Carr to retire as Newman President

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

The college's board of governors is currently seeking his replacement. Carr's successor will be appointed for the beginning of the next academic year.

"I feel that after eight good years, very positive years, I have made my contribution," the 65-year-old Carr said Nov. 6.

The job of college president is demanding, requiring lots of evening work and travelling. "I want to ease out from that type of commitment in order to have more time to spend at home."

Carr, a former superintendent of human resources with Edmonton Catholic Schools, became the first lay president of the college in 1993.

When he took over he said his primary focus would be to make Newman the "strongest possible centre of theological education in Western Canada," a goal he feels the college has met.

Carr's major contribution in that direction was to help clarify the college's identity, which was in question at the time.

Under his leadership, Newman re-established itself firmly as a "Catholic theological school" offering both advanced and basic theological preparation to lay people for non-ordained and ordained ministry.

"We clarified that and that was a major accomplishment," he said. Newman now offers 14 programs ranging from the certificate level to graduate degrees.

In the past few years the college's enrollment has increased from an annual average of 170 to a record 320. Four classes have an enrollment of more than 50 students.

As a spin-off of its mission clarification, last year Newman received close to $1 million in funding from the Lily Endowment in the United States.

The funding helped start two programs: the lay pastoral leadership program, a three-year graduate level program involving 17 people from 12 different dioceses, and a youth program that provides high school students and teachers with theological experience.

For the past four years, Newman has also offered courses through the Internet.

Under Carr's leadership the college also made a commitment to stay in its current location, upgrade its campus, build a fully automated library and build a new residence for seminarians

Newman carries out its mission in an ongoing partnership with St. Joseph's Seminary, which in Carr's estimation has grown stronger over the years.

Carr said leaving is not easy.

"It has been a very rewarding time for me personally," he said. "I feel good about my years (as president) but I experience a certain sense of sadness at leaving."

Feelings aside, Carr is looking forward to spending more time with his family, which includes his wife Joan, three adult children, three grandchildren, his 102-year-old father and six brothers and sisters.

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