Since 1987, the debate as to whether Endicott College will transition into Endicott University has been discussed at length between the members of the Board of Trustees, but today it is now a discussion for all of Endicott’s students and faculty. What was once a two-year women’s college has since grown into the establishment it is today, with various undergraduate and graduate programs. However, a change like this would restructure the core of Endicott, and people of all positions are divided on whether this is a change we should take. More information has been gathered throughout the years as to what the criteria entails to become a university, and if Endicott actually meets that criteria.
According to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, to actually become a university the institution “must meet the requirements of a four year or senior college, must provide graduate programs in two or more professional fields, and must provide programs leading to the doctoral degree in two or more fields of study”. To make that statement clearer, Endicott College can become Endicott University by maintaining undergraduate and graduate programs at the level we are currently at, as well as opening up doctorate programs for those seeking higher levels of education.
Dr. Mary Huegel, the Vice President and Dean of Endicott’s Van Loan School, is an expert on the potential change. When asked about the potential change, she had this to say; “I have been here now for 10 years. When I came here we really knew we wanted doctoral programs and that was a driving urge. We knew what fields and we knew why, but this doesn't feel like that. This doesn't feel like we have to. It feels like ‘Do you want to do it?’ ‘I don't know, do you want to do it?’” Mary shared some additional information on what the potential change could bring to this institution, one key point was that the transformation would not require any major budget cuts or increase in tuition, and it would keep the size of Endicott’s physical campus intact. “I don't really think it would change the heart of what we do and the heart of who we are” she said. “There has been a lot of things that have changes within the last 20 years but they have happened slowly for the most part. Things didn’t happen overnight”.
“I don't really think it would change the heart of what we do and the heart of who we are.” - Dr. Mary Huegel
One thing Mary did not speak on was the infamous mentality of “publish or perish” that dominates many of today’s universities. In the average university, many, if not all, of the hired faculty are required to have some sort of publication of their work in order to retain their position. Sara Quay, the Dean of the institution of Education, is not in favor of this mentality. “I think it is important for professors to be engaged in their field. I think at Endicott, because the students are very driven by their majors, and the majors are very professionally orientated i’m more interested that the nurses and the nursing program and know what’s going on in nursing and are attending conferences than I am worried about them publishing because they are comparing nurses. In the institution of education I feel the same way,” she said. “I expect my faculty to be attending conferences and keeping up with the current issues and debates in education. If they publish too, that’s great! Most do presentations but I’m more concerned in their active engagement in their profession”.Despite this, most professors at Endicott have, or plan to publish their work in some form. However, Endicott does not require this from any faculty member employed. This, and many other reasons contribute to Endicott remaining at college status.
“You get measured by the company you keep” - Dr. Richard Wylie
Over the many years of his tenure, Dr. Richard Wylie has examined all of these reasons and continued to be persistent in his desire to remain a college. Some may think that it is a decision based on the integrity of Wylie and the institution, but others may see it as a lack of openness from the longtime President. However, Wylie has his own reasons to remain a college. “One is do you want to be like everybody else, or do you want the distinction, well there’s a quote that I like, ‘You get measured by the company you keep’. So do I want to get measured by Salem State, or do I want to get measured by your Bates, your Colbys, your Dartmouth's, your Middlebury's, Amherst's, that are all colleges. That’s a good company to be in. Universities tend to use their graduate students to teach. They use their graduate students to do the research for faculty. And that faculty in universities generally have to publish, or they perish. When I was at the University of Colorado, my best teacher and my best friend, I had to fire him. Because he didn’t write a book. And that’s the publish or perish mentality,” said Wylie.
He then went on to speak of his time at previous universities and how that influenced him to maintain college status at Endicott. “I was at the University of Connecticut and I didn’t have a book out in my third year. And I was scurrying to write a book and have a contract for my third year. I won’t say it, but, well I will say it, maybe I spent a little less time on my teaching and more emphasis on getting my book published, and that’s what I don’t want”. However, there are other sides to the change of becoming a university that could sway him. “From an undergraduate institution, I will say whether it’s a college or a university, probably doesn't make a big difference other than image. At the graduate level, when you’re working internationally, a college is a high institution. So we say Endicott College, an American University. Because, well we are a university, we meet all the requirements”.
And while Endicott does indeed meet the requirements to become a university, it is up to the Board of Trustees to ultimately make that decision as to go through with the change. Cynthia Merkle, one of the members of the Board of Trustees for seven years, has been waiting for Dr. Wylie to pitch the idea of Endicott becoming a university for quite some time. But she understands why he hasn’t come forward with it yet. “On a personal level I would agree with Dr. Wylie. I think it could change the culture dramatically. I think our professors do a great job teaching and spending a number of hours in the classroom. I would be concerned that that would diminish,” she said. “I think in general the Board believes that the culture that has been created at Endicott is the right culture”.
Cynthia, an alumni of the institution, has already seen many major changes take place. She was a student when the institution was a two-year women’s college, and has only seen the institution grow since. But the potential change to a university is something that she is not prepared to vote in favor of without a proper reason for it in place. “From a board perspective, I think we are looking for Dr. Wylie and the administration to kind of build that business case for making that transition to a university, ... he just hasn’t pulled the trigger yet” she said. And up until now, there has not been a formal proposal to the board regarding the change. But that does not mean the change is not ever going to happen. Dr. Wylie has stated that he would love to hear the opinions of everyone within the Endicott community, students and faculty alike. Your opinions are deeply valued regarding this decision in whether or not we should become a university. Your voices will all be heard, and will be the deciding factor to this potential monumental change.