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    The Update ( Committed to Excellence)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-10) Tangaza University College
    T he past month has been loaded with events that continue to enrich our mission and vi- sion. We had well attended Faculty Development workshop, ERP training, Youth Symposium, Conference on Social Transformation, and the Commission for University Education curriculum approval inspection visit. All these among others had a very positive impact on our Tangaza family because they were successful. Such continuous engagement facilitate the exchange of ideas and visions as well as stimulating our scholarly acumen. We continue to encourage you to attend such functions because I particularly found them enriching and very informative and challenging to what we are as academicians, transformative agents, and witnesses of the Kingdom of God. We have continued to experience the drought which has devastated our greens on campus. We pray for some rains to give a relief to the current sauna. This is a special month for all of us. We have the presidential elections on October 26. It is a special time for us Tangazanites to actualize our transformative agen- cy by praying for peace and being instruments of peace as championed by St Francis of Assisi. This has necessitated the change of dates for our mid-semester break, of which we thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We thank the Library staff for their continued updates on the new books, journals and other informa- October 2017 tion that facilitate our academic growth. We ask our students to take advantage of the same provisions so that they can continue to be the cutting edge in areas of academics, innovation and growth. In a world that is quickly changing, such evolution of ideas and world views require the capacity to adapt. If not, we shall become stale and not able to cope with the new realities. I wish thank you for your continued dedication as faculty, staff and students in maintaining our high standards of academic, spiritual and good wit- ness to one another. This makes us a wonderful family where everyone is recognized, appreciated, and becomes self-actualized. Let us sustain this momentum and pray that God energizes us to achieve our potential.
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    The Update (Welcome)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-09) Tangaza University College
    May I take this chance to welcome our new students to Tangaza University College. We are glad that you have chosen this serene and wonderful institution as your tertiary education destination. Tangaza follows the Catholic tradition that provides a holistic education of the mind, soul and spirit. You will enjoy the good environment and technology that enhances learning and other scholarship. Our global face is rep- resented by the staff from various parts of the world, as well as different charisms expressed through our work and lifestyle. The many collaborations with universities overseas and locally will also give you an exposure to appreciate various approaches to learning and work. We have received over 380 new students by now and more are continuing to register. Our small numbers facilitates some individualized approach to learning and a sense of family. You will also enjoy the community outreach programmes that make Tangaza stand out as a place that practices partnerships and a positive working alliance aimed at improving our world view and the life of others. We shall continue to journey with you as you actualize your potential. We ask you to maintain our outlook of excellence of mind and spirit and to use our September 2017 human and material resources to prepare for your future professional life. Be a good student, observe moral and spiritual standards provided on campus for your good. Intelligence and goodness are great assets of influencing others in the family and work place. Mawell states that “Enthusiasm and goodness are contagious, they are difficult to remain neutral or indifferent in the presence of a positive thinker”. This is what we all aspire to be in order to have an impact on our lives and the lives of others. To our members of staff and the continuing students, we thank you for the rigor with which you undertake the academic, spiritual and personal excellence attributes. Tangaza shines among other tertiary institutions of learning because of your effort, and the contribution you offer to the society. Mbiti states that “I am because we are”. This is the same case with you. Your diverse gifts and talents constructs the mountain of our goodness. May I wish you all a good and a fruitful academic year, 2017/2018.
