The University and Its Mission

The University

For more than 170 years on Monteagle Ridge in Lewiston, NY, Niagara University has provided outstanding educational opportunities to thousands of students from all walks of life. A Catholic, liberal arts institution founded by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs that serve over 3,500 students annually in more than 50 fields of study, Niagara is a uniquely values-centered university with top accreditations in our academic programs. With a history of educating students from both sides of the U.S./Canadian border, Niagara University now has a vibrant campus in Vaughan, Ontario as well, with professional teaching and master's degree programs. 

Foundation 

Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Community) — 1856

Charter

New York State Legislature

• Chapter 190 of the Laws of 1863 - April 20, 1863
• Chapter 92 of the Laws of 1883 - March 12, 1883
• Chapter 232 of the Laws of 1884 - May 3, 1884

University Status

University of the State of New York - Aug. 7, 1883

Mission

Niagara University educates its students and enriches their lives through liberal arts, professional programs, and career preparation, informed by the Catholic and Vincentian traditions.

Enabling Goals

As a university, Niagara prepares its students for positions of responsibility in the professions and in the broader society. Through teaching, research and service in programs of study at the baccalaureate and graduate levels, Niagara seeks to develop within its students a passion for learning.

The university’s commitment to the Catholic faith provides perspective in the search for truth and meaning. Catholic doctrine and its moral code inspire respect for the God-given dignity of every person and all faith traditions. Students experience the vision and reality of a gospel-based, value-centered education.

As a Vincentian university, Niagara draws inspiration from St. Vincent de Paul, who organized his contemporaries to respond compassionately to people’s basic needs. Continuing this tradition, Niagara seeks to inspire its students to serve all members of society, especially the poor and oppressed, in local communities and in the larger world.

Overall, through its curricular and extracurricular programs, Niagara University seeks to develop the whole person, mind, body, heart and soul, for the benefit of one’s personal and professional life.

Educational Vision

The Niagara University undergraduate curriculum is based on the premise that a general education is a necessary balance to career training and that both are essential to a liberal education worthy of the name. NU believes the education of the whole person is possible if we understand that “wholeness” means searching for and working from a human center rather than encompassing all knowledge. Every undergraduate degree program at Niagara University combines a general education component with a distribution component and a major component. This triad, explained in detail elsewhere in this catalog, is intended to overcome the fragmentation of disciplines which professionalization generally entails, and to encourage in the student a process of integration and consolidation as well as expansion of the mind and spirit.

History

Founded in 1856 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) Niagara University was first chartered in 1861 as a seminary. In 1883, Niagara was re-chartered as a university for “the instruction of youth in the learned languages and in the liberal and useful arts and sciences.” In the years since its founding, NU has retained this tradition of emphasis on both the liberal and useful arts and sciences while it has grown into a mid-sized university of approximately 3,300 undergraduates, 965 graduate students, and continuing and community education.

Seal — The official seal of the university presents in symbol its history and purpose. The first title of Niagara University, Our Lady of Angels, is signified in the lower half of the coat of arms by the crown, the wings and the cross inscribed in a diamond. The upper half of the coat of arms depicts wavy vertical lines symbolizing the grandeur and power of Niagara Falls. At the top of the shield, on a wreath in purple and white (the university colors), is a golden eagle, indicating the location of the university atop Monteagle Ridge, overlooking the Niagara gorge. The eagle bears a purple diamond displaying a silver heart, symbol of Vincent de Paul. The motto at the base of the shield, “Ut Omnes Te Cognoscant” (Jn 17, 3) expresses the purpose of a NU education: “That All May Know You.”

Geography

Niagara University is located on Route 104 on the northern limits of the city of Niagara Falls. The 160-acre campus runs along the top of picturesque Monteagle Ridge overlooking the Niagara River Gorge just four miles north of the world-famous Niagara Falls. The location of the campus, adjacent to the international border between the United States and Canada and relatively near the American and Canadian cities of Buffalo and Toronto, creates an educational experience that is regional, national, bi-national, and international.

Travel to and from Canada — Passport Requirements

Includes U.S. and Canadian Citizens

As of June 1, 2009, federal regulations require citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda to have a valid passport, or another government-approved travel document, to enter the United States by land and sea. Previously, federal regulations were implemented requiring these same citizens to have a valid passport to enter the United States by air.

Due to Niagara University’s proximity to Canada, all students should be aware of federal regulations prior to travel to Canada. Niagara University students are not required to have a passport to attend Niagara University unless they are international students; the decision whether to obtain a passport is up to the individual student. However, students who wish to participate in events that are sometimes held in Canada will be required to have the appropriate travel documentation.

For more information on the regulations, known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), refer to the U.S. Department of State website.

University Organization

Board of Trustees

The university is governed by a 30-member board of trustees, of whom not more than one-third may be Vincentian priests.

Administration

The president is the chief executive officer of the university. He is aided in administering the various sectors of the university by the University Administration. The provost and the vice president for academic affairs with the deans and associate deans of each college and school coordinate the educational affairs of the various undergraduate and graduate programs. 

Faculty

Niagara University’s faculty are characterized by a dedication to excellence in teaching, research and service. Classes are taught by Ph.D.s or professionally qualified faculty who are widely published in top tier academic journals, present research nationally and internationally, and are leaders in their fields. Over 100 universities, including non-American universities, are represented among Niagara’s faculty.

Faculty members are committed to experiential learning, often involving students in their research. In addition, many faculty members, especially in the graduate and professional programs, bring extensive real-world experience to their lectures and research, enriching the educational experience and providing students with valuable insights into issues affecting professions and communities.

Alumni

As a Niagara alumnus, you’ll join more than 40,000 graduates who enjoy success in a wide and varied array of careers. The university maintains a close relationship with alumni through our alumni magazine, the Eagle, keeping graduates informed about their university and classmates. Regional alumni chapters across the country sponsor sports outings, golf tournaments, cocktail parties, dinners and more to help you keep in touch with the greater NU community of alumni, faculty, friends and benefactors wherever you go.

Students

The undergraduate enrollment is approximately 3,500. An additional 1000 students are enrolled in the graduate divisions.

Catalog

This catalog is published for the faculty and the present and prospective students of Niagara University and Niagara University Ontario.The student should be aware that some information in the catalog may change. It is recommended that students considering enrollment check with the admissions office to determine if there is any change from the information provided in the catalog. In addition, a catalog will contain information on the school’s teaching personnel and courses/curricula offered. Please be advised that the State Education Department separately licenses all teaching personnel and independently approves all courses and curricula offered. Therefore, it is possible that courses/curricula listed in the school’s catalog may not be approved at the time that a student enrolls in the school or the teaching personnel listed in the catalog may have changed. It is again recommended that the student check with the school to determine if there are any changes in the courses/curricula offered or the teaching personnel listed in the catalog.

The university reserves the right to make revisions on any or all specifications contained herein and to apply such revisions to current and new students alike. The provisions in this catalog are to be considered directive in character and not as an irrevocable contract between the student and University. While this catalog was prepared on the basis of the best information available at the time, all information, including statements of fees, course offerings and admission and graduation requirements, is subject to change without notice or obligation.