Dear Providence College Parents,
As we begin the new academic year at Providence College, I first want to thank you for the confidence and trust that you have demonstrated in sending your sons and daughters to us. I appreciate, as well, the sacrifices that many of you make to ensure that your student benefits from PC's unique liberal arts education in the Catholic and Dominican tradition. I would also like to share with you some recent PC milestones, as well as ongoing activities, designed to ensure that your student enjoys the best possible college experience--both in and out of the classroom.
Academically, PC continues its focus on academic rigor and engaged learning. This past spring, we achieved 10-year reaccreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The Association's visiting team noted in its report last fall that--based on what students themselves told them--"everyone at the College, particularly the members of the faculty, ought to be proud of the educational experience they are providing these young men and women." I am optimistic that our Core Curriculum Review process, initiated in 2006, will soon be complete, as well. This renewed Core Curriculum will incorporate mission-related learning goals and encourage the integration of curricular and co-curricular learning, while giving students the tools to help them fully integrate what they learn. I will provide you with the highlights of this intensive study, including adopted recommendations, in a future message.
I am very proud of our faculty, who challenge our students to know truth by looking at all sides of an issue. They engage our students to apply classroom studies to real-world problems in the community, to embark on new learning experiences beyond campus--locally and globally, and to collaborate with them in significant research initiatives. To foster such faculty-student collaborations, the College recently joined the Council on Undergraduate Research, an organization representing more than 900 colleges and universities.
Academic rigor is reflected in the College's "centers of excellence." Our new School of Business welcomed Dr. Susan Lehrman as its founding dean earlier this year. Our Center for International Studies has broadened its services to students studying abroad and to international students studying at PC. Our Center for Catholic and Dominican Studies has expanded its programming to share the rich traditions of our spiritual heritage.
In addition to taking advantage of numerous opportunities for engaged learning with our faculty, PC students benefitted once again this past year from the hundreds of alumni/ae who help them broaden their perspectives about future careers by hosting student interns and participating in Career Nights, the Alumni Shadowing Program, and the PC Advantage: President's Council Executive Mentor Program. I am grateful to all the alumni/ae who participate and extend the bonds of the PC community by networking with your sons and daughters-the newest generation of Friars.
Many alumni/ae also reached out with students to help the community through projects such as FUSION--Friars United for Service in Our Neighborhood. This lifetime commitment to service begins as we encourage our students to participate in the many outreach programs sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain/Campus Ministry, the Feinstein Institute, and numerous campus clubs and organizations. Last year, over 3,500 students devoted nearly 44,000 hours of service to a wide array of schools, churches, and community agencies in the greater Providence area and beyond.
Just as service is an important part of our campus culture, so is involvement in the extracurricular activities offered by PC's Office of Student Activities-Involvement-Leadership (S.A.I.L.). These activities add a special dimension to the college experience by promoting teamwork, leadership, and personal development, and also complement programming offered by the Office of Residence Life. Many students also regularly take advantage of PC's numerous intramural sports activities as well as the new Concannon Fitness Center, which opened just a year ago to rave reviews. It has truly become a new hub of campus activity!
This past year, we've also seen the completion or continuation of a number of new construction and renovation projects. These include research laboratories in Hickey Hall, new classrooms and meeting space in Harkins Hall, Alumni Lane--a new brick walkway that links the library and the plaza at St. Dominic Chapel, and a hydrotherapy room in the Canavan Sports Medicine Facility in Alumni Hall. To insure the continued safety of our campus, the College also built an Emergency Operations Center on campus and hired its first director of emergency management.
As we begin this new academic year, I would also like to encourage your communication with your student and, in turn, their communication with our faculty and staff. To help with this effort, the PC Parent Program was initiated a year ago in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. It is designed to help parents better understand the college experience and promote their student's success. I urge you to learn more about this important parent resource by regularly visiting its Web pages.
Finally, in conjunction with our strategic financial planning for the future, the College commissioned a higher education consulting group to review our tuition pricing structure relative to that of similar, competitor schools. We are taking a broad look at the cost of attending Providence College, both in relation to schools in our marketplace and to the costs inherent in providing the high-quality liberal arts education and campus experience that our students and parents expect. This is a sensitive issue, to be sure, but one that we must thoughtfully and realistically pursue if we are to achieve our mission and vision for the future.
Please join me in asking God's blessing on the Providence College community as we embark on this new academic year, with all of its opportunities and promise for our students.
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P.