40 Years

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SEMINARY, May 14 — As it makes plans to mark the 40th anniversary of its founding later this year, the seminary announced that it is enjoying increased enrollment, a new library and administration building, and a refurbished campus at one of the few fully bilingual major Catholic seminaries in the United States.

Located in Boynton Beach, Fla., in the Archdiocese of Miami, it is a regional seminary, jointly owned and operated by Florida's seven dioceses. It was founded in 1963 and staffed by the Vincentian Fathers through 1971.

St. Vincent de Paul is home to 76 students from Florida and several other states as well as from the Caribbean basin and Central and South America, Ireland, Poland and Vietnam. The seminary reported some of the highest enrollment it has had in 15 years.

Vouchers Tabled

CHRONICLE.COM, May 9 — Colorado legislation that would have created the first voucher program for higher education in the United States was withdrawn for this year after its sponsors conceded that it did not have the votes to pass, reported the Web site of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The plan would allow students to dictate, through their college choices, how a large amount of state aid would be allocated among Colorado's public institutions.

Proponents of the scheme — which has attracted considerable interest from educators in other states — say support for the initiative is growing and that it has a strong chance of passing in the next session.

Article Pulled

THE TIMES-PICAYUNE, May 14 — Jesuit Father Bernard Knoth, the president of Loyola University New Orleans, angered staffers of The Maroon, the student newspaper, when he quashed an article about the sudden departure of Scott Fredrickson, the music program director.

The article, headlined “Chair's firing shrouded in secrecy,” was pulled as it was about to go to press, igniting protests by Maroon staffers.

Fredrickson confirmed for The Times-Picayune, a New Orleans daily, that he had left Loyola, but he refused to comment further. Father Knoth told the Times-Picayune that stories on personnel matters were not appropriate for the undergraduate newspaper.

Architect-Priest

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, May 5 — Jesuit Father Terrence Curry, an architect and artist-in-residence at the university, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to teach at Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary during the 2003-2004 academic year.

The university said Father Curry would teach courses and run seminars for the faculty of architecture and engineering.

His lectures will emphasize community development and user participation in architecture and urban design.

Brothers Honored

CATHOLIC NEW YORK, May — In a rare gesture, Iona College will award an honorary doctorate at this year's commencement to the Irish Christian Brothers, the founders of the college. While not unprecedented, it is uncommon to award degrees to anyone but individuals.

The brothers, who celebrated their bicentennial in 2002, continue to staff the college and Brother James Liguori, Iona's president, will accept the doctorate of humane letters and speak on behalf of the religious congregation.