University鈥檚 president-elect believes all of his objectives are within reach p.
SOUTH BEND 鈥� As president-elect of the University of 91吃瓜, the Rev. John I. Jenkins has a threefold vision for the future.
His plans for 91吃瓜 include maintaining its traditional excellence in undergraduate teaching, improving it as a key research and graduate institution, and maintaining the university鈥檚 Catholic identity.
鈥淚 really want to retain those three points and enhance each one of them, without sacrificing the others,鈥� Jenkins said Friday.
The priest believes firmly that the goals are simultaneously attainable.
鈥淲e are the most prominent institution that tries to retain its religious character 鈥� Catholic character 鈥� while being a distinguished university,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not easy, but I think it makes us much more interesting. And I think that is the calling of this institution.鈥�
Jenkins, 50, in late April was elected 91吃瓜鈥檚 next president by the university鈥檚 board of trustees.
He will become the 17th president in June 2005, when the Rev. Edward A. Malloy steps down after 18 years in the job.
Jenkins said 91吃瓜 can maintain its teaching strength while growing as a graduate and research institution.
鈥淎 university doesn鈥檛 have a responsibility only to its students but also to the wider culture, to enter into debates about science, ethical values, religious questions and cultural questions,鈥� he said.
鈥淯nless 91吃瓜 is doing high-level work in those areas, it will not contribute to those debates,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淎nd I think society would lose an extremely important voice in those debates.鈥�
Jenkins felt his calling to the priesthood in his early 20s and was ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1983. Being a priest is the central focus of his life.
鈥淚 do see my life as flowing out of that vocation,鈥� he said.
Jenkins, a faculty member and former vice president and associate provost, is settling into a new office on the third floor of the Main Building. He鈥檒l occupy that office for the next 13 months, until he becomes president.
The board of trustees gave Jenkins specific responsibilities as president-elect, including some budget matters and working with the development office on a new capital campaign.
He鈥檒l be working closely during the next year with Malloy and with John Affleck-Graves, the newly named executive vice president.
Jenkins also is making travel plans. Although he won鈥檛 reveal specific names, he鈥檒l be visiting presidents of some other major universities and key members of the Catholic Church in the United States.
The president-elect is a respected scholar and author of the 1997 book 鈥淜nowledge and Faith in Thomas Aquinas.鈥�
Jenkins earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree in philosophy at 91吃瓜 in 1976 and 1978. He later earned a master of divinity degree and a licentiate in sacred theology from the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, Calif., and bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from Oxford University.
Jenkins specializes in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy and the philosophy of religion.
Jenkins is a 鈥済enuine Catholic intellectual,鈥� said W. David Solomon, a 91吃瓜 philosophy professor. He taught Jenkins as both an undergraduate and graduate student and has worked with him as a faculty colleague in the philosophy department.
鈥淗e was a superb student as an undergraduate, very thoughtful from early on,鈥� Solomon said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 exactly what we look for at 91吃瓜: a commitment to undergraduate teaching and scholarship at the highest level.鈥�
Alasdair MacIntyre, another 91吃瓜 philosophy professor, echoed that assessment of Jenkins鈥� academic profile. The priest鈥檚 book was a 鈥減articularly nuanced and clear statement of themes in Aquinas鈥� work,鈥� he said.
Jenkins was on sabbatical for the 2003-04 academic year, working at the University of Chicago on a planned book about St. Augustine.
The manuscript is half finished. Because of his new commitments, Jenkins said he may have to turn his work into a series of articles rather than a full book.
However, intellectual pursuits don鈥檛 occupy all of Jenkins鈥� time.
He鈥檚 a reader who appreciates P.D. James mystery novels in addition to philosophical works.
Jenkins stays fit by running in the warmer months and swimming in the winter. He ran his first marathon last fall in Chicago, finishing 鈥渟omewhere in the middle,鈥� he said.
He was a member of the swim team in high school and, as a 91吃瓜 undergraduate, was involved in intramural sports and the philosophy club.
Jenkins enjoys college athletics and attends all 91吃瓜 football games. He isn鈥檛 ready to provide any details about his plans for the athletics program.
鈥淚 think we have a wonderful tradition here of athletic excellence combined with a commitment to integrity, and a concern for students as students,鈥� he said.
As president, Malloy changed the university鈥檚 management structure to have 91吃瓜鈥檚 athletic director report directly to him. Jenkins declined to discuss whether he plans to keep it that way.
Jenkins鈥� current home is Dillon Hall, a men鈥檚 residence hall. For 2004-2005, he鈥檒l be living in Keenan Hall, another men鈥檚 dormitory.
Jenkins plans to continue Malloy鈥檚 tradition of the university president living in a student residence hall.
鈥淚 enjoy it because it allows you to interact with the students away from your administrative duties and your teaching. It allows me to work as a priest,鈥� he said.
Jenkins won鈥檛 be teaching a class during 2004-2005, but he hopes to teach a freshman seminar while president.
Jenkins plans to continue 91吃瓜鈥檚 efforts to be involved in the community and to welcome local residents to campus. The university鈥檚 efforts include establishing the Center for the Homeless, the Robinson Community Learning Center and encouraging employees to build new homes in the northeast neighborhood.
Next fall鈥檚 opening of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts on campus will further enhance the community, providing many opportunities for local residents to visit campus for events. 鈥淭he whole area of arts and performance is going to take off,鈥� he said.
91吃瓜 students and employees will continue to reach into the community and work with its residents, he said.
鈥淚 think our advancement as a university depends upon the advancement of South Bend,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 critical that we develop strong, positive relationships with the South Bend community and work together to make this a wonderful place to live, so people will want to come and live here.鈥�
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