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Franklin Pierce making progress to becoming a university

by Hilary DelaBruere
Exchange Staff Reporter

     On March 9, the Board of Trustees will hold a meeting with Senior Staff members who will give a follow up report regarding the proposal to change Franklin Pierce from its college status to a university institution.

     Beginning in September of 2005, Senior Staff first began formal consideration of making a transition from college status to university status. Since then surveys have gone out to alumni, student-parents, and the general community via mail asking their opinions on the idea, according to the Dean of Academic Affairs Paul Kotila and the President’s Assistant, Stella Walling. These surveys are also accessible online and so far people have already shown tremendous support.

     “Of course the proposal is still in the preliminary stages, but is it worth it? Absolutely. If we can do better as a university than a college, then definitely,” Walling said.

     Paul Kotila, the Vice President of Student Administration, Carole Monroe, Vice President for Finance, John Mims, and the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Ray Van Der Riet, made recent visits to two institutions that underwent the change from college to university in the past five years; the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, and Elon University in North Carolina.

     Based on the information gathered from the surveys and interactions with administration and students from both schools, a majority of people tended to look more prestigiously at the university name.

     Kotila pointed out that not only is Franklin Pierce an undergraduate institution, but it has six GPS branches in Manchester, Concord, Nashua, Laconia, Portsmouth, and Keene. In the past ten years the college has grown more “university-like,” primarily with these GPS programs which offer a variety of studies, including doctoral programs. One of the objectives of the change would be to tie these graduate programs more closely with the undergraduate curriculum.

     “We want to be recognized as one institution, and be understood in some way, regardless if your FPC Rindge, general public or GPS, we want people to see the relationship,” said Kotila. “People don‘t know who we are. Often people associate Franklin Pierce College with just the Rindge campus. It is confusing to the public. The university name will be a reflection of who we are and what we do. It will be an accurate representation of the school and a better indicator than just college.”

     Letters went out to both the FPC community and parents in February informing them on the proposal. “The faculty received word quite recently from President Hagerty that the College was making the transition to a University this summer. That was the first I'd heard of this,” said Professor Mary Kelly.

     The Board of Trustees are ultimately responsible for making the official decision and although the letters state that the plan is to have the decision met by June of this year, the Board could change their mind at any time, making the plan tentative.

     “No decisions are final at Franklin Pierce College until the Board of Trustees has reviewed all the facts and met with Senior Staff members, said Walling.” “Pending those discussions, the Board may advise the College to move forward, or it may advise the College not to move forward. The term: “moving forward” does not mean that a final decision will be made on March 9.”

     According to Kotila many transitions will take place if the college does decide to adopt the university name, including stationary, legal documents, a new budget plan. It will also have to go through the NH state legislature, not to mention notifying the public. However, the private liberal arts foundation of the school will remain the same.