June 18, 2010
Next month John H. Garvey will leave Boston College Law School, where he has served as dean for 11 years, to begin his tenure as The Catholic University of America's 15th president .
Below are some of the remarks that his appointment has elicited from Catholic Church and academic leaders:
"Dean John Garvey is an outstanding selection to be president of Catholic University. His commitment to the mission of Catholic education and dedication to exceptional academic achievement will be of great benefit to the university and its students and faculty. He has served Boston College with distinction during the past 11 years as dean of the law school and will bring a genuine concern for the good of the Church to his new work. Dean Garvey takes over a university that has grown stronger under the leadership of Bishop-elect David M. O'Connell. We pray that the Lord bless both President Garvey and Bishop O'Connell with wisdom and knowledge as they go forward with their new responsibilities." - Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. , archbishop of Boston and member of CUA's Board of Trustees
"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I take great satisfaction in presenting to the members of the Catholic University community and to the wider public Professor John Garvey as the next president of CUA. Throughout the search process all of us have been guided by the aim of identifying someone who, by building upon the achievements of Bishop O'Connell, will advance the mission of CUA so that it will shine out as exemplifying the nature of a Catholic university in service to the church and to the nation. This means we were looking for a person who not only is committed to the vision of Ex corde Ecclesiae and can articulate it persuasively, but also can lead The Catholic University of America in achieving this ambitious goal. We have found that person in Dean Garvey. A man of strong Catholic faith, his rich experience and his proven record as a scholar and a leader in higher education assure us that under his leadership CUA is heading toward an even brighter future." - Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron , archbishop of Detroit and chairman of Catholic University's Board of Trustees
"It is a great joy for me as Chancellor of The Catholic University of America to welcome John H. Garvey as the university's new president. He brings with him a wealth of experience as a lawyer, university professor and administrator. Personally, I look forward to working with him. This is an exciting time for the university as it lives its Catholic identity, strengthens its academic achievements and provides a campus life reflective of both realities. In all of this our new president brings great promise brighter future." - Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl , archbishop of Washington and chancellor of Catholic University
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"John Garvey did an excellent job as dean and leaves BC Law in a position of strength as one of the nation's premier law schools. I wish him the very best in his new role as president of Catholic University." - Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. , president of Boston College
"John Garvey is one of the most thoughtful administrators in contemporary higher education. He possesses both broad-ranging vision and calm, excellent judgment. He will provide steady and inspiring leadership for Catholic University."- Robert C. Post , dean of the Yale School of Law
"The appointment of John Garvey as the 15th president of Catholic University of America is a great credit to both President Garvey and CUA. I have worked with and known John for many years and know him to be a remarkable scholar and leader. His judgment is superb and his interpersonal skills are equally outstanding. His outstanding leadership at Boston College Law School for the past many years clearly demonstrates his remarkable strengths as a thoughtful and energetic leader in higher education. I believe the fit for both John and the University is perfect. I look forward to many successful years for John as the leader of Catholic University of America." - H. Reese Hansen , Howard W. Hunter Professor of Law, Brigham Young University Law School, and President, Association of American Law Schools
"With CUA's appointment of John Garvey, the flagship university of the Catholic Church in the United States will not only have a first-rate scholar at its helm, but a leading expert on religious liberty who has thought deeply about the purposes of Catholic higher education."- Mary Ann Glendon , former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See and professor of law at Harvard University.
"John Garvey is a scholar and educator who has given careful thought to the twin challenges of maintaining a genuine pluralism of ideas within an institution of higher education and of maintaining a genuine pluralism of intellectual traditions among institutions of higher education. Catholic University of America should be a stellar witness to the Church's love of learning and fearless dedication to the free exchange of ideas. I am confident that its new president will do his utmost to demonstrate how those ideals are essential to the crucial project of transmitting and renewing Catholic tradition." - Peter Steinfels , co-director of the Fordham University Center on Religion and Culture and former religion correspondent and columnist for The New York Times .
Catholic University's 14th president, Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., along with dozens of others, welcomed President-elect Garvey to CUA at http://presidentelect.cua.edu/guestbook.cfm . Bishop O'Connell said:
"The Catholic University of America, your new home, is a wonderful place to live and work! Welcome! It is my hope and prayer that you will be as happy here as I have been. The faculty is excellent, the administration is very caring and effective, the staff is extraordinarily hard working and the students are the very best you'll find anywhere - they are truly the most wonderful and inspiring group of women and men building the future out of what we have to offer in and through CUA. From what I have experienced of you, this is a great match. The warm welcome you received and the emotion you demonstrated are only the beginning of what will be a great tenure as president. You and your wife will be outstanding role models of Catholic Christian life. I wish you every blessing and promise of support as you lead The Catholic University of America to greater heights of excellence as the national university of the Catholic Church in our country."