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Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 52 Article 18September 2017Notes on AJCU presidentsEditorial BoardFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationEditorial Board (2017) "Notes on AJCU presidents," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 52 , Article 18.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol52/iss1/18                                                                                                                                                                                                               37       English usage often extends “sanctuary” to aplace of safety for birds or other animals or forplants. In my younger days, Kennedy Park in ourneighborhood in Chicago had a “bird haven” at113th and Maplewood. “Haven” is a regular syn-onym for “sanctuary.”       In the United States, sanctuary became impor-tant in the resistance to the war in Viet Nam, wherechurches offered to protect men drafted from havingto go into the army. Results were not great. Canadatoo had a sanctuary movement for U.S. draftees whodid not support the war.        Recent times have seen the rise of “sanctuarycities,” cities that have declared themselves safe formigrants and refugees. Sanctuary cities were estab-lished for refugees from wars in Central Americaduring the 1980s. And today the concept has re-turned to provide some protection for refugees thatsome government policies seek to exclude or expel.       A group of religious sisters based in Pennsylvania,the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, among their goodworks have been active in ecological issues. They haveissued a “Land Ethic” which reads in part: “Whereas,we Adorers of the Blood of Christ believe creation is arevelation of God, we proclaim that … As prophets, wereverence Earth as a sanctuary where all life is pro-tected; we strive to establish justice and right relation-ships so that all creation might thrive.”       Sanctuary now becomes a movement for Amer-ican universities. When plans for mass deportationswere announced in November 2016, many studentsrose up in protest, particularly to protect their fellowstudents who might have been undocumented. Andwithout using the term “sanctuary,” at the end of No-vember 2016 most of the presidents of the Jesuit col-leges and universities signed a statement expressingtheir commitment to their students who might be tar-geted for deportation.        The specific issues have changed through theages, but the need for protection, for a place of safety,for refuge, for sanctuary endures.Edward W. Schmidt, S.J., is the editor of Conversations;he is also a senior editor at America Media.(Note that other articles in this issue help to explainthe term sanctuary: Howard Gray’s “Sanctuary ofthe Heart,” page 8, and John McKay’s “Law, Policy,and the Sanctuary Campus,” page 30.)Notes on aJCu presidentsOn July 1, 2017, Dr. Mark Nemec became the ninthpresident of Fairﬁeld University, succeeding Fr. Jeﬀreyvon Arx, S.J., who resigned last December. This bringsthe number of lay presidents of A.J.C.U. schools to 14,which is exactly half of the 28 Jesuit colleges and uni-versities in the United States. Doctor Nemec is thefourth new presidentsince August 2016,when Jo Ann Rooneybecame president ofLoyola UniversityChicago. In January2017 Debra Townsleybecame interim presi-dent of Wheeling JesuitUniversity. In June 2017Herbert Keller, S.J., be-came interim presidentof the University of Scranton. Scott Pilarz, S.J., has beennamed president of the University of Scranton; he willassume oﬃce on July 1, 2018.In an address at SantaClara University in 2000with representatives ofthe 28 schools in atten-dance, Father GeneralPeter-Hans Kolvenbacharticulated his vision forthe future of Jesuit edu-cation. This included astrong endorsement ofentrusting leadership todedicated laypersonssteeped in the Jesuitspirit. The Jesuit schoolswith lay presidents are Canisius College, Fairﬁeld Uni-versity, Georgetown University, Gonzaga University, LeMoyne College, Loyola Marymount University, LoyolaUniversity Chicago, Marquette University, St. Joseph’sUniversity, St. Louis University, Saint Peter’s University,Spring Hill College, University of Detroit Mercy, andWheeling Jesuit University. These presidents greatlyenrich the tradition and the future of Jesuit education.Dr. Rooney’s photo: © Natalie BattagliaDr. Mark NemecDr. Jo Ann Rooney 1: Notes on AJCU presidentsPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2017

Notes on AJCU presidents

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