Date of Award
Spring 1971
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Collins, Peter M.
Second Advisor
Hanlon, James M.
Third Advisor
Sullivan, William J.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether Catholic colleges have a distinctive Christian character with respect to their academic beliefs and practices as perceived by their academic deans. The literature indicated that a concerted effort has been and is still being made to redefine the Catholic university in this transitional period in Catholic education and thus to relieve the malaise resulting from identity confusion, It also indicated that no research had been done to determine the extent to which these new definitions had become assimilated into the character of the Catholic college. The Christian Character Questionnaire (CCQ) was designed by the writer from post-Vatican Council II descriptions of the contemporary Catholic college or university by reputable groups. The CCQ consists of 45 statements to be answered in two ways, evaluating both the real and the ideal academic beliefs and practices-of the faculty and administration of the college. For comparative purposes, the subjects consisted of academic deans from a random sample of 42 Catholic, 42 Protestant, and 41 non-sectarian colleges. These formed three subgroups, referred to as CD, PD, and NSD respectively. Ninety-nine of the deans responded...