1. W. Bradford Wilcox National Marriage Project University of Virginia

2.  Where are we headed?  1. The Retreat from Marriage in America  2. The Impact on Education  3. The Impact on the Catholic Church  4. What Can Universities Do? 2

3.  Since the 1960s, the U.S. has witnessed a marked retreat from marriage. The institution of marriage has lost authority, power, and social functions.  Marriage is less likely to anchor the adult life course  Marriage is less likely to frame adult sexual and/or coresidential romantic relationships  Marriage is less likely to provide a stable context for the bearing and rearing of children 3

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6.  Percent of married adults reporting “very happy” 6

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10.  The retreat from marriage has hit working class and poor Americans especially hard.  College-educated Americans have been much less affected by this retreat. 10

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12.  The nation’s (stratified) retreat from marriage means that children who are fortunate enough to come from an intact, married family are more likely to  Graduate from high school & college.  Young adults who live chastely are more likely to flourish in college: ▪ Chaste women have fewer emotional problems; ▪ Chaste men do better academically.

13. 13 Dropping Out of High School Source: McLanahan and Sandefur 1994

15.  Thus, children who hail from intact, married homes are more likely to succeed in their academic vocations.  Unfortunately, given the fact that marriage is now strongest among the most educated and affluent Americans, this means that children from these homes are often doubly advantaged by  their parents’ marriage & socioeconomic resources.

16.  Mix of Hanging Out, Hooking Up, Joined at the Hip, Semi-traditional Dating  No single set of courtship norms and common courtship practices to guide relationships.  40-64% of college students report hooking up (Regnerus 2011).

17.  Psychological effects are more profound for women  One study: In previous year for those who hooked up: ▪ Women: ▪ 49% reported a negative reaction ▪ 25% reported an ambivalent reaction ▪ 26% reported a positive reaction ▪ Men: ▪ 26% reported a negative reaction ▪ 24% reported an ambivalent reaction ▪ 50% reported a positive reaction ▪ Source: (Owen et al 2009)

19.  Players get distracted  Economist Joseph Sabia (2007) finds that sexually active young men do significantly poorer in their academic work ▪ The pleasures of sex “may induce boys to choose immediate investments in sex over schooling.” ▪ Status & pleasure > school

20.  The fortunes of the Catholic Church in the U.S. rise & fall with the fortunes of the intact, married family  Intact married families ▪ Successfully socialize children into the faith & ▪ Orient adults to the moral, social, & spiritual goods found in the faith 20

21.  Parenthood draws adults into the Church  1) Parenthood is a generative experience  2) Churches supply religious and moral education to children  3) Churches offer parent-centered social networks where parents receive social support & counsel 21

22.  Marriage fosters higher religious practice  1) The Church lends social, religious, and moral support to marriage  2) Marriage associated with prosocial norms  3) Churches supply marriage-centered networks to couples 22

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25.  How can Catholic colleges & universities strengthen marriage?  Require classes that provide a theological & social scientific view of marriage  Act In Loco Parentis 25

26.  Most colleges & universities are doing poorly in preparing the next generation for one of the most important sources of meaning and purpose in life— the vocation of marriage.  For instance, most students are ignorant of the fact that premarital sex is a risk factor for divorce (Paik 2011).  Catholic colleges can remedy this ignorance with theological & sociological classes. 26

27.  Given the academic, marital, & religious importance of renewing the collegiate relationship culture, Catholic colleges and universities should  Support single-sex dorms  Rely on parietals to govern visitation  Support student groups seeking to educate their peers about sex & marriage  Make the sacraments readily available to students.