Jesuits As Deans

[DFW HOYA]

The recent announcement of the new law school dean led me to recall that it's been a number of years since Jesuits held dean positions at any undergraduate or graduate program.

When dean positions come up, are Jesuits being actively recruited or considered? And, in a slightly rhetorical question, can they be anymore, given the presuppositions some academics hold about what qualifies as dean material these days? I suspect there are some undergraduate and/or graduate faculty out there which would bristle as much for a Jesuit leading their program as someone from "red America" (Thebin can tell you about that term), and that's not only unfortunate, but sad for Georgetown.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

I think part of the issue is that many of GU's Jesuits are regularly poached by other jesuit universities, as soon as they have the slightest bit of administrative experience on the Hilltop.

Bob Lawton, who was the most recent Jesuit dean (College), is currently president of Loyola Marymount.

Mike Garanzini, an assistant to the President in the late Leo years, is president at Loyola-Chicago.

Jeff Von Arx, who was chair of the history department for a while (and taught in the liberal arts seminar) became dean of Fordham College, and in June will take over as President of Fairfield.

Scott Pilarz, who served for a year as Interim University Chaplain, and for several as caretaker of the previous Jack the Bulldog, is president of University of Scranton.

Kevin Wildes currently assistant deanin the college, has been considered for a number of president positions.


So I think it's almost more of a matter of being able to hold on to the Jesuits once they get into leadership positions on campus, as it seems the leadership of the Society is likely to encourage their moving around.

[reformation]

What Jesuits do have in mind. If there are qualified jesuits, would love to seethem get the jobs, but designating deanships for jesuits ex officio would be step backwards.

[watsonry]

I think part of the problem is that there are just not enough qualified Jesuits to go around---and the good ones get poached.

Compared to BC and Notre Dame, Georgetown seems almost secular. I never had a Jesuit as a professor at G-Town and I often forgot I was at a Catholic school---and I am Catholic.

It is a shame, but unless more young men decide to enter the priesthood (unlikely) I think this trend is going to continue.