Screening of ‘If These Halls Could Talk’ April 3

 

Lee Mun Wah

Quinnipiac University will screen “If These Halls Could Talk,” a documentary film series about 11 college students and their conversations about diversity issues in higher education, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, at Burt Kahn Court on the Mount Carmel Campus. Lee Mun Wah, the renowned Chinese American documentary filmmaker who directed the film, will lead a discussion following the screening.

This event, sponsored by the School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, Student Affairs, the Office of Multicultural and Global Education and the Albert Schweitzer Institute, is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 203-582-8652.

Please click here to read more.

Connecticut Magazine hails Quinnipiac as one of the state’s biggest success stories

Connecticut Magazine recognized Quinnipiac’s “meteoric rise” in its January 2013 edition. The publication cited several of the school’s milestones since its 1966 purchase of the Mount Carmel Campus in the shadow of Sleeping Giant State Park, pictured above. The university has since added two campuses.

Connecticut Magazine has named Quinnipiac University as one of the greatest success stories in Connecticut.

“When Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum opened in Hamden last October, it was hailed as the crown jewel of John L. Lahey‘s 25-year tenure as Quinnipiac University’s president,” the magazine states of the university’s “meteoric rise” in its January 2013 edition. “And yet, for the university itself, the museum was just another milestone along the road running from 1966, when the one-time New Haven-based “college of commerce” purchased 100 acres near Sleeping Giant State Park, an area that now contains its main (or Mount Carmel) campus. Yes, main campus. Two more campuses have opened since then.“

The cover story states “Quinnipiac is now one of only three universities in the state with both law and medical schools (joining UConn and Yale.) One could go on and on listing the highlights of Lahey’s tenure: establishing the Quinnipiac Polling Institute, acquiring a commercial radio station (WQUN 1220 AM,) adding the School of Law, upgrading the athletic programs to Division I and transforming the school from a college to a university.”

The magazine quotes Lahey throughout the article.

“Today, we are in our best-ever shape,” Lahey said.

In addition to citing substantial growth in the university’s endowment, from $25 million when he arrived to $283 million today, Lahey, who continues to teach a philosophy course, discussed the transformation of the student body.

In 1987, Quinnipiac had 1,902 students — 80 percent from Connecticut and 60 percent who commuted to class. Today, the university has 6,200 full-time undergraduates and 2,300 graduate students, and offers 23 graduate degrees. Nearly all of the underclassmen and 80 percent of the entire undergraduate student body lives in residence halls. Seventy-eight percent of the study body now lives outside of Connecticut.

President John L. Lahey announces Cabinet reorganization

Members of our student organizations interviewed Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Mark Thompson on Nov. 26 about his changing responsibilities. Here, Sunny Nariyani ’13, general manager of Q30-Television, speaks with Thompson.

By President John L. Lahey

I am pleased to announce that effective July 1, 2013, Dr. Mark Thompson will be promoted to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President/Provost.

In this position he will serve as the university’s chief operating officer with broad authority and responsibility for internal operations, including academic affairs, student affairs, athletics, public safety, facilities and information technology.

I am announcing this change now to allow Mark sufficient time to search for his successor for the position of Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, with the hope of filling that position also effective July 1, 2013.

I congratulate Mark on this promotion which was approved and authorized by the Board of Trustees’ Personnel Committee in June.

It reflects both the board’s and my appreciation for his many previous accomplishments as Dean of the School of Business and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, and our confidence in his leadership abilities and what we expect will be even greater contributions to Quinnipiac University in the years ahead.

Rich Ferguson, our current Senior Vice President for Administration, indicated to me over two years ago that he plans to retire at the conclusion of this academic year. Rich has been a critical member of the senior management team and Cabinet for the past 14 years.

He served as Vice President/Chief Information and Technology Officer from 1998 to 2009 and developed our information technology area into an enormous Quinnipiac strength both for academics and administration.

In his role as Senior Vice President for Administration he led equally transformative changes for human resources, public safety and facilities. We will sorely miss Rich’s outstanding leadership, collegiality, and friendship, as well as his analytical, thoughtful and collaborative leadership and management style that has greatly advanced Quinnipiac University both strategically and operationally.

In conjunction with Rich’s retirement, we will be eliminating the position of Senior Vice President for Administration.

Ron Mason, Vice President for Human Resources, will report directly to me effective July 1, 2013, and he will continue to serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet. Rich’s other direct reports and their areas of responsibility will report to the Executive Vice President/Provost effect July 1, 2013.

University hosts block party for Class of 2016

The First-Year Residential Experience is hosting a block party for our students on our Complex Courtyard on our Mount Carmel Campus.

The Department  of Residential Life hosted a block party for members of the Class of 2016 on Sept. 6 in our Complex Courtyard.

The First-Year Residential Experience party included:

• Games
• Food
• A parking spot in the Hill/Top parking lot for the academic year

The FYRE program is designed to help all first-year students have a positive transition into college life at Quinnipiac.

This program focuses on the Department of Residential Life’s core values of community, diversity, service and responsibility.

The experience helps our students to build meaningful relationships with fellow residents in their hall and make lasting connections with the university-wide community.

University formally welcomes Class of 2016 at freshman induction

Members of the Quinnipiac University community filled the academic quad on the Mount Carmel Campus on Aug. 24 to formally welcome the Class of 2016.

• Click here to view our complete photo gallery from the ceremony.

Students clad in black robes participated in the university’s annual freshman induction ceremony in the shadow of the Arnold Bernhard Library.

“Today is a milestone in your lives,” said Joan Isaac Mohr, vice president and dean of admissions. “You’re gathered here on the quad and will gather again in 1,360 days, hopefully, at your graduation. The time will go quickly and I encourage you to realize the investment the university, you and your families are making in your future. Take advantage of the range of opportunities that are here for you.”

She told the university’s newest students that more 19,000 students applied to be sitting where they are now.

“Seventy-seven percent of you come from states outside of Connecticut — from 23 states and 15 countries,” she told the freshmen. “Seventeen percent have self-identified as students of color. You’ve come from nearly 800 high schools from Connecticut to California, and from Maine to Florida

Jill Shahverdian, associate professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, also welcomed the university’s newest Bobcats.

“I have met many of you at orientation on an early morning in June,” she said. “We have talked about who you want to be, your goals and about taking risks.”

Shahverdian offered the freshmen advice in the form of a poem, which included:

“You may not remember the speeches today. You may not remember the words that we say,” she said. “But will you remember the way that you feel? The excitement? The potential?  The about to become real?”

Shahverdian encouraged the students to do more than just complete their coursework.

“Ask questions and ponder. Take time to just be. Spend time reflecting and help yourself see you are your own person and you get to choose ‘what do I want to be?’ ”