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    The Update (August 2017)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-08) Tangaza University College
    I wish to thank all of you for the great support accord- ed me during my first two weeks in office. The transition has been very good. The DVC Designate, Prof Selvam, has been very good due to his institutional memory. As Toler states, a good leader will not know the answer to every question, but knows where to get the answer. You are all the great resource from which the answers to our progress will be derived. I wish to thank Fr Steven Payne, my predecessor, who has been very supportive during the handing over. He is a wonderful team player and was very upbeat on my settling down. We wish him well in his sabbatical and hope that he may join us thereafter. We have been pursuing the issues of the Charter. First, we have formed a consortium of the University Colleges that do not have the requisite size of land to be chartered. The good news is that the guidelines on the land requirements are being revised. We are very confident that Tangaza will meet the threshold after the promulgation of the amendments. This is the only hitch to granting of Charter. The Board of Trustees and the Governing Council are very supportive on our obtaining a Charter. We count on all your prayers so that soon we shall celebrate the Tangaza University’s Birthday. It will be a wonderful occasion. As we prepare for the Charter, we have had a few meetings, and the Directors as well as leaders of various institutes and schools are working towards forming a great synergy and front for our institution. We count on your active participa- tion in this endeavor. We may be calling you to serve in various committees as needs arise. I believe and have experienced your good potential and abilities to be very involved in the transition to full university. We shall then be in the league of world universities, having our niche through our strength in academics as well as the prowess of our charism. August 2017 We recently visited our Kisanju land and we had some discussions on the possibilities about its use. Good proposals were raised and I am following them up with our Tangaza family members. I am sure that something will be realized there not far from this time. We are also looking forward receiving our first-years for admission into various levels of training. Let us be proactive in making them comfortable and fitting into our family. I always remember my first days at campus and how useful everyone was in adapting to the new place and to the academic and spiritual culture of the place. You will be remembered for this when our graduates move on after completing their studies. We have had various innovations in our University College. Media technology in teaching has been much enhanced. We are using the state of the art technology which is second to none in the region. This is the way to go and it is very fulfilling to be at Tangaza.
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    The Update (Behold, I am doing something new)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-06) Tangaza University College
    One of my final tasks as the outgoing Principal is to introduce my successor, a responsibility I am happy and honoured to fulfill. Rev. Prof. Stephen Mbugua Ngari is a Catholic priest of the diocese of Nakuru. He earned his doctorate in Educational Psychology from Egerton University in 2000, and before that had attended St. John Fish- er College and the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States, as well as St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary right here in Lang’ata. He has been on the staff of Egerton University for over 20 years, serving in many different capacities: as lecturer, department chair, Catholic chaplain, dean of students, and most recently Director of University Welfare Services. Over the years he has also worked closely with the Commission for University Education, and was a panel member for many university visitations. Fr. Stephen’s appointment is innovative in many ways. He will, I believe, be Tangaza’s first Kenyan-born head. According to the decision of the Board of Trustees and Governing Council, he will not be called “Principal” but “Vice Chancellor Designate”, as an indication of how close we seem to be to full recognition as a Kenyan university. Yet judging from the questions I have been asked, per- July 2017 haps what members of the Tangaza family find most surprising is that Fr. Stephen, a diocesan priest, will now be heading an institution that began as the “Theological Centre for Religious”. All of his predecessors have been from one of the member congregations! But although he is not a religious himself, he is very committed to helping Tangaza maintain and en- hance its original mission, vision and values, and the special synergy that arises from the interaction of so many religious charisms. Indeed, after interviewing him extensively, the Board of Trustees and Governing Council became convinced that he is the right choice for this particular moment in Tangaza’s history. With his extensive knowledge and experience of Kenyan tertiary education, and his close relationship with the Commission, he should be able to guide us effectively through the concluding stages of our transition to university status. Thus the Lord is doing “something new” and creative at Tangaza with the appointment of Fr. Stephen. I encourage us all to give him our full support and prayers. Fraternally,
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    The update(Asanteni Sana!)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-06) Tangaza University College
