Year in review 2005-2006

By Barbara D. Kiernan, M.A. '90 0

Office of the President

• Led the institution in a strategic planning process that articulates a clear vision for the University. The Board of Trustees gave its approval in June 2006.

• Spearheaded national searches for three vice presidential positions - two newly created.

• Had two major speeches (delivered by Fr. von Arx) appear in Vital Speeches of the Day, a gold-standard publication that disseminates important ideas nationally.
  

• During winter break, participated in Renaissance Weekend, an annual gathering founded in 1981 to "build bridges among innovative leaders from diverse fields." Assigned to seven panels, Fr. von Arx spoke on topics including higher education, Catholicism, and history, and was part of a concluding interfaith worship service.

Mission and Identity

• Continued to facilitate the collaboration between Fairfield University and the Universidad Centroamericana, involving the energies of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, University College, the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Advancement Division.

• Established a team of experienced spiritual directors to facilitate The Retreat in Daily Life (the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius) for more than 20 participants.

• In conjunction with the Diocese of Bridgeport and the President's Office, sponsored a day exploring the relationship between faith and reason. Bishop William E. Lori and Fr. von Arx gave major addresses.

• Facilitated a process wherein the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions will offer courses to prepare Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Bridgeport for certification.

• Laid the groundwork for a certificate program, to be housed in University College, for individuals who wish to learning to be directors of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

• Worked with faculty of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business in exploring ways it might enhance the School's Jesuit identity.

College of Arts & Sciences

• Faculty scholarship took place at an unprecedented pace, with nine books published and 425 scholarly publications, presentations, or performances made.

• Received nearly $1.6 million in newly funded grants and another $400,000 for current, multi-year grants.

• Sixty-two students gave conference or poster presentations and/or coauthored a scholarly publication with a faculty mentor.

• Graduate and professional school acceptance climbed to 120 students.

• Produced a record five Fulbright Scholars in the Class of 2006.

• Internships grew to 267 students; 46 CAS students elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

• Launched an academic minor in Catholic Studies.

• Formed a 21-member Board of Advisors to assist with strategic planning and fundraising for special projects.

School of Nursing

• Secured $250,000 of successful corporate and foundation grants to fund curricular enhancements in gerontology, spirituality, palliative care, and community outreach, as well as scholarships.

• Successfully formed an 11-member Advisory Board to spearhead fundraising for an expanded Nursing Simulation Lab.

• Celebrated its 35th anniversary with a kickoff lecture by Dr. Oliver Sacks, the debut of a newsletter, The Pulse, and Professional Development Day in June at which former deans Dr, Phyllis Porter, Dr. Nancy Fasano, and Dr. Theresa Valiga were honored.

• Received approval to offer a 50-credit MSN in Nurse Anesthesia degree in partnership with Bridgeport Hospital.

• Offered study abroad courses for nurses in Galway, Ireland, and Padova, Italy.

• Increased enrollments in the following programs: undergraduate, RN to BSN program. 

Charles F. Dolan School of Business

• To maintain standards required for ongoing AACSB accreditation, DSB faculty were highly successful, producing 67 peer-reviewed articles for publication and making 63 conference presentations.

• Countering national trends, the MBA program showed an increase in enrollment and higher caliber students in the applicant pool.

• Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE, delivered the 2006 Dolan Lecture.

• Installed Lucy Katz, J.D., as the Robert M. Wright Professor of Business Law and Ethics; Mr. Wright, CEO of NBC Universal, spoke at the event.

• Launched a Master of Science in Taxation in fall 2005 and a Master of Science in Accounting in summer 2006.

• Sixty-seven percent of sophomore business majors chose to attend the annual Sophomore Symposium, an event where students can gather useful information about various DSB opportunities for learning. The Very Reverend Thomas J. Regan, S.J., Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in New England, delivered an address on the value of a comprehensive Jesuit education in today's business world.

• New graduate admissions increased 22 percent (to 103).

• Saw strong retention and steady gains in undergraduate enrollment.

School of Engineering

• The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) reviewed and granted accreditation to the School's four undergraduate programs: electrical, mechanical, computer, and software engineering.

• The full-time undergraduate engineering program successfully passed its five-year review.

• The new master's program in mechanical engineering welcomed its first class in fall 2005.

• The School's articulation agreement with seven community colleges in Connecticut and New York facilitated the transfer of several students into the undergraduate engineering program.

• A new microelectronics laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation came online.

• The Dean's Award for the senior design capstone project was given to Dahiana Martinez and Edward Karwin for their design of flexible controls for an automated softball-pitching machine.

Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions

• Completed a successful search for a new dean, Dr. Susan Douglas Franzosa, who began her tenure in September 2006.

• Year IV funding for Project TELL continued to prepare teachers of English as a second language, while Project BiSEP did the same for bilingual educators seeking advanced degrees and/or cross-certification in special education. To date, a total of 61 teachers have completed the programs, designed to serve schools typically under-resourced.

