Pennsylvania's College Misericordia Becomes Misericordia University

This school year, College Misericordia will no longer be conducting classes in Dallas, Pa. That's because as of August 24, the higher education institution will officially become Misericordia University.

The layman may use the words "college" and "university" interchangeably, but the two terms differ in meaning when it comes to the structure of a higher education institution. Jim Roberts, Director of Marketing and Communications at Misericordia a college is made up of departments. However, a university Roberts explains is separated into different colleges, with each college being headed by an academic dean.

"I think Misericordia had evolved to a point where becoming a university was the right move," he said. "It was time to reorganize the academic areas into three different colleges... evolve the campus into a university structure."

The process to become a university began in 2005 with an exploratory committee comprised of students, staff, faculty, alumni and the board of trustees. Later that year the committee formally presented the proposal to the Board of Trustees. Then, the work began to submit an application for approval.

"We submitted a very lengthy document to the state," said Roberts. After a year-long review process, which included site visits the application was approved.

At Misericordia, the new academic scheme is comprised of three different colleges:

--College of Arts & Sciences
--College of Health Sciences
--College of Professional Studies and Social Sciences

To meet the standards of becoming a university, at least one of those colleges has to offer several master's degree programs. Additionally Roberts notes that within each new college there will be an increased emphasis on research.

"There will be more flexibility within the colleges now to increase faculty/student research, not just in the sciences, but also the humanities," he said.