    A s I come to the end of nearly five years as Principal of Tangaza, I am first of all filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. To be able to dedicate yourself to a cause greater than yourself is one of life’s greatest blessings, and I am deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees for having giving me such an opportunity. I am also thankful to the Governing Council and my administration team, especially the Deputy Principal Academic (Dr. Beatrice Churu), the Deputy Principal Student Life (Dr. Andrew Lujuo), the School of Theology Dean and all of the Directors. Like- wise, we wouldn’t have accomplished anything had it not been for the middle management and other staff, the lecturers, the superiors and formators, and of course the students themselves. I want to say “thank you” to each and every member of the Tangaza family, and I am confident that you will continue to offer the same support and encouragement to our successors, the new VC and DVC Academic. I began in August 2012 with the reassurance that my term would likely be uneventful, since we were not expecting any big changes or crises. The BOT just told me to focus especially on promoting the unity of Tangaza. So I did my best during my first year to meet as many Tangaza family members as possible and to be present at every Tangaza gathering in every Tangaza institute, whenever I could. In November 2013, however, everything changed when the Commission for University Education (CUE) gave us an ultimatum, either to apply for a university char- ter or else to hand over Tangaza to become a campus of CUEA. The Board of Trustees chose the charter path, and since that moment the process of transition to university status has become nearly all-consuming. I am grateful to the Transition Coordinator (Dr. Joseph Mwangi) and the Transition Committee for their tireless work. Even the failed merger negotiations with Marist were a blessing in their own way, because Tangaza and the Marist International University College got to know and understand themselves and each other much better in the process. At the same time, I recognize my many shortcomings as Principal and I apologize to anyone whom I might have disappointed during the past five years. Thanks to the combined efforts of so many of you, many positive changes occurred. But of course we never manage to achieve all that we hope for. The biggest disappointment is that, despite our best efforts, we have not yet obtained the university harter. As I prepare to step down, I have often joked that I feel a bit like Moses on Mount Nebo, able to see the Promised Land close at hand but not allowed to lead the people into it. Still, I truly believe that the charter will come soon. Finally, I feel honoured to have served Tangaza as a member of the Discalced Carmelites. We are not the largest or most influential among the 22 corporate member congregations, but we are proud that you have entrusted our members, including myself, with various roles of service to the college. Our friars hope to continue as lecturers, student leaders, and sponsors of the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation for many years to come. Meanwhile, I will be taking a sabbatical for some months. My provincial has not yet said where he will assign me afterwards. But whether I continue in some other capacity at Tangaza or return to the USA, Tangaza will al- ways be in my thoughts and prayers. I truly believe that Tan- gaza is a work of God, and that therefore it will continue to go from good to better in the years ahead. Asanteni sana to the extended Tangaza family, and may God bless you all!
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    The Update (Thank You, Tangaza Workers!)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-05) Tangaza University College
    A t Tangaza, May is normally a time for completing exams, celebrating graduations, preparing for new assignments and beginning some weeks of rest and relaxation. In Kenya, however, as in many parts of the world, the month begins with “Labour Day”, also known elsewhere as “International Workers’ Day”. The Catholic Church even came up with its own version in 1955 when Pope Pius XII dedicated May 1 to “St. Joseph the Worker”, honouring him as the patron saint of all workers. So it seems an appropriate opportunity to express our appreciation of our own workers at Tangaza. I can say that so many first-time visitors to our campus are deeply impressed by the beauty of our grounds, the fine condition of our buildings, the excellence of our academic resources and educational technology, the friendliness and professionalism of our staff, and the general welcoming atmosphere. One of my predecessors, Fr. Tim Redmond, liked to quote a visiting Maasai elder who looked around our compound and declared: “Even the trees are happy here!” None of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of our staff members, those we see every day tending our gardens and fields, cleaning the sidewalks, corridors and classrooms, making sure that we have photo- copying, water, electricity and other supplies, connecting us to the internet, fixing our computers and maintaining our website, driving our vehicles, running the best theological library in this part of the world, serving us as receptionists, secretaries, counselors, immigration officers and security guards, working in the offices of Administration, Registry, Marketing, Human Resources, Campus Ministry and Finance. Tangaza is only possible because of the combined efforts of all our staff, whatever their place in the organizational structure. How often do we remember to say “thank you”? This month would be a good time to do so. Recently, a new group known as the “Kenya Private Universities Workers Union” (KPUWU) has been eagerly trying to recruit additional members from all of the Kenyan private universities and constituent colleges. May 2017 They have already visited our Tangaza staff, and will come again this month to answer further questions about their organization. Certainly as a Catholic institution we embrace the church’s teaching that workers have “the right to form associations and unions” to promote their interests (see Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 305-307). Indeed, our proposed university charter and statutes already provide for the establishment of a “University Staff Welfare Association” which we hope to launch in the near future. My own view as Principal is that our Tangaza workers should be left free to make their own choices after fully informing themselves, without undue pressure to join or not to join any particular group. But whatever anyone decides, I personally want to express my gratitude to all our workers. Though we don’t acknowledge it often enough, you are the backbone of this institution. Tangaza is not perfect. There are tasks we can do better and areas to improve. But I am convinced that, working together, we can make Tangaza one of the great universities in Kenya. And although our resources are limited, Tangaza will always do what it can to promote the welfare of the workers who promote our welfare so much. Asanteni sana to all of you!