• The Department of Curriculum and Instruction initiated a partnership with the Diocese of Bridgeport to offer master's level courses towards Connecticut State professional teacher licensure.

• The Marriage and Family Therapy Department successfully completed the self-study and site-visit components of the COSMFTE accreditation process and was recommended for full five-year re-accreditation.

• The Counselor Education program had a record number of applicants, and admitted less than 1/3 of them.

• GSEAP was actively involved with the Bridgeport Higher Education Alliance (BHEA), of which Fairfield University is a founding member. School faculty helped produce the report, "Education Beyond High School for All Bridgeport Youth," funded in part by the Newman Family Foundation, which will serve as a strategic planning document for the Alliance to help improve high school graduation rates in Bridgeport and to align curriculum with the standards of area colleges and universities.

• The family of Dr. Thomas A. O'Meara '65, M.A.'67, established a scholarship for an English certification candidate.

University College

• Provided a rapid response following Hurricane Katrina, coordinating academic advising for more than 50 displaced students who spent the fall semester at Fairfield.

• Offered 56 courses online, which were taken by some 774 students, a 22 percent increase in enrollment.

• Rev. Walter Conlan, S.J., rector of the Fairfield Jesuit Community, joined U.C. as Director of Integrated Ignatian Learning, conducting workshops and facilitating discussions for students, faculty, and staff.

• Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium provided a grant to train faculty and students studying abroad in Australia on the use of E-portfolios, creating a virtual environment for reflection on their academic and internship experiences.

• Established an advisory committee with the Hispanic business community to explore creating programs for Spanish-speaking business owners.

• Added 11 countries to its roster of approved Study Abroad sites, including the Universidad CentroAmericana, Managua, and sent Fairfield's first student there in spring 2006.

• Dr. Edna Wilson, dean, organized a spring 2006 meeting at UCA-Managua for members of AJCU's Deans and Directors of Continuing Education organization. It was attended by 50 representatives from 33 Jesuit educational institutions in the United States and Latin America.

The Academic Centers

Center for Catholic Studies

• Established an academic minor in Catholic Studies.

• Offered a series of Saturday morning workshops for the region's Catholic community entitled Living Theology: Updates for the Local Church.

• Coordinated lectures and programming for the Jesuit Jubilee Year.

• Worked closely with Office of Mission and Identity.

Center for Faith and Public Life

• Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J., named Director of the Center for Faith and Public Life. Attending the Nov. 2006 inaugural ceremony were Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., and Cardinal Avery Dulles, S.J., of New York.

• Created an office for Academic Service Learning within the Center, to be led by Dr. Robbin Crabtree, professor and chair of communication in the CAS.

• Created a migration-related website for a network of faculty at 22 Jesuit universities who are teaching or studying the topic.

Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies

• Sponsored nine major lectures for students and the public.

• Offered a two-part Holocaust remembrance, including the documentary, Paper Clips and a service featuring Linda Hooper, principal of the middle school that inspired the national project.

• Served more than 75 adults through the annual Lunch and Learn ten-week series, cosponsored with the Bridgeport Jewish Community Center.

Information Services

• Evaluated and replaced University telephone system.

• Designed and acquired the Media Center's mobile satellite uplink truck.

• Completed national assessment survey for evaluating academic library services.

• Collaborated with Office of Undergraduate Admission to create a mechanism whereby prospective students can view their application status online.

• Supported the creation of electronic classrooms in several academic buildings.

• Saw a 30 percent increase in use of nine library business databases following a pilot marketing effort conducted in collaboration with OCLC, a worldwide library cooperative.

Student Affairs

• William P. Schimpf, vice president, retired after 37 years of service to Fairfield University. Mark C. Reed, associate vice president and dean of students, was appointed as his successor.

• Cath Borgman, who had served as Director of Corporate Relations for many years, was named Director of the Career Planning Center.

• The Recreation Department can boast more than 1,500 "unique" participants in intramural sports. Allowing for double-counting (as many students play more than one sport), the roster of intramural teams totaled more than 2,700 students.

• The Department of Public Safety conducted a comprehensive survey of students, in which 90 percent reported that officers on campus are accessible and approachable.

• The University community mourned the death of Alejandro ("Alex") Carrion '08, who died unexpectedly on natural causes in his room in Loyola Hall. Alex was an active member of the Pep Band and the Ignatian Residential College.

• FUSA and other student organizations sponsored a number of programs and events, including the highly successful Presidential Ball, hosted by University President,  Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., and the lecture of Paul Rusesabagina, whose story was told in the movie, Hotel Rwanda.

Campus Ministry

• Bid farewell to longtime University Chaplain Paul Carrier, S.J., in June 2006, and welcomed Michael Doody, S.J. as Director of Campus Ministry later that month.

