NEW ORLEANS – Our Lady of Holy Cross College (OLHCC) has been renamed the University of Holy Cross. The action took place during a most recent meeting of the Board of Regents of OLHCC.
This announcement comes as the University of Holy Cross begins its celebration of its Centennial. The Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross opened what would become Our Lady of Holy Cross College in 1916 to prepare teachers for the many schools the Marianites opened in South Louisiana. This year also marks the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Marianites of Holy Cross in Le Mans, France.
• Creation of the Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation
At the same time as the name change, the two-tier board system that governed the institution was ceased to create the new Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation.
A governing board of lay trustees was organized for OLHCC in the late 1960s according to the requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Two tiers of governance were created with the OLHCC Corporation, which consisted of member of the Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross, and the OLHCC Board of Regents, which consisted of both lay members and Marianite members. The Corporation owned/managed the land and buildings which housed the institution and the Board of Regents was the governing board for the institution.
• Ownership of Land and Buildings
The Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation have also assumed the ownership and control of the land and the building that house the institution that once was managed by the OLHCC Corporation.
• Changing the Name to the University of Holy Cross
The Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation renamed the institution through changes that were made to the institution’s Articles of Incorporation. Reflecting the growth of advanced degree programs, including graduate and doctoral programs, the Board voted unanimously to change the name of the college effective immediately.
“By virtue of its historical commitment to comprehensive education and a mission which focuses on the education of the minds and hearts of its students, it is appropriate and timely for Our Lady of Holy Cross College to adopt university status,” stated Kyle France, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation. “The Board felt the name change was appropriate recognizing the fact that the College has been offering programs beyond the baccalaureate degree for a number of years, including awarding its first doctorate degree at its most recent commencement.”
The changes are effective immediately with the full support of the Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross. The university status puts the institution in line with other Ph.D.-granting institutions. The University of Holy Cross currently has more than 250 students in graduate programs with some 65 pursuing doctorate degrees. The undergraduate programs have grown by 10 percent and graduate programs by 35 percent in just the past year.
“The evolution of the name of our institution reflects both the amazing chronicle of our past, as well as the incredible opportunities that lie in our future,” said Dr. David “Buck” Landry, President of the University of Holy Cross. “As we enter a period of unprecedented growth in undergraduate and graduate education, this new name represents a milestone in the history of our institution as a university recognized for our outstanding degree programs.”
The Mission of the institution, began by the Venerable Basile-Antoine Marie Moreau, C.S.C., founder of the priests, brothers and sisters of Holy Cross, will not change and has been guaranteed in the recent changes to the Articles of Incorporation. Members of the Family of Holy Cross will occupy no less than three seats on Board of Trustees of the University of Holy Cross Corporation.
“The Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross has provided South Louisiana a tradition of academic excellence with a focus on educating the mind and hearts while setting the standard for quality education for a century,” said Sr. Ann Lacour, M.S.C., Congregational Leader of the Marianites of Holy Cross. “With these new opportunities at the University of Holy Cross, we have secured a future for the institution to grow and prosper while always mindful and diligent in the fulfillment of the mission that was developed 100 years ago and is ever-present today and will be in the future.”
While the naming change is effective immediately, the transition to the new name on the institution’s campus will happen over the coming months.
“The Marianites of Holy Cross gratefully turn the land and buildings of the College over to a group of women and men who care deeply about education today and into the future,” added Sr. Lacour. “We pledge our prayerful support as the University of Holy Cross moves forward as a powerful lever that makes a difference in the lives of all who are part of our ever growing Family of Holy Cross.”
A fully accredited Catholic college on the West Bank of New Orleans, the University of Holy Cross offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs to some 1,200 students. With 154 faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, students enjoy a personalized academic experience on an active campus where they are encouraged to explore spiritual values and pursue service opportunities. Some of the college's most distinctive programs are in Nursing, Biology, Counseling, Education and Theology. The college was founded in 1916 as a mission of the Marianites of Holy Cross, whose distinguished history of educating minds and hearts dates to 1848.
