Jesuit school in Syracuse to appoint laywoman as president, a first

[hrmjustin]

Renee K. Gadoua

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (RNS) Le Moyne College appears poised to make history by appointing the first laywoman to head a U.S. Jesuit college or university.

Linda LeMura, Le Moyne’s provost since 2009, will likely be named the college’s 14th president as soon as this week. College officials would not confirm her appointment, saying that a board of trustees vote is expected soon. But a March 24 email to college faculty indicates LeMura’s appointment is all but final.

The promotion comes amid a significant decline in the number of Jesuit priests available to head the Catholic order’s colleges and a growing need for lay people to take on leadership positions in church institutions.

Women religious have led Jesuit colleges in at least two previous instances, but LeMura would be the first woman who is not a vowed sister to take the reins as president of a Jesuit school.

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/04/01/jesuit-school-syracuse-appoint-laywoman-president-first/