SMC recognized in Templeton Guide
By SARAH RYKOWSKI
News Writer
Saint Mary's was among 405 colleges and universities nationwide named to the 1999 edition of "The Templeton Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development," for inspiring its students to live ethical and civil-minded lives.
"This recognition affirms what the [Center For Academic Innovation] CFAI, and indeed all of Saint Mary's, is trying to do, which is to be attentive to the ethical value issues inherent in the total educational experience," said College president Marilou Eldred.
The Templeton Guide is similar to the U.S. News and World Report rankings, which rate quality of education. It was released as part of the College and Character Initiative, a national program run by the John Templeton Foundation which strives to promote positive values such as compassion, self-discipline, honesty, and respect at the college level.
The guide is intended to inform the public about progress in these areas at colleges and universities. CFAI was a prime reason Saint Mary's was honored, according to the Foundation.
The guide notes that the Center's programs "support a model of intellectual development that is at once collaborative, value-based, intellectually rigorous and practical."
Specifially, the guide cites three CFAI programs: Student Independent Study and Research (SISTAR), the CFAI fellowship program for faculty, and the Farrell Mentor Partnership for new faculty.
"It's a kind of center that puts support and responsibility back on all the wonderful minds at Saint Mary's," CFAI director Patrick White said. "Our real emphasis is to get people to collaborate."
SISTAR involves both faculty and students working together in intensive research projects. Its purpose is to give faculty and students a responsibility for growth, in an equal partnership. The CFAI Fellows receive support for their study and research, and in turn share their ideas and results with the community.
The Farrell Mentor Partnership, formerly known as the Faculty Novice/Mentor Partnership Program, is a year-long mentorship program for new faculty. Within this program, new faculty are assigned a mentor from outside their department, and participate in group and individual sessions which enable them to form supportive relationships with their colleagues.
In addition, the CFAI also offers faculty research, teaching and seed grants, the CFAI Fellows Program, and the Collaborative Study and Research (COSTAR) Program.
The college was among 45 other colleges included in the Faculty and Curriculum Programs section of the guide.
"Inclusion in The Templeton Guide is a nice distinction for the the College, which confirms what we already know — that Saint Mary's is working hard and well to develop character, as well as intellect," White said.
All News Stories for Thursday, November 18, 1999
