Inclusion on Campus: Increase Affordability for Underserved Student Populations

April 17, 2017 Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Campus College Affordability, College of Saint Benedict, diversity, Immaculata University, inclusion on campus, St. Edward's University

Financial support can be critical to attendance decisions. Beginning in fall 2017, Immaculata University will offer a $10,000 inclusion grant to five full-time freshmen. The grants will support initiatives that strengthen and promote diversity on campus, focusing on student with diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.

A College of Saint Benedict alumna committed $1.5 million to create scholarships for students from under-represented communities and first-generation students, challenging participation from other alumni.

Each year at St. Edward’s University, 35 students from migrant worker families enter the College Assistance Migrant Program, which provides nearly full financial support, as well as a dedicated office that acts for many as a segunda casa.

Over the next few weeks, we will release short examples of diversity at Catholic institutions of higher education as part of a series called “Inclusion on Campus”. Stay tuned to hear how Catholic institutions are promoting diversity as an expression of God’s grandeur!

Catholic Colleges Take the Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge

November 7, 2016November 7, 2016 Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities News Ancilla College, Beyond the Box, catholic higher education, College of Saint Benedict, criminal justice reform, Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge, prison reform, prisoner justice, Saint John's University, White House

In summer 2016, the White House took a stride forward in removing barriers to participation in society for individuals returning from prison or returning citizens by launching the Fair Chance Pledge. Meant for businesses and institutions of higher education, the pledge commits signatories to committing to reducing barriers to a second chance at societal participation, to acting on this commitment in their local communities, and being an example for peer institutions and businesses.

Among institutions of higher education, taking the Pledge means “adopting fair chance admissions practices like going ‘Beyond the Box‘” by reconsidering whether questions related to criminal history are necessary for admissions applications. Additionally, the Pledge symbolizes a commitment to continue “supporting professors or students who want to teach or are teaching in correctional facilities and ensuring internships and job training are available to individuals with criminal records.”

ACCU member institutions Ancilla College, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have taken the Pledge. We look forward to hearing about the advances these and other schools have made towards removing barriers for returning citizens.

Learn more about the Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge here.

Laudato Si Release: Act

June 18, 2015 Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Campus, News AFCU, AJCU, Aquinas College, Benedictine University, Cabrini College, care for creation, Catholic Climate Covenant, CCMA, Chestnut Hill College, College of Saint Benedict, Creighton University, Ecology, encyclical, environmental justice, Gonzaga University, John Carroll University, Laudato Si, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Mercyhurst University, Mount St. Joseph University, Neumann University, Pope Francis, Rosemont College, Saint Anslem College, Saint Francis University, Saint John's University, Saint Joseph's College, Saint Mary's College of California, Saint Michael's College, Salve Regina University, Seattle University, St. Francis Pledge, St. Thomas More College, stewardship, Stonehill College, Sustainability, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, Villanova University, Viterbo University, Xavier University

Earlier today, Pope Francis released his long-awaited encyclical letter, Laudato Si. We at ACCU are sharing resources and best practices to help our campuses pray for commitment to care for creation, learn about the encyclical and our call to stewardship, and act upon our beliefs to work for the common good.

˜ACT˜

ACCU member institutions have acted upon their call to care for creation through a number of sustainability and environmental justice initiatives.

The Catholic Climate Covenant, with support from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, have produced Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration (PDF; 3MB). Through mission-based initiatives, the Toolkit offers practical suggestions to inspire individuals, families, schools, parishes, and dioceses to follow the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change’s St. Francis Pledge.
29 Catholic colleges and universities have taken the St. Francis Pledge, sponsored by the Catholic Climate Covenant, committing to living out the value of care for creation through reflection, action, and advocacy. These campuses include: Aquinas College (MI), Cabrini College, Chestnut Hill College, College of Saint Benedict, Creighton University, Gonzaga University, John Carroll University, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Mercyhurst University, Mount St. Joseph University, Neumann University, Rosemont College, Saint Anselm College, Saint Francis University, Saint John’s University (MN), Saint Joseph’s College (IN), Saint Mary’s College of California, Saint Michael’s College, Salve Regina University, Seattle University, St. Thomas More College, Stonehill College, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, Villanova University, Viterbo University, and Xavier University.
The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability at Seattle University lives out a core tenet of the university mission. The Center has undertaken a number of initiatives, including supporting faculty and student research through fellowships. Dr. Trileigh Tucker, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Seattle University, and one of CEJS’s first Faculty Fellows, developed a teaching resource on environmental justice, compiling syllabi, assessment methods, and foundational documents used frequently in courses on environmental justice.
Benedictine University in Illinois has received a $46,000 Food Scrap Composting Revitalization and Advancement Program (F-SCRAP) grant from the state to allow for the diversion of food scraps generated in the campus cafeteria and other buildings.
In spring 2015, Cabrini College held a conference, “Faith, Climate, and Health”, to examine how climate change affects the health of the most vulnerable citizens.
At the University of Portland, professors Dr. Russell Butkus and Dr. Steven Kolmes, teach a course entitled “Theology in Ecological Perspective”, exploring Catholic and Christian teaching and environmental science.

Read more ways ACCU member campuses have undertaken sustainability initiatives on the ACCU website. Check back frequently as we will post new updates and ways that ACCU campuses react to the Laudato Si to the blog!

A Vision of Justice – Launched in Africa

May 8, 2015April 21, 2015 Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities News A Vision of Justice, Africa, book, College of Saint Benedict, Kenya, publishing, Saint John's University

On March 5th, Ron Pagnucco, ACCU Peace and Justice Committee member and Associate Professor of Peace Studies at College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, attended the book launch of the African edition of A Vision of Justice at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa-Gaba in Eldoret, Kenya. This edition of A Vision of Justice was published by Catholic University of Eastern Africa-Gaba Press.

The book launch was a part of the Eldoret Diocesan Conference on the Consecrated Life. There were about 500 priests, sisters, brothers and others in the audience.

Dr. Pagnucco speaking about A Vision of Justice at the podium during the conference.

Dr. Pagnucco discussing the African edition of A Vision of Justice with Bishop Cornelius Korir, the bishop of Eldoret.