| May 5, 2009 | Vol 10. No. 11 |
Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., Canisius College’s 23rd President, to Retire
Members of the Canisius community responded with surprise and reflection to Monday’s announcement that Canisius President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., will retire in the summer of 2010. Father Cooke made the announcement during a meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees.
“Next year will be my 17th year as president of Canisius,” says Father Cooke, 72. “It is time for the college to begin the process that will provide new leadership as we move into the second decade of the 21st century.”
During Father Cooke’s tenure, which began in 1993, Canisius has transformed from a local commuter college into a regionally-prominent residential comprehensive university through his strategic pursuit of high-quality academics, faculty, facilities and students.
“Father Cooke’s announcement signals the end of an era at Canisius that few would have dreamed possible in 1993,” says John J. Hurley, executive vice president and vice president for college relations. “He has been a relentless advocate for quality across the board at Canisius and in the process has raised the sights and expectations of all of us. Father Cooke has taught us to demand and expect success. Working with him has really been the highlight of my professional career.”
Under Father Cooke’s leadership, Canisius has invested more than $142 million in 24 major building projects, including $67 million in eight residence hall projects.
“The high quality of on-campus housing available at Canisius College is something that sets it apart from other schools,” says Emma L. Fabian ’10, president of the Undergraduate Student Association (USA). “Father Cooke has shown a commitment to all areas of the school, including athletics, student organizations and academics. That is characteristic to his dedication to educating the whole person.”
Other significant projects completed during his presidency include the comprehensive renovations of Old Main and Lyons Hall, and the transformation of the former St. Vincent de Paul Church, at Main Street and Eastwood Place, into the spectacular 500-seat Montante Cultural Center.
Members of the college community greeted the news of Father Cooke’s retirement with reflections on his leadership.
“While the look of Canisius College has been transformed during Father Cooke’s term, his extraordinary personal commitment to the students makes him an exceptional leader,” says Ellen O. Conley, PhD, vice president for student affairs. “He has served as a remarkable example for them and for faculty, staff and administrators.”
Father Cooke’s retirement coincides with the completion of the college’s latest campaign, A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College, which has raised nearly $66 million of its $90 million goal to date. In all, Canisius has raised $150 million during Father Cooke’s tenure.
Plans are now underway to develop Science Hall, a $47 million interdisciplinary science center in the former HealthNow headquarters, which will support the college’s nationally ranked undergraduate science programs.
“Father Cooke is an outstanding leader and has devoted all of his energy to the well-being of the college,” says Betsy M. Della Bovi, PhD, associate professor of adolescence education and chair of the faculty senate. “He has been a constant friend to the faculty senate and genuinely cares about our interests. His enormous sense of creativity has allowed Canisius to grow in so many ways that have benefited both the college and the community.”
“I am pleased at what we have been able to accomplish,” adds Father Cooke, who gives credit for most of what has been achieved at Canisius to faculty, administrators, staff and students. “Working together, we have made Canisius College a demonstrably better school in every aspect. Our success has been good for Canisius, good for our neighborhood and good for the city of Buffalo.”
In early 2008, he served as a delegate at the Jesuits 35th General Congregation, which elected Rev. Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., as the new General of the Society of Jesus.
“I think Father Cooke’s time in Rome for the 35th General Congregation was a high point in his Jesuit life and he brings the same kind of spirit, wisdom and knowledge to our community,” says Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., professor of fine arts, director of studio art and rector of the Jesuit Community. “He inspires all of us here in the Canisius College Jesuit community, with his contributions to our conversations on our lives within Loyola Hall and the works we do outside of the house.”
Father Cooke previously served as provincial of the New York Province of the Society of Jesus and just prior to his appointment at Canisius, as executive and academic vice president of John Carroll University. His future plans after retirement will be determined in consultation with the provincial of the New York Society of Jesus.
The Board of Trustees will form a Presidential Search Committee that will conduct a national search to identify Canisius’ next president.
Highlights of the Administration of Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J.
1993
Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., named the 23rd president of Canisius College.
1995
Design and construction of the 200-seat Marie Maday Theatre in Lyons Hall.
1996
The Village Townhouses on the west side of Main Street opens for 227 resident students.
Renovated Frisch Hall reopens for approximately 250 resident students.
Canisius Center@Amherst established for courses in the college’s master of business administration and external business programs.
1997
Launch of the Imagine Canisius capital campaign.
Renovated Bosch Hall opens and is home to approximately 250 students.
