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Medaille University

Coordinates: 42°55′43″N 78°51′22″W / 42.9286°N 78.8560°W / 42.9286; -78.8560
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Medaille College
Medaille College logo
TypePrivate college
Established1937
Endowment$1.5 million (2017)[1]
PresidentLori Quigley
Academic staff
90
Undergraduates1,600
Postgraduates1,000
Location
Buffalo, New York
,
U.S.

42°55′43″N 78°51′22″W / 42.9286°N 78.8560°W / 42.9286; -78.8560
CampusUrban, 13 acres (5.3 ha)
Colors    Navy, gold, light blue
NicknameMavericks
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division III
Websitewww.medaille.edu

Medaille University was a private college in Buffalo, New York. The Sisters of St. Joseph founded Medaille in 1937, naming it after their founder, Jean Paul Médaille. It later became nonsectarian and coeducational.[2] The college served roughly 1,600 students, mainly from Western New York and Southern Ontario,[3] during its final years.

In May 2022, the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education approved Medaille College's request to be designated a university.[4][5] Due to ongoing financial and enrollment challenges, Medaille announced its closure effective August 31, 2023.[6]

History

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The Sisters of St. Joseph opened the Institute of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1875. This training center for nuns and other vowed women who wanted to serve the church in education, laid the first foundations for what would later eventually become Medaille College.[7]

Degrees were first offered in 1937. At that time, the school's name was Mount Saint Joseph Teachers' College. In 1964, it became Mount Saint Joseph College and in 1968, Medaille College.[7] Most graduates went on to teach at Catholic schools in New York State.[8]

Conflicts over academic freedom

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In 2002, President John J. Donohue fired tenured professor Therese Dillon Warden and suspended professor Uhuru Watson. In addition, two other non-tenured professors were likewise punished. They all had allegedly passed around confidential meeting minutes from the tenure and promotion committee and were forbidden to enter campus. Many colleagues protested the disciplinary action as a violation of academic freedom.[2] Kenneth Weshues stated that "Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of individuals at the college have been harmed" due to a "social ill that has laid the college low."[9]

In May 2021, Medaille was sanctioned by the American Association of University Professors for eliminating shared governance with the faculty during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Cancelled acquisition and closure

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In 2022, Medaille and nearby Trocaire College signed a memorandum of understanding that set "in motion a cooperative agreement that would fulfill the missions of both institutions into the future."[11] Six buildings on Medaille's campus were sold to Trocaire in January 2023[12] and on April 4, it was announced by interim Medaille President Dr. Lori Quigley that Trocaire College would be acquiring Medaille with a scheduled closing date of July 31, 2023.[13] The university was to become a part of Trocaire, while some sports teams would keep using the Medaille Mavericks name. A month later Trocaire College announced they would no longer be acquiring Medaille.[14]

On May 15, 2023, Medaille University announced that it would close on August 31, 2023[15][16][6] and ceased academic operations on that date.[17] A few months later, Niagara University was named as the legacy school for Medaille, as required by state law, agreeing to hold all of the latter's "academic records, student transcripts, and academic catalogs".[18][19]

Campuses

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Rochester campus in Brighton, Monroe County, New York

Medaille's main campus was in Buffalo, New York and 40% of the students lived on campus.[20] It was within the Olmsted Crescent, a historic area of parkways and landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. In January 2023, six campus buildings on Medaille's Buffalo campus were sold to Trocaire College.[12]

Medaille also had a branch campus in Rochester. This campus offered undergraduate degrees for adult students in business administration, and graduate degrees in business administration and organizational leadership, as well as mental health counseling.

The vast majority of students were from New York State. In 2015, 3% came from out of state.

Athletics

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Medaille Mavericks
UniversityMedaille College
ConferenceAllegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
NCAADivision III
Athletic directorSusan Roarke
LocationBuffalo, New York
Varsity teams19
Basketball arenaSullivan Center
Baseball stadiumMcCarthy Park
Soccer stadiumAll-High Stadium
Lacrosse stadiumAll-High Stadium
NicknameMavericks
ColorsNavy, Gold, and Light Blue
     
Websitewww.medaillesports.com

Medaille was a charter member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, as an NCAA Division III school.

AMCC Championships:

  • Baseball - 2007
  • Men’s Basketball - 2008–2009, 2009–2010, 2011–2012, 2014–2015, 2016–2017, 2021-2022
  • Women's basketball - 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–2010
  • Men's soccer - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
  • The 2010 men's soccer team reached Sweet 16 in 2010, the furthest any Medaille sports team ever advanced. Also that same year, their undefeated streak in the AMCC of five years was finally snapped. On September 25, 2010, the Franciscan University Barons pulled off a huge upset, winning the match 2–1.[21]

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty and staff

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References

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  1. ^ "College Results Online".
  2. ^ a b Moore, Robert K.; Cooper, Sandi (2004). "Academic Freedom and Tenure: Medaille College". Academe: Bulletin of the AAUP. January–February 2004.
  3. ^ "Medaille University". Cappex.com. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  4. ^ "The History of Medaille University: 1875 to Present Time". The Institution Formerly Known as Medaille University. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  5. ^ "Medaille is now the Buffalo area's third college to become a university". wgrz.com. May 20, 2022. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  6. ^ a b "Medaille University to close Aug. 31". News 4 Buffalo. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  7. ^ a b Brenner, Morgan G. (2003). The encyclopedia of college & university name histories. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 150.
  8. ^ "Nun dies (obituary)". North Country Catholic. January 11, 1978. p. 19. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  9. ^ Westhues, Kenneth (2006). "The Mobbings at Medaille College in 2002" (PDF). www.kwesthues.com. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  10. ^ "Special Report: COVID-19 and Academic Governance". AAUP. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  11. ^ "Medaille University & Trocaire College Announce Signing of a Cooperative Agreement | Medaille University". Medaille.edu. 2022-08-18. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  12. ^ a b "After signing cooperative agreement, Medaille University sells six buildings to Trocaire College | News 4 Buffalo". Wivb.com. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  13. ^ "Trocaire College plans to acquire Medaille University starting in July | News 4 Buffalo". Wivb.com. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  14. ^ "Merger of Trocaire College and Medaille University 'terminated'". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. 2023-05-11. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  15. ^ "'I wish I could stay': Students, staff react to Medaille University closing in August". WKBW 7 News Buffalo. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  16. ^ "Medaille University announces it will close in August". wgrz.com. May 15, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  17. ^ "Closures of Degree-Granting Institutions". New York State Education Department. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  18. ^ "Niagara University becomes Medaille's legacy school". wgrz.com. September 8, 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  19. ^ "Niagara University set to serve as legacy institution for Medaille University". Niagara Frontier Publications. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  20. ^ 2016 College handbook (3rd ed.). New York: College Entrance Examination Board. 2015. p. 843. ISBN 978-1-4573-0423-1. OCLC 891121899.
  21. ^ "Barons Break Medaille's 5-Year Winning Streak". Franciscan. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
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