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    The Update ( God Bless Tangaza)
    (Tangaza University College, 2016-04) Tangaza University College
    This year’s Tangaza Day celebration has been unusual for many reasons. Normally we cel- ebrate on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, our college’s patronal feast. I am told that the choice was made many years ago at the time we also chose the name and motto of the college: Tangaza fumbo la Imani! (Proclaim the mystery of faith). The “Annunciation” seemed like an appropriate feast day for us because “Tangaza” means “proclaim” or “announce”in Kiswahili. For decades now “Tangaza fumbo la imani” has served to remind us that this college was founded not just to pursue knowledge for its own sake (as good as that might be) but to prepare skilled and informed leaders enlivened with Gospel values who would put themselves at the service of the church and society, wherever there are needs we can address. But this year March 25 fell on Good Fri- day (which of course we couldn’t preempt) and the April 2016 church’s liturgical calendar shifted the Annunciation to the next free day, which meant all the way until April 4! That is why we decided to push the celebration 10 days earlier, to Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent. But I took the liberty of requesting a change in the readings, because otherwise would have been hearing about God’s people in the desert being bitten by saraph serpents, and Moses lifting up a serpent on a pole for their healing! Instead I suggested readings in the light of our special Tangaza Day guests, Marist International University College. As you may know, Marist College (just up the road from here) began around the same time as Tangaza, and both of us are constituent colleges of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. The motto of MIUC (“You are the light of the world”) comes from the part of the Sermon on the Mount that we have read, where Jesus tells his fol- lowers that we must let our light shine before others so that they may see goodness in our acts and praise the heavenly Father (Mt 5:16). But what are these “good works” we are called to do, so that our light will shine forth? The first reading from Isaiah makes it clear: “sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked, removing oppression and malicious speech from your midst, satisfying the afflicted, not turning your back on your own”. If you do these things, says Isaiah, then “your light shall break forth like the dawn, your wound shall be quickly healed, you will call and the Lord will answer” (Is 58:7-9).
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    The Update (A Blessed and Happy Easter to all May the Resurrection of Christ Shine in Your Lives)
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-04) Tangaza University College
    T his month we will be celebrating the Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter), the holiest and most important days of the church’s calendar. During these days, Tangaza takes some “sabbath” time, away from its usual business, in order to reflect and enter more deeply into the mystery of God’s merciful love for us in Christ. We our reminded that our call to “transform lives” is not just about helping people get a better degree or a high-paying job, but about helping all of us enter more deeply into the transformative power of the resurrection. Like Jesus, each of us individually and Tangaza as a whole must be constantly undergoing the “dying and rising” process that leads to new life. As announced at our recent Tangaza Day celebra- tions (March 24), Dr. Beatrice Churu and Dr. Andrew Lujuo have finished their terms as Deputy Principal Academic and Deputy Principal Student Life. We are deeply grateful for their extraordinary service, and we hope that they will continue their contribution to Tangaza in other ways as we move forward. Meanwhile, Fr. Selvam Sahaya, SDB, has been named as incoming “Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic and Student Affairs”, while Fr. Daniel Karau, as the college chaplain, will assume many of Dr. Lujuo’s former duties as we await some restructuring of the Student Life Office. We wish them both great success, and we promise them our full support. The Governing Council also hopes to make progress very soon on filling the positions of Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration and Finance, as well as choosing the Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences All of these developments are a sign of our increasing readiness for a university charter. We know there are even more changes ahead, and some may be very difficult, but we have confidence in the One who leads us. At Tangaza Day we distributed a card with a “Prayer for Tangaza”. We hope that you will use it often, and continue to keep Tangaza in your prayers, that we may follow the Lord wherever he is leading us.
