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Update on the Association of Colleges of Sisters of Saint Joseph

by Sister Sean Peters (Carondelet/Albany)

The Association of Colleges of Sisters of Saint Joseph consists of eight member institutions, all founded by some group of Sisters of Saint Joseph. The members include Avila University in Kansas City, Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Elms College in Chicopee, MA, Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles, Regis College in Westin, MA, The College of St. Catherine in St. Paul and, of course, The College of Saint Rose in Albany.

The association has two main aims: to support mission integration on all the member campuses and to collaborate when what we can do together is better than any one institution could do alone. Recent activities of the association have fostered both of these aims.

Last June the association held its biannual national meeting. Faculty and staff from the eight institutions participated in the lively three-day conference on the theme of mission integration. In her keynote presentation, Sister Mary Roch Rocklage, RSM, set the tone for the gathering by reminding the group that a mission statement may encapsulate the desires of an institution, but only when those who serve the institution faithfully live out that mission will others encounter its power. The hallmarks of the institution as passed on by the sponsoring congregation should be evident in all aspects of the college.

Later in the meeting, a panel of speakers shared their success stories about mission integration on their campuses. Some interesting ideas emerged from the animated discussion which followed the speakers. For example, we must find ways to frame the Catholic tradition in ways that speak to the contemporary student body and faculty. We have to help the faculty take ownership of the mission and put "skin" on it. While we recognize the value of ritual and symbol as well as information sharing on all campuses, we must also be cognizant of the variety and strength of the forces which pull our students, distracting them from the educational enterprise.

Other sessions considered how to use the heritage of the Sisters of St. Joseph to strengthen mission integration, how given areas of the college, for example, student services or the business office, can work toward mission integration and how materials which support mission integration at the member institutions might be adapted by other members. The representatives of institutions left the conference with a plan to forward mission integration on their campuses in specific ways this academic year.

Participants indicated that these sessions, together with the social activities which allowed for networking and fun, provided a delightful, informative and encouraging conference.

For the second goal of the association, collaboration, recent activities have included a grant for distance learning which involves five of the colleges, a growing student-exchange program which allows students from any of the member institutions to attend another member college or university for a semester or a year, as well as a student-leadership conference and a fledgling faculty-exchange program.

Conversations currently taking place will help to move the association into the future in exciting ways.