| January 16, 2008 | Vol 9. No. 9 |
High Marks for Canisius Accounting Alumni
Canisius College MBA and undergraduate accounting graduates, who sat for the 2006 CPA exam cycle, ranked number one, overall, in New York State, according to the National Association of the State Boards of Accountancy. The rankings represent passing rates on the New York State 2006 Certified Public Accountant Exam.
Specifically, Canisius graduates had the highest percentage passing rates in three of the four subject areas tested: financial accounting, auditing, and business and environment concepts. Canisius alumni had the second highest percentage passing rates on the regulation portion of the exam. They also ranked first in the “ALL” category, for persons passing all sections taken. The results are based on schools that had 10 or more candidates sit for the exam. Canisius College had 34 candidates sit for the 2006 CPA exam.
“These results continue the long tradition of excellence of our graduates,” said Ian J. Redpath, JD, LLM, chair of the Accounting Department. “Success on the CPA exam is an important benchmark for all colleges and universities, and Canisius graduates consistently rank among the best in the state and the nation.”
Redpath adds that Canisius alumni have ranked as high as number one in the country and regularly reach the top of the New York State rankings.
Mount St. Joes Demolition Begins
The first phase of demolition on the former Mt. St. Joesph's Academy began on Monday, January 14 with the primary school building
Demolition began Monday on the two school buildings at 2064 Main Street, the former site of Mount St. Joseph Academy (MSJA).
“Unfortunately, the condition of the two school buildings was such that they could not be converted to college use without very significant expense.” said John J. Hurley, executive vice president and vice president for college relations.
The first building (the primary school building) is completely demolished and work has begun on the second building.
“We believe that it made more sense to demolish the buildings and convert the area to additional green space and parking in the short-term. The college’s longer-term plan for the property is to develop new residential and classroom space on that site.”
In 2005, Canisius exercised its right of first refusal to purchase the five-and-one-half acre property from the Institute of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Diocese of Buffalo, after they announced their intention to close Mount St. Joseph Academy. Parents, alumni and friends of the elementary school quickly raised funds and secured a charter from the State Board of Regents to assume operation of the school. The school leased the Main Street property until September 2007, when it moved to its new location at 15 Jewett Parkway, the site of the former Central Presbyterian Church.
According to Thomas E Ciminelli, AIA, NCARB, construction manager for facilities management, the demolition process is expected to last for several months. During this time, the parking lot adjacent to Mount St. Joe’s will remain closed.
Plenty of parking is available for faculty and staff in the lot adjacent to M&T Bank and on the second floor of the BlueCross BlueShield Ramp. If you haven’t been in the ramp in awhile, many updates have occurred since Canisius has taken it over. New lighting has been installed, a fresh coat of paint has been applied and an information booth staffed by public safety (from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) now stands in the Jefferson Avenue entrance. In addition, the Buffalo Police include the ramp on their regularly patrols. Available now and continuing through the demolition process, a Lyons Hall shuttle will run according to the following schedule:
- Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Pick up is at BlueCross ramp guard booth on Jefferson
- Drop off is at Lyons Hall main entrance
- Return to the ramp will be via the 24 passenger shuttle bus that leaves from the main entrance of Lyons beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Father Cooke in Rome to Elect Superior General
As many of you already know, Canisius President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., is in Rome to participate in the 35th Jesuit General Congregation, which began on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, January 5, 2008. Father Cooke is one of 225 Jesuit delegates from around the world who will elect a new superior general of the Society of Jesus following the resignation of Rev. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., after 25 years of service as superior general. On January 7, Cardinal Franc Rodé, Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, presided at the opening Mass in Gesú Church. Following the Mass, a lamp was lit at the altar of St. Ignatius, which will burn the entire time the congregation meets.
On January 14, Rev. Kolvenbach addressed the Congregation and gave his official resignation. Beginning January 15, the Congregation began four days of information gathering known as the murmuratio, during which time the delegates are allowed to ask any other member of the Congregation about any member of the Society of Jesus who might be an apt superior general.
No one may lobby or campaign for the position for themselves or for anyone else. Father Cooke was elected to the commission that determines whether any one has aspired to the Office of Superior General. The commission is composed of the most senior members from the 10 assistancies worldwide.
Friday, January 18 will be the last of the four days of murmurations. A Jesuit will be chosen to address the members of the Congregation about their duties to elect a new superior general. On Saturday, a secret ballot will be taken, collected and counted. Paper ballots will be used for as many rounds of voting as necessary until someone receives a simple majority vote and is elected the new superior general.
Father Cooke is one of two delegates from the New York Province and one of only 34 delegates from the United States chosen to attend the Congregation. In addition, Father Cooke is the only member of the current American delegation who also served as a delegate at the 1983 Congregation that elected Father Kolvenbach.
Father Cooke is expected to be in Rome for several weeks. John J. Hurley, executive vice president at Canisius, is serving as acting president during Father Cooke’s absence.
For more information on the election of a new superior general, click here.
Canisius Receives $2 Million Rowe Gift
Canisius received a $2 million gift from alumnus John W. Rowe, MD ’66, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Aetna Inc., which will be used toward the creation of the proposed interdisciplinary science center at the college.“We are honored that Jack, who is recognized internationally for his distinguished careers in science, medicine and business, has endorsed our science center project,” said Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., college president. “His generous gift provides a tremendous boost to our interdisciplinary science center project and puts our Legacy of Leadership campaign closer to its goal.”
Rowe was chairman and CEO of Aetna from 2000 – 2006, and is widely credited with leading Aetna though a remarkable turnaround that made the company a national leader in health care benefits and management. Under Rowe, Aetna’s market value increased by more than $23 billion. Since 2006, Rowe has been serving as a professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health where he is continuing his work on local and national issues addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with the aging of the baby boom generation.
For more information about the Rowe gift click here. For more information about A Legacy of Leadership, click here.
Canisius Joins Consortium to Promote Asian Studies
Canisius College has joined AsiaNetwork, a consortium of North American liberal arts colleges organized to promote Asian studies. David R. Devereux, PhD, associate professor of history, will oversee Canisius’ participation in the consortium.
Consisting of more than 170 North American colleges, AsiaNetwork strives to strengthen the role of Asian studies within the framework of liberal arts education, to help prepare succeeding generations of undergraduates for a world in which Asian societies play prominent roles, in an ever more interdependent world. The organization seeks to encourage the study of Asian countries and cultures on North American campuses and to enable students and faculty to experience these cultures first-hand. For more information, click here.
Canisius Participates in NESA Exchange Program
Canisius College is a participant in the Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Exchange Program (NESA), which was launched by the Bureau of Education Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State in August 2007. NESA is administered by Georgetown University, and provides full scholarships for college students from the Near East to study abroad at American colleges and universities for a semester or one year. Canisius currently has five students enrolled in the NESA program.
“These students bring rich cultural diversity to Canisius, and show independence and ambition in choosing to travel such great distances to experience American college life,” said Jerome L. Neuner, PhD, associate vice president for academic affairs and coordinator of the NESA program at Canisius College.
For more information, click here.