Four views of the St. Michael's and Regis campuses

An Update on the Alliance

March 16, 2021

Dear Members of the St. Michael’s and Regis Communities:

We are writing to update you on the progress we have made in ongoing talks regarding a possible alliance between our two theological schools.

Each meeting of our committee shines a light on the benefits of a formal alliance—for students, for St. Michael’s and Regis, and for the Church.

A word about the enthusiasm and energy of the participants:

  • Participants are fully engaged with the challenge of how best to build a new centre for Catholic theological excellence in Canada.
  • Committee work is now focused on how the two institutions can accomplish a partnership rather than whether it can/will happen.
  • Efforts are now moving from the aspirational to the practical.
  • We remain committed to being as transparent and accessible as possible.

An update on the process:

  • Our subcommittees have been working actively and diligently to clarify both the goals and the practical issues involved.
  • Subcommittees have been encouraged to be as bold and ambitious as possible within their mandates.
  • Subcommittees have been consulting widely with the Regis and USMC communities.
  • The Steering Committee has held meetings with the individual chairs of the subcommittees to review their work.
  • A recent roundtable with the Steering Committee and subcommittee chairs heard progress reports, identified overlapping issues, and examined outstanding issues.
  • The Steering Committee expects to receive subcommittee reports in the second half of March.

Some of the practical issues under examination:

  • Various governance options to address a greater alignment of Regis and the USMC Faculty of Theology are being discussed.
  • The advantages of a greater integration of the two schools’ theology degree programs are becoming apparent.
  • The Finance Subcommittee is developing a plan to achieve financial sustainability within 3-5 years, working with a financial model to incorporate different scenarios related to the first two points.
  • The Facilities & Campus Resource and Spiritual Formation & Community Life subcommittees have canvassed the Regis and the St. Michael’s communities for input.

Moving forward:

  • Once the subcommittee reports are received, the Steering Committee will seek to consolidate and clarify decisions on issues such as timing and implementation.
  • The Steering Committee’s principal objective is to make a proposal with specific, concrete recommendations to the Regis and USMC governing bodies by the end of June, 2021.

Sincerely,

Don McLeod, C.S.B., and Peter Warrian
Co-chairs, Regis-USMC Steering Committee

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