• Trained 80 student Eucharistic Ministers and 23 lectors for the University worship community.

• Offered four Kairos Retreats, each of which had a waiting list of 25 students. A series of post-retreat "Fourth Day" gatherings brought together more than 30 students each month.

• Nearly 200 students volunteered regularly at 15 area sites, including soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and after-school programs.

• Students participated in domestic service during spring break through immersion experiences at sites in Appalachia as well as the Urban Plunge in Bridgeport.

• For the 17th year, Arrupe Volunteers did international service work in Ecuador, Mexico, and Nicaragua, and supported Project Pierre Touissant in Haiti.

• Participated in a Faculty Development Day in December, attended by more than 40 faculty members.

Athletics

• Dianne Nolan, head coach of the Women's Basketball program, earned her 500th career victory as a head coach.

• Ed Cooley was hired as head coach of the men's basketball program.

• Men's Soccer and Women's Volleyball won MAAC regular season championships.

• Women's Soccer, under first-year head coach Jim O'Brien, won the MAAC Championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

• Men's Lacrosse competed in its first season in the ECAC Lacrosse League and finished with a 4-3 record in the league.

• Softball advanced to the MAAC championship game, losing a heart-breaker, 1-0. Julie Brrzezinski, head coach, earned her 500th career win as a head coach.

• Fairfield University and the Athletics Department hosted the very successful NCAA Women's Basketball "Bridgeport Regional" at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

• Fairfield student-athletes continue to post solid records of academic achievement and high graduation rates, far exceeding national averages.

Advancement Division

• Raised $11,182,955 in total gifts

• Vice President George Diffley retired after 30 years of service.

• Alumni Relations and development: launched the Fairfield online community.

• Public Relations: served as media coordinators in a Fairfield County disaster drill conducted on campus.

• Media Relations: developed an electronic press room on the University website.

• Placed faculty in national publications including The New York Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Francisco Chronicle, and Wall Street Journal; on national broadcasts such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX, and NPR; as well as internationally with BBC, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, and Evening Standard (United Kingdom).

• Publications: won a Magnum Opus gold award for Fairfield Now (overall editorial content) in national competition.

• Sports Information: launched streaming video of basketball post-game news conferences.

• Photojournalism: launched an online photo archive.

Faculty Authors

Dr. Kim Bridgford
Professor of English
Instead of Maps
(David Robert Books, 2005)

Dr. Javier Campos, editor
Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures
Ideologías y literature: Homenaje a Hernán Vidal
(Biblioteca de América, 2006)
One Wound For Another / Una Herida Por Otra

Dr. Ronald M. Davidson
Professor of Religious Studies
Tibetan Renaissance: Tantric Buddhism in the Rebirth of Tibetan Culture
(Columbia University Press, 2005)

Dr. Dennis Keenan
Professor of Philosophy
The Question of Sacrifice
(Indiana University Press, 2005)

Dr. David McFadden, editor
Professor of History
American Studies Through Russian And American Eyes
(Cherepovets State University, 2005)

Contributions by:

           Dr. Art Anderson
           Professor of Sociology, Emeritus

           Dr. Kim Bridgford
           Professor of English

           Dr. Iris Bork-Goldfield
           Instructor in Modern Languages and Literatures

           Dr. Mark LeClair
           Professor of Economics

Speakers on Campus

Isabel Allende (author)
Open VISIONS Forum

Helen Prejean, C.S.J., (author)
Convocation

Tim Russert (television journalist)
Open VISIONS Forum

Dr. Oliver Sacks (neurologist)
SON 35th Anniversary Lecture

Jeffrey Immelt (CEO of GE)
Charles F. Dolan Lecture

Hershel Shanks
Carl and Dorothy Bennett Judaic Studies Lecture

Margaret O'Brien Steinfels (author)
Christopher F. Mooney, S.J., Lecture
Jesuit Jubilee Year Lecture

Abe Foxman (Anti-Defamation League)
Schnurmacher Lecture in Judaic Studies

Rev. Bryan Massingale (Marquette faculty)
Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation

Anita Hill (attorney)
Open VISIONS Forum

Peggy Noonan (speechwriter, author)
Jesuit Jubilee Year Lecture

Open Visions Forum
Mira Nair (filmmaker)
Ignatian Residential College Lecture, Open Visions Forum

Tom Hayden (political activist)
Department of Politics

Rev. Dean Brackley, S.J. (Universidad Centroamericana)
Jesuit Jubilee Year Lecture

Rev. Gregory Boyle, S.J. (Homeboy Industries)
Jesuit Jubilee Year Lecture

John Bruton (Ambassador to Ireland)
William and Mary Stack Lecture

British Robinson (Jesuit Refugee Services/State Department)
Commencement 2006

In Memoriam

Rev. William F. Carr, S.J.