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D’Youville University’s groundbreaking approach to work-life balance and employee well-being is in the national spotlight thanks to the release of The Caring University, a 2025 book by higher education scholar and workplace innovator Dr. Kevin McClure. The book examines how colleges and universities across the country are redefining what it means to care for their students, employees, and communities in a time of profound change.

Among its case studies, The Caring University devotes a featured section to D’Youville’s pioneering and highly publicized decision to implement a 32-hour workweek for full-time staff while maintaining salaries and benefits. The move, launched in 2022, made D’Youville one of the first higher education institutions in the nation to fully adopt a four-day, reduced-hour workweek as a permanent policy.

The book highlights how the initiative has significantly improved employee morale, recruitment, retention, and productivity while reinforcing the university’s mission of fostering a compassionate, supportive campus culture. According to the author, D’Youville’s leadership “proved that you can prioritize people and still achieve—if not exceed—operational goals.”

D’Youville University President Dr. Lorrie Clemo said the recognition affirms the institution’s values and vision.

“We knew that shifting to a 32-hour workweek was a bold step, but it was rooted in our belief that caring for our employees directly benefits our students and the community,” Clemo said. “The Caring University captures exactly why higher education must lead with empathy and innovation.”

The book also examines how D’Youville’s shorter workweek has influenced its broader culture. Interviews with staff and faculty detail how the change has allowed them to spend more time with family, pursue personal passions, and return to work energized and focused. This, in turn, has contributed to measurable improvements in student services, operational efficiency, and institutional creativity.

Dr. McClure frames D’Youville’s success as part of a larger movement in higher education to embrace policies once considered radical. The book notes that while many organizations experimented with flexible schedules during the pandemic, D’Youville was among the few to turn those experiments into permanent structural change—sending a strong message that “caring” is more than a slogan.

The media attention from The Caring University adds to D’Youville’s growing national reputation for forward-thinking policies. In recent years, the university has been recognized for expanding healthcare programs to address regional shortages, investing in student wellness, and deepening partnerships with community organizations to drive social impact.

The Caring University is available now in hardcover and e-book formats through major booksellers.