Monday Morning Update

September 24, 2012

Presidential Announcement: At the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, President Mark T. Cregan, C.S.C. '78 announced that he will step down in June. The College's ninth president, Fr. Cregan assumed the presidency in July 2000. Under his leadership, Stonehill has expanded academic offerings, improved facilities, and enhanced resources.

Inviting New Leadership: In his announcement, Fr. Mark explained: "The College has made major strides in every area in recent decades and I have been privileged to lead the institution through a period of growth and expansion in programs, facilities and resources to provide a quality baccalaureate education to our students. As we begin a new long-range planning process envisioning Stonehill in 2025, it seems like a natural and appropriate moment to invite new leadership to the College."

Accomplishments: Under Fr. Mark, Stonehill strengthened the faculty, revitalized the curriculum, established new academic programs, and expanded study abroad and internship opportunities. It opened the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and The Farm. It built facilities such as the Shields Science Center, the W.B. Mason Stadium, and a new residence hall. It raised a record $60 million in the Attaining the Summit campaign. And, recently, the College was ranked in the Top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News and World Report.

Excellence & Success: On behalf of the Trustees, Chair Thomas May '69 hailed Fr. Mark's leadership, saying: "His energy, passion and ability have pushed the College to new levels of academic excellence and student success. Losing a leader of his caliber is challenging and we are reluctant to see him go. As he himself points out with typical foresight, we are entering a new phase in our development, one that looks down the road a decade or more to Stonehill in 2025. He believes this an opportune time for new leadership to ensure a successful development of the next phase of Stonehill's history."

Catholic Identity: In reflecting on Fr. Mark's tenure, Provincial Superior Rev. Thomas O'Hara, C.S.C. noted that, amid the challenges in higher education, Fr. Mark always "recognized that Stonehill's Catholic and Holy Cross identity and character needs to be promoted and strengthened. Stonehill is an important ministry of Holy Cross in the United States and so we will continue to assign priests and brothers to this ministry. As Holy Cross educators we strive to educate the mind but never at the expense of the heart."

Search: The Board of Trustees will soon convene a search committee whose goal is to have the Trustees elect a new president in the spring and have him take office on July 1, 2013. In seeking a Holy Cross priest to succeed Fr. Mark, the Committee will work with Fr. O'Hara. For more on this story, visit here.

Non-Discrimination: Also at Friday's Board meeting, the trustees approved a change to the College's non-discrimination statement, which now includes sexual orientation. Students and employees raised this issue, which went to the Board in May. Since then, the College has reviewed all aspects of the issue and that process led to Friday's vote. To read Fr. Mark's statement to the community on the revision, visit here.

Contact

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