Institutional Report
for the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE)
University of Saint Francis
2701 Spring Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808
Submitted in Preparation
For the
On-Site Visit for Continuing Accreditation
March 29-April 2, 2003
Jane M. Swiss, Ed.D.
Chair, Department of Education
jswiss@sf.edu
Institutional Report for the
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE)
OVERVIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS
HISTORY
HEALTH
CAMPUS DESCRIPTION
CHANGES SINCE THE LAST VISIT
MISSION STATEMENT
VISION STATEMENT
CORE VALUES
UNIVERSITY PROFILE
The Institutional Report
University of Saint Francis
OVERVIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS
History
The University of Saint Francis (http://www.sf.edu) is a Catholic,
independent, coeducational institution which had its beginnings in 1890 as
Saint Francis College. Founded by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual
Adoration in Lafayette, Indiana, the College served as a teacher-training
school for the Sisters of the Order. The school adopted a four-year degree
plan in 1937, accepted laywomen in 1939, and was chartered by the State in
1940. In 1944, the college moved to its present Fort Wayne, Indiana campus
on the 70-acre estate of the former city industrialist, John H. Bass. The
school became co-educational in 1959 and added graduate programming in 1960.
Health
The University was first accredited in 1957 by the North Central Association
of Colleges and Schools. The University holds memberships in the Association
of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Independent Colleges of Indiana, the
Indiana Conference for Higher Education, the National Association of
Independent Colleges and Universities, the Council of Independent Colleges
as well as membership among other prominent program-based organizations
Campus Description
The wooded campus surrounding Mirror Lake includes the following academic
facilities: a library housed in the Bass Mansion, Achatz Hall of Science,
Mimi and Ian Rolland Center for Art and Visual Communication, Hutzel
Athletic Center, Doermer Family Center for Health Science Education, and
Bonaventure Hall. In addition to these academic facilities, the University
has several athletic playing fields, including a football stadium. Finally,
the campus provides dormitories, administrative offices, a student center,
and the Ministry Center
Changes since the Last Visit
In 1998, Lutheran College of Health Professions was acquired by Saint
Francis College, thus merging the two institutions. With this acquisition
the University acquired programs in Nursing and Allied Health, nearly
doubling its enrollment. Following the merger of the two institutions, Saint
Francis College changed its name to the University of Saint Francis.
Curriculum changes currently taking place at the University include a review of the general education component and an increased emphasis on service learning. In April of 2002, faculty approved ten new general education goals for all baccalaureate degree seeking candidates. The General Education Committee is currently reviewing and revising the general education course requirements to achieve alignment with new general education goals.
In the academic year 2001, the University committed itself to a new
Strategic Planning process to help determine its course for the years ahead.
The Strategic Plan (http://usfweb click on “President’s Notes”) was
approved by the Board of Trustees in October of 2002. As a result of the
strategic planning process the University updated its Mission, Vision, and
Core Values.
Mission Statement
The University of Saint Francis exists to challenge and engage a diverse
student body by facilitating learning, personal growth and professional
development in an environment permeated by Franciscan Values. The University
is a comprehensive, Catholic, coeducational institution of higher education
in the liberal arts tradition, offering undergraduate and graduate programs
to students from a broad geographic region
Vision Statement
The University of Saint Francis is a comprehensive University founded in the
Catholic tradition, committed to being one of the best student-centered
learning communities in the nation. The University combines excellent
professional and liberal arts education with the development of life-long
learning attitudes and skills. All campus constituencies understand and
share the University’s Franciscan Charism and promote it in all aspects of
campus life. The University is characterized by and has found success in its
distinctive set of Values at the Core, its creative Leadership through the
Disciplines, and an organizational model that fosters Agility in relation to
the external environment (Strategic Plan, p. 7). These characteristics serve
to differentiate the University of Saint Francis from its competitors and
assure its success
Core Values
In the accomplishment of its Mission, the University of Saint Francis seeks
to acknowledge and uphold these Core Values:
In commitment to our Franciscan tradition, we:
- Reverence the unique dignity of each person.
- Encourage a trustful, affirming community through Eucharist, prayer, and Gospel living.
- Serve with joy one another, society, and the Church.
- Foster peace and justice on all levels.
- Respect creation and use resources wisely.
In commitment to academic quality, we:
- Facilitate personalized learning in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
- Foster a community of scholars.
- Promote spiritual and moral development.
- Encourage social and civic responsibility.
- Emphasize a commitment to professional excellence and leadership.
The University’s Core Values have given direction to the Department’s Conceptual Framework, which is aligned with state and national standards.
Degrees Offered
Currently, the University offers programs leading to the following degrees:
Associate of Arts, Associate of Liberal Studies, Associate of Science,
Associate of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science,
Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Liberal Studies, Bachelor
of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of
Social Work. Graduate degrees offered include Master of Arts, Master of
Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Education,
and Master of Science in Nursing.
Enrollment
At present, 1,709 graduate and undergraduate candidates are enrolled in the
University in weekday and weekend programs. The majority of the candidates
are from Indiana and the contiguous states of Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.
Candidates representing other states and foreign countries, however, are
included in the total student body. While Catholic and other Christian
denominations predominate, many religious groups are represented. The
acceptance of candidates of all races and creeds affirms the commitment of
the University to a pluralistic and diverse student body. University-wide
enrollment statistics for the 2002 academic year acknowledge that 5.6% of
the student body was African American, 1.7% Hispanic, and 72.5 % Caucasian,
with 18.8 % of unknown race. The remaining 1.3% of the student body is
Asian, Native American, bi-racial or non-resident alien (Integrated Post
Secondary Education Data System Report (IPEDS). Approximately 80 percent of
the student body receives financial assistance from federal, state, and
University sources in the form of grants, loans, and scholarships.
Faculty
The University employs faculty in three different classifications:
full-time, part-time, and adjunct and identifies status in one of the
following categories: non-tenured track or a tenured track (Faculty
Handbook, section 2 for descriptions). The number of faculty in each
classification beginning Fall 2002 is as follows. There are 98 full-time, 10
part-time, 90 adjunct, for a total of 198 members. Of these 198 faculty, 40
are tenured track, 40 are non-tenured track, 28 are tenured, and 90 are
adjunct without the option of status.
Governance
The administrative structure is clearly illustrated in the University’s
Administrative Chart (Table Overview.1). This chart demonstrates the flow of
accountability, which ultimately rests with the University’s sponsor, the
Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration. The University is committed
to a shared governance model (Table Overview.2). University faculty is
actively involved in campus governance through its participation in
campus-wide committees, Faculty Forum, and departmental committee
membership. University-wide standing committees, which include
representative membership from all campus constituencies, include the
Planning and Budget Committee, Mission and Values Committee, Enrollment
Management Committee, and Campus Technology Committee. Existing under the
authority of Faculty Forum are the following committees: Forum Executive
Council, Academic Council – General Education Committee, Honors Council,
Committee on Assessment of Student Academic Achievement, Teacher Education
Committee, Faculty Issues Committee, Promotion and Tenure Committee, Faculty
Development Committee, and the Library Committee. Within the Department of
Education, faculty members participate in two standing committees: Teacher
Education Committee and Teacher Education Advisory Council (See Standard 2
for a detailed description of committees).
