The University Today
The University of St. Francis recently underwent a period of expansion. In 2004, the university purchased the vacated Motherhouse from the founding congregation, and has since renovated it into a conference and meeting center--Solutions Resource Center--as well as a home undergraduate admissions and the College of Nursing (CON). The CON provides students with high tech classroom space, skills lab, extensive computer support and a SIM lab for hands on critical care practice. The SIM lab, funded by a federal nursing grant, is outfitted to resemble various units in a hospital, like an emergency room, intensive care unit, and labor and delivery rooms.
In the summer of 2005, the university renovated Marian Residence Hall. The 1967 building was fitted with life-safety protection, new restrooms, upgraded windows, wireless Internet, community lounges, computer/study lounges and all new modular furniture in student rooms. The ground floor Abbey features a student commons area, TV and game room.
Long-term plans call for further expansion of the university into the surrounding neighborhood, though great care is being taken to respect the Upper Bluff National Historic District and the Cathedral Area Preservation Association, both of which have interests in the area.
The university is well known for its academic quality. Nursing graduates consistently experience a pass rate well into the 90th percentile. Placements rates of graduates into jobs or graduate school is on average 93 percent. Many academic programs have specialized accreditation in addition to the institutions overall accreditation. The university's Mock Trial program, a nationally recognized academic competition whereby students perform as trial attorneys, is nationally ranked, having qualified for the national championship tournament in 2006 and 2007 and having won an honor for an All-American Attorney two consecutive years.
The current president of the University of St. Francis, Dr. Michael Vinciguerra, was appointed to office in 2002 and is the university's seventh president.
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