Women's University Seeking Peace
Looking back on my first year and looking forward to the future
Rihito Kimura
President
One year has flown by as fast as an arrow since I started my duties as president of Keisen University in April, 2006. The Tama campus is filled with trees and beautiful gardens which change colors in every season, starting with the full blooming of the cherry blossoms.
On my first day on campus, when I found a large photo of Ms. Michi Kawai on the wall of the president's office, my heart was warmed with fond memories! I met Ms. Kawai in my church in my youth and I was impressed by her thoughts and Christian faith.
Now, I would like to look back at this one year to confirm that we will make a step toward the future.
First, I am very proud to announce that we were chosen as one of the distinguished universities. Because of our Distinctive University Education Support Program (called GP-Good Practice), we won a research grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, after intense competition with other universities. We applied for this program under the theme of supporting citizens aiming at social justice globally. We owe this good news to the accumulation of activities we have done over a long period, beginning in the junior college. Some of these activities include programs of studying abroad, such as on the field studies in Asian countries, in Europe, or in the U.S. for short- or long-term studies. We are pleased to be evaluated for the voluntary service and activities for peace, while at the same time we are determined to develop and enrich our program for the future.
Second, from a social aspect, our university was ranked as number one among thirty women's colleges in Japan in the last October issue of the well-known business magazine, "President." It explains that a large percentage of the students of our university find employment upon graduation and the incomes they will receive are rather higher than other university students. Quite recently, in March, our beautiful campus was televised for the Metropolitan region on an NHK program. Our unique activities of horticultural education were introduced through this TV program.
Third, some voluntary members of our faculty and staff made a petition against revising the Fundamental Law of Education and we had a press interview in the hall of the House of Representatives. To establish this law, Ms. Kawai, who was the only female member of the Japan Education
Reform Committee, made a special effort to emphasize the spirit of peace in our new constitution. After hard work and earnest discussion, this education Law was established in 1946.
Revising this Law was decided quite abruptly last December. We are now very concerned about the new stipulations which seem to intervene in our minds and patriotic spirit. This new law changes the fundamental idea of education, which we have kept under the Law in post-war Japan. This is a serious problem we face and we need to hold our critical attitude and not ingratiate ourselves with the tendency of the present age.
As everyone knows, Ms. Kawai founded this school 78 years ago on the idea of integrating three factors -Christianity, international understanding and horticulture- to cultivate young women. Following her spirit for human education, our university has put an emphasis on the point that we should value each student's character and develop her potential from the beginning. This high quality of education with a small student body has been understood and esteemed throughout our history.
We are pleased to announce that we have more than enough enrollment for the academic year of 2007, even though we have been faced with the challenge of recruitment in recent years. We wish our university, with its 19-year history, will continue to develop our unique educational program for modern society as a "Women's University Seeking Peace" based on Ms. Kawai's founding spirit.