Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations (2009 -) Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Projects The hC allenge and Promise of Catholic Higher Education: The Lay President and Catholic Identity Kathy Ann Herrick Marquette University Recommended Citation Herrick, Kathy Ann, "The hC allenge and Promise of Catholic Higher Education: The Lay President and Catholic Identity" (2011). Dissertations (2009 -). Paper 155. http://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/155 THE CHALLENGE AND PROMISE OF CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION: THE LAY PRESIDENT AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY by Kathy A. Herrick, B.S., M.S.E. A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin December 2011 ABSTRACT THE CHALLENGE AND PROMISE OF CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION: THE LAY PRESIDENT AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY Kathy A. Herrick, B.S., M.S.E. Marquette University, 2011 Twenty years after Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the papal proclamation that defined the relationship between the Catholic Church and Catholic institutions of higher education, these institutions continue to seek ways to strengthen their Catholic identities. As they do so they are faced with a declining number of religiously vowed men and women available to lead them. An institution‘s history is often linked to the mission of its founding congregation. As members of the congregation become less actively involved, the connection of the institution‘s mission to the founding congregation and their particular charism is likely to be less visibly evident. Additionally, the role of the American university president today is viewed by many to be an almost impossible job. As members of the laity are increasingly assuming the leadership of these institutions, it is important to presidents, their institutions, boards and founding congregations to have a deeper understanding of how the lay president understands the role of supporting and advancing the Catholic mission and how the lay president is prepared to do so. This dissertation provides a broad review of the history of the mission of Catholic institutions of higher education and of the changing role of the American college president, particularly presidents of Catholic institutions. An in depth qualitative study of one current lay president with ten years of service utilizing interviews, observations and artifact/document reviews was conducted. Three major themes emerged from the data: the significance of the president‘s own Catholic identity, his vocation as a Catholic educator, and the intentionality of his leadership for mission specifically. The president‘s preparation revealed that the lay president‘s personal formation as a Catholic and exposure to strong leaders in Catholic education were more critical to his leadership style than theological training or a terminal degree. The president‘s leadership style is also discussed in relationship to the success of the institution he leads and in context with the leadership styles described in Catholic Higher Education: A Culture in Crisis (Morey and Piderit, 2006). i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Kathy A. Herrick, B.S., M.S.E. Thanks and glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. I have always believed this dissertation was guided and empowered by God, with the special intercession of our Blessed Mother, and I am grateful for the unending support, love and guidance God has sent me along the wayalways providing the inspiration when it was most needed. Thanks and love to my husband, Bill, and to my children: Jessica, Kelsey and Will, who always believed in me and to my parents, James and Marian, who inspired and encouraged my Catholic faith. They have all supported my love for higher education even when it meant sacrifices to them. I will be eternally grateful to God for all the people who walked this journey with me especially Melanie Morey (who endlessly inspired and encouraged me), Nancy Stevens (who supplied a place to write, intellectual banter, food, wine, humor, and a multitude of other indispensable tools that made this possible) and to Ann Isely Fox (who saved my soul in the midst of serious life changes). God sent each of them to me when I needed them most and without their love and spirit this project would never have been completed. Special thanks to President Daniel J. Elsener; I share your love for the Blessed Mother and believe she walked with us on this project. Thanks to the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, the board and cabinet of Marian University for opening your university to me. This is a beautiful story I believe God wanted the world to know. ii I am grateful for the extra efforts of Cyndi Kamp, executive assistant to the president, for organizing my visits and providing me with documents. I would like to acknowledge a number of people at Marquette University. Dr. Joan Whipp was instrumental in moving my dissertation forward and assisting me in selecting my committee. Thanks to my chairs, Dr. William Pink and Dr. Martin Scanlan, for taking this on and for challenging me. To my committee members: Dr. David Buckholdt, Dr. Andrew Thon, S.J., and Dr. Melanie Morey: you have been a part of this journey for many years and I am grateful for all of you and for your encouragement to start and finish this work, and for sharing my belief in the challenge and promise of Catholic higher education. There are a number of people behind the scenes who prayed for and supported me: Fr. Jim Gannon, O.F.M. and my colleagues in Mission & Identity and Student Development at Cardinal Stritch University and to the many friends and family members who understood that I needed to hide away for weeks at a time but were always there for me when I needed them. Thanks to all of youI see you as gifts from God. I acknowledge and am thankful for the presence of our Blessed Mother on this journey. I will never forget your love for me, my family and Catholic higher education. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art though among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………….. i CHAPTER I. THE CHALLENGE AND PROMISE OF CATHOLIC HIGHER EDUCATION………………………………………………….1 The Challenge Today……………………………………………. 5 The Lay President of the Catholic University…………… 7 Today‘s College President………………………………. 8 Rationale for the Study…………………………………………..10 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………………………13 History of Catholic Higher Education: Mission and Leadership.…………………………………………14 Before Catholic Institutions……………………………...16 Founding of Georgetown College to Free-Standing Seminaries, 1789 – 1850…………………18 Free-Standing Seminaries – Third Plenary Council, 1850 – 1884………………………………………………20 Secular higher education…………………………22 The role of the president…………………………22 Third Plenary Council – The Great Depression, 1884 – 1929……………………………………………...25 Catholic colleges for women…………………….27 Secular higher education………………………... 29 The presidents……………………………………30 The Great Depression – Vatican Council II, 1929 – 1962 ……………………………………………..33 iv Catholic higher education……………………….34 Role of the president…………………………….36 Vatican II – Ex Corde Ecclesiae, 1962 – 1990………….37 Role of the president: Organizational manager………………………………………….38 Catholic higher education post Vatican II…….....42 The Catholic college president: Critical turning point……………………………..46 Leadership and Mission: 1990 – 2010…………………………...48 Catholic Presidents: After Ex Corde Ecclesiae, 1990-2000……………………………………..…..……..49 The Next Ten Years, 2000 – 2010..…………………..….54 Beyond the Research: Current Climate of Catholic Higher Education……………………………………....66 Current Status of Catholic Higher Education and the Lay President…………….........…….70 Theoretical Framework………………………………………….72 III. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………....77 Knowledge Claims………………………………………………………77 Strategy of Inquiry………………………………………………………77 Case Study………………………………………………….……78 Selection of the Case Study: The President……………………...79 Selection of the President Informant…………………………….80 Methods of Data Collection……………………………………………..81 Visits to Campus………………………………………………...82 v Interviews………………………………………………………..83 Observations…….……………………………..………………...85 Artifacts………………………………………………………….87 Meetings with Cabinet Members………………………………...88 Data Analysis…………………………………………………………….89 Domain and Theme Analysis…………………………………….89 Data Presentation………………………………………………...90 IV. SETTING THE SCENE: MARIAN UNIVERSITY YESTERDAY AND TODAY……………………………………………………………………92 Joint Beginnings…………………………………………………………93 The Presidents……………………………………………………………95 Marian College in 2001………………………………………………….96 Significant Change Since 2001…………………………………………..97 Strategic Planning and Fundraising……………………………...97 A ―University‖: New Programs and Increased Enrollment……100 Facilities………………………………………………………..102 Leadership………………………………………………………103 Catholic Identity………………………………………………...105 The Relationship with the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg……………………..………………………………………..107 The Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg Today…………………………109 The University‘s Surrounding Environment…………………………....110 Summarizing the Setting………………………………………………..112 V. THE LAY PRESIDENT…………………………………………………..……115 vi How Does the President of an Institution Sponsored by a Religious Congregation Understand His Role?.......................................................117 Faith and the Call……………………………………………….117