Redesign and construction of the Palisano Pavilion and the Penfold Commons, a focal point for campus-based activities and programs.
1998
Renovation of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center includes 14 new student club rooms and a 200-seat conference room.
Acquisition and renovation of Desmond Hall, a 29-bed residence hall on Jewett Parkway.
Dedication of the new Patrick P. Lee Student Athletic Center.
The Pastor Family Aerobic & Fitness Center opens in the Koessler Athletic Center.
George M. Martin Hall, former St. Vincent de Paul Rectory, opens and is home to students in the All-College Honors Program.
2000
Imagine Canisius capital campaign concludes with nearly $39 million raised, surpassing the goal for the campaign by $9 million. The campaign is rated the top development accomplishment among Jesuit colleges and universities by the Jesuit Advancement Administrators.
Creation of the Urban Leadership Community Program (ULLCP), an intensive collaborative learning and leadership development program aimed at high school graduates from Buffalo’s inner city.
Dedication of renovated Lyons Hall (former Mt. St. Joseph’s High School). The state-of-the-art classroom building serves as the new “gateway to Canisius College.”
Dedication of Montante Cultural Center, a 500-seat performing arts center in the former St. Vincent de Paul Church.
2001
Phase I of the Delavan Townhouses and Community Center Project, located on the site of the former Delavan Armory, opens to 194 resident students.
Re-dedication of renovated Old Main, the college’s primary academic center, includes 50 new technology classrooms, lounges and atrium.
The renovated Streng Oldsmobile property reopens as Demerly Hall and houses the college’s graduate program in Health & Human Performance, the Women's Business Center and the college’s Facilities Management Department.
2002
Reconstruction of the Quadrangle and construction of the Koessler Plaza located behind Old Main.
Phase II of the Delavan Townhouse project opens to 130 additional resident students.
Renovated Economou Dining Hall features park-like setting with new seating, lighting and food stations.
Introduction of the Employer Assisted Housing Program, which provides financial incentives for Canisius employees interested in living in the city of Buffalo.
Canisius announces a major realignment of its intercollegiate athletics program, reducing the number of varsity sports from 23 to 16 and committing to reinvesting all savings from eliminated programs into the remaining programs to enable the college to hire fulltime coaches and upgrade each program.
Canisius signs contract with Uniland Development to acquire the former Sears Roebuck store and parking facility at Main and Jefferson with a closing to occur at the end of the BlueCross BlueShield lease in approximately five years.
Renovated arena within the Koessler Athletic Center is rededicated at the men’s basketball home opener.
2003
A fully-renovated Campion Hall reopens as the new housing facility for 48 international students.
2004
Renovation of Health Science Center provides classrooms and laboratories for Biology and Psychology Departments and new space for the Canisius College Literacy Center.
2005
The college’s newest residence hall on Eastwood Place opens to 270 resident students. Eastwood Hall was dedicated Dugan Hall in honor of Rev. Paul Dugan, S.J., the college’s longtime moderator of athletics, in 2007.
Purchase and renovation of 23 Agassiz Circle for offices for the College Relations Division.
Canisius acquires the Mt. St. Joseph Academy property on the west side of Main Street adjacent to Lyons Hall from the Sisters of St. Joseph. The elementary school buildings were demolished in 2008 to create 5.5 acres of green space on the campus.
2007
Canisius announces the largest gift in the school’s history, a $5.1 million commitment from the family of Carl ’64 and Carol Montante.
Canisius launches A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College, the largest fund-raising initiative in the college’s 137-year history.
2008
Closing on the acquisition of the former HealthNow (Sears Roebuck) complex. Renamed Science Hall, the building will house a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary science center at the college.
Renovation of Koessler Athletic Center’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball Locker Rooms and installation of a new artificial turf at the Demske Sports Complex.
The Chronicle of Higher Education “Great Colleges to Work for 2008” survey recognized Canisius College as a leader in providing an exceptional work environment for its employees. Canisius placed in the top 5 schools in 20 out of 27 categories measured.
Canisius hits a record for most cash received from fund raising activities, $14.3 million. The college’s Annual Fund hits a record with $2.389 million raised.
The academic quality of the Canisius student has risen steadily during the Cooke administration. In 1993, the average freshman SAT score was 958 and high school averages among freshmen were 85 percent. In 2008, Canisius freshman had an average SAT score of 1129 and a high school average of 90.1.
2009
Opening of a Tim Horton’s coffee shop within the college’s Bouwhuis Library.
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