School of Franciscan Studies dissolving

On Friday Oct. 27, St. Bonaventure University’s faculty senate made the decision to dissolve the School of Franciscan Studies.
Instead of having an individual school, there will be a Franciscan studies and theology program under the School of Arts and Sciences.
Fr. David Couturier, O.F.M., dean of the School of Franciscan Studies and executive director of the Franciscan Institute, said the purpose of this merge is to strengthen theology and Franciscan studies offerings to undergraduate students.
“This will put a greater number of professors with a wide range of expertise at the service of our students looking for great courses in theology,” said Fr. David.
He said five new professors will be brought into the department.
“These professors have special skills in historical theology, Islamic theology, Jewish theology and pastoral theology,” said Fr. David. “We will be able to offer more courses and strengthen majors and minors in theology and Franciscan studies.”
The university will be hiring a new chair for this department, who will lead in the development of courses students would be interested in.
“I am thinking of the interest students show in things like Jewish theology and Islamic theology, as well as the kind of courses that address students concerns about ethics in the workplace or terrorism and bias in the world,” said Fr. David.
Although the school will no longer stand on its own, there is hope to preserve the program’s individual identity. Fr. David alongside Dr. David Hilmey, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, worked in preparing for the merge using recommendations built on the Franciscan mission of the university, said Fr. David.
“We want students to appreciate the Franciscan intellectual tradition that has so much to say to help the world heal from consumerism, terrorism and the disregard for human rights around the world,” said Fr. David. “Our identity as a theological department changes because of our collaboration we will do as theologians dedicated to the vision of St. Francis and Franciscan scholars like St. Bonaventure.”
Despite these changes, the Franciscan Institute, located in the Friedsam Library, will remain and will be strengthened, said Fr. David.
“The administration of the university is firmly committed to the work of the institute,” said Fr. David. “The delinking of the Franciscan Institute from the theology department allows us to focus all our attention on developing the research that helps our professors stay current and up to date. Colleges and universities and Franciscan institutions all over the world depend on the research we do and we want to be there for a whole new generation of scholars.”
The Franciscan Institute’s purpose is to support scholars’ research in Franciscan tradition all around the world, since St. Bonaventure has an international reputation. They also produce and publish books for Franciscan scholars and those interested in learning more about Franciscan theology, history and spirituality, Fr. David said.
Fr. David is excited for the upcoming changes to come.
“Since coming to St. Bonaventure, I have been working to bring Franciscan studies into our undergraduate programs to make the exciting insights of St. Francis and St. Clare available to students,” he said. “The university has begun to offer a Franciscan studies course in the first year of study here and this new department will be responsible for that. I look forward to continuing work as executive director of the Franciscan Institute and working on institutional planning for the university.”
Noelle Acaso, junior theology and music double major, said the dissolving of the School of Franciscan studies will take a lot of adjusting in the theology curriculum, but will open a lot of doors to those wishing to take theology courses.
“I hope that this merging will give the programs room to expand and develop,” said Acaso. “Intertwined, they will get to grow together to become stronger with the goal of hitting more points of interest for students and making possible more opportunities for those majoring.”
The date of when these changes will be put into effect is currently unknown, however, Fr. David said the university hopes to start the search process for a chair of the department in the near future.