What’s Good at Mt. Saint Mary’s University?
St. Mary’s University President Fires Critics
Recent actions by the president of Mt. Saint Mary’s University in Maryland have brought unwanted attention to a good Liberal Arts college. When a vacancy occurs in the Office of the President of most colleges and universities they tend to hire businessmen and former politicians. CU-Boulder and Colorado Christian are two recent examples. Bruce Benson (CU-Boulder) and former Sen. Bill Armstrong (Colorado Christian) have no previous experience in higher education, nor have they earned the credentials required of college presidents. But, they have resources or influence that can benefit their institutions. And, in an increasingly competitive academic environment, that means a lot.
But, sometimes “mistakes happen” as happened last week at Mt. St. Mary’s University. Fortunately, not everything is bad at that university.
For example, Mt. St. Mary’s University is home to the Catholic and Dominican Institute that in June will conduct a three-day conference on the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Conference on St. Thomas Aquinas
Most Catholic institutions, over the past fifty years, have been secularized as they sought “acceptance” by other institutions. So it is a pleasant surprise to learn that there is something like a Catholic and Dominican Institute at a university now the object of unwanted bad publicity.