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MARCH 2004

College Presiden's Series:
Dr. Lucie Lapovsky: Humanitarian Economist at the Helm of Mercy College
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.

Although the mission of Mercy College sounds pretty much like statements from other private, independent, comprehensive institutions, its dynamic president, Dr. Lucie Lapovsky, quickly distinguishes its pursuit of access and excellence. Mercy's goals constitute not a wish list but a record of achievement. With an easy-going manner that's worn only by the confident, President Lapovsky notes the expansion of campuses, an increase in enrollment, a dramatic rise in retention and the tripled graduation rate, not to mention the innovative programs begun or enhanced over the four years she's been president, many validated by significant awards from foundations such as Ford and Sloan. She graciously acknowledges the work of others, particularly the Dean of Online Learning, a professor of philosophy, who has been with the college for 20 years, and whose work has brought Mercy College recognition as a model for teaching online.

A commuter school with almost full academic programs at its six campuses and extension centers in New York City and Westchester (only 170 of approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 3,000 graduate students live on campus), Mercy has a clear sense of identity. It attracts students because of a) location (an expanded Bronx campus will open in January; b) low tuition ($10,700 a year); and c) unusual programs in addition to those that issue  traditional associate, bachelors, and graduate degrees. The college is particularly strong, the president says, in business, the behavioral and social sciences, nursing, and in master's education. Its well-regarded bachelor's in veterinary technology has made Mercy graduates highly competitive. "We don't play the U.S. News and World Report game," she says, meaning that the college does not admit students according to SAT scores or publicize percents rejected. With remarkable frankness, she adds that though the college wants incoming freshmen to have achieved at least an 85% high school average, placement exams reveal that approximately 40--50% of an entering class usually tests out as under-prepared in English and math, the former no surprise considering the demographic change in the country and the concomitant growth of programs in ESL.

With a Ph.D. in economics, a lengthy list of publications, and numerous corporate and academic honors, including being named "one of Maryland's top 100 women," President Lapovsky seems a perfect fit for an extremely diverse institution where the average student age is 29, where women constitute 70% of the student population and where 80% of all students are the first in their families to go to college. "Access," however, is an important part of the Mercy College mission; indeed, the president says, the number-one reason for her coming to Mercy, as its 8th president was "the opportunity to transform people's lives." Central to this mission is the college's expanding online curricula. Online problems plaguing other institutions are of little concern at Mercy, thanks to "Merlin," a carefully structured and monitored assistance program that began as technology help but soon grew into a full-service support system run by undergraduate "wizards." The wizards, who are funded by AT&T, undergo rigorous training and address all aspects of counseling–familial, academic, as well as technological. The program has become a nation-wide model for how to do well online. The retention in online courses, the president points out, is higher than in traditional courses. She ought to know: she taught an economics course online–which says a lot about this accessible, down-to-earth education activist who practices what she preaches. And has acted on advice given to her by former employers: question assumptions, walk around and ask people what's up, motivate through praise rather than criticism."#

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