The Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago and Vancouver has officially changed its name to Adler University to more accurately reflect the breadth and depth of its institutional, student and faculty work for advancing social justice.
Established in 1952 to build on the pioneering work of Alfred Adler, the first community psychologist, Adler University is an independent, not-for-profit institution enrolling more than 1,200 students at its Chicago and Vancouver campuses and through its online programs.
“Today as Adler University, we claim a new, enduring identity that embodies what this institution has become and will continue to be—the leading academic institution advancing socially responsible practice, healthy communities, and a more just society,” said Adler University President Raymond E. Crossman, Ph.D.
“We embarked on this name change because our previous name did not reflect the scope of our work today, and the term ‘school of professional psychology’ required explanation for most people,” Crossman said. “As Adler University, our identity now fully represents all of our students, faculty, and graduates—the majority of whom teach, study, and lead change in disciplines outside professional psychology that advance our social justice mission.”
The Adler University name also reflects the institution’s significant recent growth and plans for expanded offerings at its Chicago and Vancouver campuses, as well as through online education.
In Chicago, the institution more than doubled its campus size in 2010, modernizing and moving to its LEED Gold-certified Loop campus at 17 N. Dearborn. New programs have been introduced to integrate socially responsible practice in areas such as criminology, emergency management leadership, nonprofit management, and public policy and administration with concentrations in urban mental health and human rights advocacy.
In Vancouver, Adler introduced Canada’s first-ever scholar-practitioner doctor of psychology in clinical psychology program (Psy.D.) in 2013, and plans to expand program offerings beyond psychology and counselling over the next five years. All programs are focused on preparing socially responsible practitioners who can work directly with public systems and communities to improve community health. Over the next two years, the campus will modernize and nearly double in size, moving to a new space at 510 Seymour Street, in the city’s higher education district.
For fall 2015, Adler University intends to launch a doctor of philosophy in counselor education and supervision, and an online master’s degree in media and communications for social change.
Over the last five years of its 2010-2015 strategic plan, Adler has:
- More than doubled its degree program offerings to 22.
- Attracted enrollment growth of 43 percent.
- Nearly doubled the size of its faculty and staff.
- Reduced its faculty-to-student ratio from 16:1 to 12:1.
Now developing its 2015-2020 strategic plan, Adler University also is preparing to launch its Global Campus for online degree programs and establish undergraduate degree programs with partnering institutions.
The institution’s Board of Trustees approved the name change to Adler University after more than a year of study, external research, and input from alumni, students, faculty, staff, community partners, prospective students and advisers.
“The input overwhelmingly favored Adler University as the identity that best enables us to advance our mission focused on the work of Alfred Adler, the first community psychologist,” Crossman said. “His groundbreaking concept of social interest, and his revolutionary idea that responsible practitioners must advocate for social change, are needed today more than ever before. This has guided our work as institution for more than 60 years, and does so as we become Adler University moving forward.”