May 13, 2026

A weekly look at Walsh University news and happenings.

The Walsh Wire is not intended to replace broadcast emails, but to aggregate information in order to increase the level of awareness and understanding about major happenings of the week.

Walsh University is delighted to announce the appointment of James “Jim” Monaghan, Ed.D., as its new Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective July 1, 2026, following the retirement of Dr. Michael Dunphy, who will conclude his service as Vice President for Academic Affairs on June 30, 2026. In this role, Monaghan will serve as the University’s chief academic officer and a member of the President’s Cabinet, providing vision and leadership for Walsh’s academic enterprise in support of the University’s Catholic mission and commitment to academic excellence.

As Vice President for Academic Affairs, Monaghan will oversee all curricular and co-curricular academic programs, supervise key academic leaders including deans and academic affairs administrators, guide accreditation and assessment activities, coordinate faculty hiring and development processes, support program review and institutional effectiveness, and help advance academic innovation, student success, and faculty achievement across the University. READ MORE

The annual CAPE Conference for Walsh University faculty and staff was held on May 6, 2026 featuring sessions that focused on current innovations and opportunities impacting higher education. The conference was organized and hosted by Dr. Ute Lahaie, Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment and Director of the Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment (CAPE) and co-hosted by Dr. Amy Heston, Professor of Organic Chemistry. Highlights included featured sessions on Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education - The current status and what we need to be doing now! and Mission-Driven Assessment: Implementing Walsh’s Institutional Learning Outcomes.

Concurrent sessions included presentations on mission-aligned curriculum design, student support, outcomes alignment, formative feedback, online engagement, service learning, and academic rigor. A popular session featured faculty examples of online courses in the new CavClass LMS.  In addition, the conference offered workshops on video creation, the library, and purpose architecting.

The conference concluded with Scholarship Exchange, organized by Professor Adam Underwood, in which faculty members showcased their current scholarship in 2-minute quick pitches.

Support Walsh University students by bidding on some of the incredible items featured on the Cavalier Soiree online auction site! View online auction items or purchase tickets here.  Thank you for your support!

Let’s pack the stands! Tickets are now available for Walsh University Night with the Cleveland Guardians on Friday, August 28 with President Collins throwing the first pitch!  Join fellow Cavaliers as the Guardians take on the Kansas City Royals with a 7:10 p.m. first pitch. For $61, your ticket package includes your game seat, the finest ballpark food and non-alcoholic beverages, an exclusive hat, and access to the Pennant District patio to enjoy the game with the Walsh University community. Come out for a summer evening of baseball and Cavalier camaraderie.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

CODE: Walsh26

The Catholic Herald