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    The Update (Happy Easter)
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-04) Tangaza University College
    I wish to send my Good Easter wishes to our Tangaza family. You are a wonderful family of faith and academics. I have observed this in the way you handle one another, the attendance to morning Mass, and the promptness you respond with when called to attend to certain matters. In the just concluded conference on the Muslim-Christian engagement for social transformation in Africa, with specific emphasis on the role of the academic institutions, which was jointly mounted by Tangaza and Umma University, we have committed to be true witnesses of our faith through charity, omission of stereotypes, and seeking the deeper levels of our mutual understanding. The second level of engagement is through academic pursuit of excellence in peace building and outreach programmes. Among the international participants were H.E. Bishop Miguel Ayuso, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican. He reiterated the responsibility of each one of us in promote the mutual respect and understanding in the interreligious dialogue. We had also representations from Iran and Egypt, as well as the NCIC, Zfd, African Muslim Agency, AGEH, Comboni Missionaries, Missionaries for Africa, among others. We thank them all for their support and financial contribution towards the conference. April 2018 Happy Easter In the Veritas Gaudium, a recent document by Pope Francis (2017), the pontiff reiterates that for an institution of higher learning to be functional, “the academic community, all the people, either as individuals…….. are each according to his or her own status, co-responsible for the common good and must strive to work for the same community’s goals” (11, 2). Therefore, we are called to be strategic partners in pursuit of knowledge and excellency in mind and spirit. We are heading towards the end of our semester. I wish all students success in their examination. Examinations are opportunities where we provide the proof that we have benefited from instruction, research, and outreach. We should not be afraid of them. I also call on you to be good ambassadors of our esteemed institutions by living the mission, vision, and core values on which our life revolves in our scholarship, and ministry. This is what we are called to be in all our life situations. Finally, as we continue in our pursuit of the Charter, I call on all of you to keep praying so that the few issues to be resolved at the government policy level, which look very promising, may go through for us. May God bless you and keep you on the track of achieving your dreams.
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    The Update (Preparing for Servant Leadership)
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-02) Tangaza University College
    I wish to welcome you to the New Year 2018 Update series. We again embark on our academic and holistic development that prepares us for servant leadership. This is our niche as Tangaza and we need to guard and upscale it jealously. This is because great achievers can never be satisfied with current levels of performance, they are driven by possibilities and potential achievements. I appeal to all of us to keep the spirit of excellence aflame with positive engagements in the academics and personal developments. This January, we were privileged to have Rev Dr. Joseph Caramazza appointed the Deputy Vice Chancellor Designate for Administration and Finance. Fr Joseph brings a great impetus to our family from his work in pastoral, administration, and communication fronts. We welcome him and wish him well as he executes his mandate. We are also pleased to recognize the product of our scholarship through two book publications. Rev. Dr. Sahaya Selvam has published a book titled Empirical Research, while Fr Antonio Magnate has published one titled Missionary Spirituality. The two books are fresh from press and add up to our learning and formation inventories at Tangaza. We thank them and encourage others to come up with publications that make them visible at the scholarly platform. We also request the members of staff to enter into joint research and publication engagements in order to uplift their portfolio. The Commission for University Education has stringent procedures and criteria for pro- February 2018 Preparing for Servant Leadership motion of academic staff. This can be obtained from the Commission’s website. It will help in our pre-assessment before formal application for promotion. The requirements can also be obtained from the Human Resource Officer. Finally, we plead with you to keep advertising our programmes to prospective students at all levels. With even fewer of the 2017 KCSE cohort attaining the university entry level compared to other years, we need to upscale our visibility and many potential students’ appetite for our programmes. You have done a commendable job. We are also making use of our website and other social platforms to reach out to as many students and parents as possible. If you have any suggestions, we are happy to accommodate them. Tangaza belongs to all of us and its success is our success. I commend you to the care of our God together with your families and members of the Religious congregations. God bless you.