20 December 2006

Q.U. President "excused" from post

The Board of Trustees of Quincy University has "excused" Sr. Margaret Feldner, O.S.F, President of Quincy University, from her duties.

The Quincy Herald-Whig has an article here and WGEM-TV has information here.

One faculty member of the University suggested current recruitment efforts focus too much on the school's Catholic identity and mission (see QHW article), as oppossed to focusing on it's liberal arts education. This, it is suggested, is to be blamed for the declining enrollment over the past two years.

It may well be to blame for it, but is it not the very purpose of Quincy University to provide a Catholic liberal arts education? Of course it is!

As an alumnus of Quincy University (I graduated in 2000 with a Bacherlor of Arts in history), I noticed in my years at the University that the Catholicity of the campus was on a steady decline, especially after the Order of Friars Minor elected Fr. Kenneth Capalbo, O.F.M., as Provincial Vicar, thereby requiring him to leave Quincy and head to St. Louis. Since Sr. Feldner's arrival at Quincy University, I have noticed a marked improvement in the Catholicity of the University.

I met with her shortly after she first took office simply to introduce myself to her, as an alumnus and, then, a deacon. I expected a simple, five-minute conversation with her; she spent an hour and a half with me sharing her vision and hopes for Quincy University. I was very impressed, to say the least, and I agreed with much of what she said.

Quincy University - and all Catholic universities - needs to promote its Catholic identity and allow it to permeate every level of university life. This will attract not only more students, but quality students as well. Simple numbers, both student and financial, do not a good university make.

Sr. Feldner has my vote. Change takes time, and often is painful at first.

No comments:

Post a Comment