jesuit Colleges and Universities” (2011).
Jesuit Conference USA and Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Some Characteristics of Jesuit Colleges and Universities: A Self-Evaluation Instrument (2012).
Secondary Sources on Catholic and Jesuit Higher Education
Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., The Challenge and Promise of a Catholic University (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1994).
Alice Gallin, O.S.U., Negotiating Identity: Catholic Higher Education Since 1960 (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2000). An excellent history and analysis of the profound changes in the mission and identity discussions over 40 years.
George W. Traub, S.J., ed., An Ignatian Spirituality Reader (Chicago, IL, Loyola Press. 2008). A great collection of different essays on Ignatian spirituality.
George W. Traub, S.J., ed., A Jesuit Education Reader (Chicago, IL, Loyola Press. 2008). A great collection of essays on Jesuit education issues: history of the Jesuits, Ignatian pedagogy, practical applications.
Alasdair MacIntyre, God, Philosophy, Universities: A Selective History of the Catholic Philosophical Tradition (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). An excellent and accessible short exposition of the Catholic philosophical tradition by one of the leading Catholic philosophers in United States higher education.
Mission and Identity: A Handbook for Trustees of Catholic Colleges and Universities, published by the Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (2004). A short handbook for trustees that focuses on the board’s role in mission and identity.
James T. Burtchaell, C.S.C., The Dying of the Light: The Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from Their Christian Churches (Grand Rapids, MI, Erdman Publishing Company 1998). An interesting detailed study of how universities originally founded by major Christian churches in the United States gradually strayed from their founding charism and became more secular. His choice of Boston College as one of the Catholic colleges was criticized in many quarters.
John Wilcox and Irene King, eds., Enhancing Religious Identity: Best Practices from Catholic Campuses (Washington, DC, Georgetown University Press, 2000)
Sandra Estanek, Michael Galligan-Stearle, Maryellen Gilroy, and Lisa Kirkpatrick, eds., Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice (Washington, DC, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, 2017).
Books on the Jesuits
John W. O’Malley, S.J., The First Jesuits (Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1993). The seminal book on the history of the Jesuits by a first rate historian. This is for the more dedicated readers.
John W. O’Malley, S.J., The Jesuits: A History from Ignatius to the Present (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing, 2014). A less ambitious (but still excellent) reading assignment than The First Jesuits.
James M. Martin, S.J., The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything (New York, NY, Harper Collins, 2010)
William A. Barry, S.J. and Robert J. Doherty, Contemplatives in Action: The Jesuit Way (Paulist Press, 2002). Another excellent short book on the history and spirituality of the Jesuits.