Canisius University (/kəˈniːʃəs/kə-NEE-shəss) is aprivateJesuit university inBuffalo, New York. It was founded in 1870 by Jesuits from Germany and is named afterSt. Peter Canisius. Canisius offers more than a hundred undergraduate majors and minors, and around thirty-four master's and certificate programs.
Canisius has its roots in the Jesuit community that arose from disputed ownership of St. Louis Church in Buffalo in 1851.[5][6] Rev. Lucas Caveng, a German Jesuit, along with 19 families from St. Louis Church, founded St. Michael's Church on Washington St.[6] The college followed, primarily for serving sons of German immigrants, along with thehigh school in 1870, first at 434 Ellicott St. and next to St. Michael's.[7] In 1913 construction of the Old Main building at 2001 Main St. was completed.[8] The early presidents of the college were German Jesuits.[9]
In 2010, John Hurley was named the firstlay president of the college, serving in that role until his retirement in 2022.[10]
In July 2020, President John Hurley and the board of trustees laid off 96 employees, including 25 faculty positions, most of them tenured. Several majors were eliminated, including Classics, Entrepreneurship, European studies, Fine Arts, Human Services, International Business, Physics, Religious Studies and Urban Studies.[11][12] In response, the college's faculty senate issued votes of no confidence in the president and board of trustees.[13][14][15]
Steve Stoute took office as the 25th president of Canisus on July 1, 2022.[20]
On April 27, 2023, Canisius announced that it had successfully petitioned theNew York State Education Department Board of Regents for university designation.[21] It officially changed its name to Canisius University on August 1, 2023.[22]
In 2015 Canisius College was one of more than 90 colleges investigated by the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights for its handling of sexual assault and harassment complaints.[23] In 2021, three former female student athletes filed a federal lawsuit in the Western District of New York alleging a hostile environment and that the college "failed to take appropriate action in response to these reports and complaints of sexual harassment, abuse and sexual assault".[24][25] On June 27, 2022, a judge allowed the lawsuit launched by former Canisius athletes’ to proceed, describing the college’s delayed response to sexual assault allegations as "inexplicable."[26][27]
In a separate federal lawsuit filed in 2022, five former female students alleged that Canisius College ignored sexual misconduct complaints against Professor Michael Noonan and allowed him to retire in 2019 rather than pursuing Title IX complaints against him.[28][29]
Christ the King Chapel, designed by Buffalo architect Duane Lyman,[30] is centrally located to "symbolize its importance".[31] It was completed in 1951 and has seating for 492.[30]
Science Hall was built as a Sears and Roebuck store in 1929.[32] The college has allocated $68 million for its renovation, over $35 million of which has been raised[33] with help from theJohn R. Oishei Foundation.[34]
The parking ramp originally served the Sears and Roebuck building at 1901 Main St. However, throughout the history of ramp, Canisius students have used it for parking, with Sears advertising inThe Griffin student newspaper that parking was free.[35][36] Acquisition of the property has eliminated parking problems.[37] The ramp was demolished in 2022. A new green space surface lot is planned to replace it.[38]
The 11-story Churchill Academic Tower was built in 1971, designed by Leroy H. Welch.[39] It is named for its chief benefactor, Rev. Clinton H. Churchill and his wife Francis.[40] The Tower is routinely derided but serves as a highly functional space.[39]
Built in 1957 and upgraded in 1988[41] and from 2013 through 2015,[42] Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library, named for Andrew L. Bouwhuis, S.J., college librarian from 1935 to 1955, furnishes extensive area for study and research.[43] It seats 500 people.[44]
Located at 1833 Main Street in Buffalo, the Koessler Athletic Center is named after J. Walter Koessler, class of 1922.[45] The facility has a swimming pool, two weight rooms, two gymnasiums and locker rooms and offices for athletic coaches and support staff.[46]
Canisius earned the 21st spot in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report's 2022 rankings of America's Best Regional Universities – North.[48] U.S. News also ranked Canisius thirteenth in the 2016 "Great Schools, Great Prices" listing among regional universities in the North.[49] Canisius earned the eighth spot among 49 regional universities in the North in U.S. News' Best Colleges for Veterans Ranking, as well as #4 in Best Value Schools and #26 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, for 2022.[48] Canisius College alumni ranked first (1st), overall, in New York State on the 2014 CPA exam cycle, with a 75 percent pass rate, in the category of medium programs.[50]
Canisius has on campus about 90 clubs and organizations, vetted by the Undergraduate Student Association and its senators. Program offerings include the Best of Buffalo series, Fusion game nights, the Fall Semi-Formal, the Canisius Royals competition, the Mass of the Holy Spirit with Fall BBQ and Bonfire, Griffin Week, and Griff Fest.[51][52] With a growing student population in its colleges, Buffalo has begun offering free Canal-side concerts, along with "Shakespeare in the Park", the Polish Broadway Market, Silo City "Boom Days" on Buffalo's industrial history, andDyngus Day.
The college sponsors 20NCAADivision I athletic teams and is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) as well as the Atlantic Hockey Conference.[53] Men's sports include baseball, ice hockey, and golf. Women's sports include volleyball and softball. The Golden Griffins compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of theMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for most sports, except for men's ice hockey which competes in theAtlantic Hockey America. In 2013, the men's ice hockey team won its first Atlantic Hockey Championship, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.[citation needed] In2008, Canisius men'slacrosse won the MAAC tournament and earned its first bid to theNCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament.[54]
The Women's Lacrosse team won MAAC Championships four years in a row (2010–2014). The 2008 Baseball team won its first regular season MAAC championship, with a 41–13 season, and the following year made its first appearance in the MAAC Championship game.[55] In 2013, the team won the MAAC Championship and received its first bid to the NCAA tournament. The Canisius College softball team won the 2009 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament for its 3rd consecutive title, marking the team's 11th trip to the NCAA tournament in 15 years.[56] In its rivalry with Niagara University Canisius won the Canal Cup two of the first three years (2008 and 2009).[57] Intramural sports are also offered for students, faculty, and staff.
Canisius' mascot is the Golden Griffin. The college adopted the Griffin as a mascot in 1932, after Charles A. Brady ('33) wrote a story in a Canisius publication honoring Buffalo's centennial year as a city. Brady wrote about Jesuit-educated explorer Rene-Robert LaSalle'sLe Griffon, which was built inBuffalo. The Griffin was first used on the La Salle medal in 1932 and from there spread to the college newspaper,The Griffin, and sports teams.[58][59][60][61] According to GoGriffs.com, thegriffin is a "legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet." It represents values such as courage, boldness, intelligence, and strength befitting students and athletes alike.
The student weekly newspaper isThe Griffin, which replacedThe Canisian in 1933 and continues to print weekly.[64] The annualQuadrangle magazine contains student writings, artwork, and photographs.Public-access televisioncable TV broadcasts to Canisius College from its fourth floor studio at Lyons Hall.The WIRE, replacing WCCG, is the college's radio station, which broadcasts over the campus television system and is online through the college website.[65]
Canisius has approximately 40,000 living alumni worldwide who are working in the fields of business, journalism, government, law, medicine, and sports.
John Thomas Curtin (Class of 1946), former US Attorney and Federal Judge for the Western District of New York
Charles S. Desmond (Class of 1917), former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals*
John J. LaFalce (Class of 1961), former US Representative for New York
Walter J. Mahoney (Class of 1930), former Majority Leader of the New York State Senate and New York Supreme Court Judge*
Salvatore R. Martoche (Class of 1962), New York State Supreme Court Justice and former Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury and Labor Departments
^ab"ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, JESUITS' ORIGINAL BASE; IN AREA, TO MARK 150TH YEAR WITH MASS."The Buffalo News (New York). (September 29, 2001, Saturday, FINAL EDITION ): 863 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"MASS TO MARK 125TH YEAR OF CANISIUS COLLEGE, HIGH." Buffalo News (New York). (September 16, 1994, Friday, City Edition ): 240 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"BRAND NEW OLD MAIN TO MAKE ITS DEBUT." Buffalo News (New York). (November 9, 2001, Friday, FINAL EDITION ): 390 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"Loss of Jesuit leadership could mark an ending." Buffalo News (New York). (November 1, 2009, Sunday ): 510 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^ab"Unloved, maybe, but standing tall; Canisius College Amherst 50 Delaware Ave. 200 Niagara St. Downtown Buffalo 701-705 Maple Road, Amherst 1425 Main St. 153 Franklin St. 1300 Elmwood Ave.." The Buffalo News (New York). (March 8, 2015, Sunday ): 1999 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"FRANCES G. CHURCHILL, PHILANTHROPIST, SUPPORTER OF ARTS; EDUCATION, DIES AT 82." Buffalo News (New York). (January 23, 1999, Saturday, FINAL EDITION ): 687 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"FATHER DEMSKE HONORED FOR SERVICE TO CANISIUS COLLEGE AT GRADUATION." Buffalo News (New York). (May 22, 1993, Saturday, Final Edition ): 734 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"About the Library".Canisius Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library. Archived fromthe original on November 13, 2015. RetrievedNovember 3, 2015.
^"JOHN W. KOESSLER JR. IS DEAD AT 69; TURNED GREATER BUFFALO; PRESS INTO INDUSTRY LEADER." Buffalo News (New York). (April 14, 1997, Monday, CITY EDITION ): 1118 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
^"THE NAME GAME; NICKNAMES FOR LOCAL TEAMS PASS THE TEST." Buffalo News (New York). (May 20, 1996, Monday, CITY EDITION ): 1397 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2016/05/03.
†= Team's stadium under construction or refurbishment at time 1 = A team used the stadium when their permanent stadium was unable to be used as a result of damage.
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