Prepared by Marta Mooney

Emeritus Professor of Management Systems Fordham University Damian O’Connell S.J

Campus Ministries Fordham University CJBE 12th Annual Conference

Rockhurst UniversityKansas City MOJuly 16-18 2009

Presentation Overview › Why unified national mission for Jesuit

higher education is needed now› Proposed approach to accelerate

development of unified mission Return to proven 400 year-old formula Implement with 21st century management

technology.

› Your questions and feedback.

Jesuit community struggling to define and justify role of Jesuit higher education

Pursuit for national rationale begun in 1974, abandoned in 1976

Experimentation to strengthen identity &define mission continuing; progress slow

New sense of urgency: is time running out?› Jesuit presence on campuses shrinking › Campuses becoming increasingly secular

Time to accelerate process of specifying and implementing national mission for Jesuit higher education in the 21st century

› Build on historical precedent and past success. Define new unified mission as “Developing leaders in the Jesuit tradition”

› Adapt recently developed, science-based Organizational Learning Contracts methods to guide mission implementation and monitor and assess results

Approach mission implementation as a research project, using proven research methods.

Reflect Jesuit values and religious tradition Operational and capable of generating

measurable results . Clear and concise Economically viable Address 21st century needs Encourage innovation, collegiality, and

knowledge- sharing among all Jesuit and Catholic colleges and universities

New specification of Jesuit educational mission justifed by research conducted by former Jesuit and J.P. Morgan executive Chris Lowney. › Jesuit educators have excelled at successfully

developing exceptional leaders for more than four centuries

Implementation of new mission accelerated by new science based methods of learning enrichment pioneered by CMU management professors Paul Goodman and Gerard Beenan› Learning is more effective when students have explicit

understanding of what they are expected to learn, why, and how the new knowledge will be delivered

Shun “great man” theory: everyone is a leader, leading well or poorly all the time

Leadership springs from within; who I am; not what I do

Not an act; a way of living for others Leadership is on-going process; learning

is never complete.

*Chris Lowney “Heroic Leadership 2003 p18-23

New science-based framework for learning process enhancement

Developed by CMU management professors Paul S. Goodman and Gerard Beenen

Funded by NSF Proven in other applications

Informed by vast literature dealing with learning by college students

Shows: “learning is more effective when students have explicit understanding of what they are expected to learn, why, and how the new knowledge will be transferred.”

Proven means for educational institutions to create “specific, shared, expectations among students, faculty, and administrators concerning learning outcomes, learning environments, and the educational assessment system

Usually Initiated and maintained at Institution level. (Higher level in this application)

Contracts serve colleges and universities as systematic vehicle for developing, communicating, monitoring and improving a fully integrated student educational experience.

Developed cooperatively by faculty, administrators and other stakeholders at the institution, school, and program level

Explains to students what they can expect to learn, why, and how and where learning will take place

Assumes “constancy of purpose” Completed contracts are:

› Embedded in recruiting materials› Featured on institutions website › Reviewed at new student orientation› Used to guide, assess, and improve

students’ learning experience throughout the time enrolled in the institution.

Learning outcomes› Explicit statement of expected outcomes of

learning process Learning environments

› Description of physical environments where learning is delivered

› Description of learning delivery process Learning systems

› Institutions’ systems for managing outcomes, environments, and their intersections

Written specifications of what students are expected to learn as they advance

through the educational program

All contractual outcomes are:› Explicitly communicated to students, faculty,

administrators, and staff. . › Are stated at the school level, reflecting both

course ad non-course experience Regardless of concentration, student leadership

competence will be tracked and measured along with technical competence.≈

Outcomes originating at higher organizational levels tend to be complex and measurement resistant. Must be redefined and simplified.

Physical space where learning delivered

Learning delivery methods Culture of learning delivery

Most fundamental; most problematic for Jesuit higher education*

Must serve diverse, pluralistic student body, faculty, and community

Must be presented as a force for unity, not division

Brings people of different faiths, and no faith, together

*Concepts here draw heavily from Steven M. Barkan Lld”

Challenging the Mainstream ,Conversations Spring 1993

Learning systems are systems used to manage learning contracts› Learning contracts define on-going relationship

between student and institution› Contracts must be designed, implemented,

coordinated, and outcomes measured, evaluated, and improved.

› Responsible faculty, administrators and staff must be recruited, motivated, trained, and supervised

› Economic issues raised by the new learning initiative must be addressed

Presentation outlines accelerated approach for defining and justifying the role of Jesuit higher education in the U.S, today

Recommended approach is both conservative and bold. (Propose implementing 16th century mission with 21st century management technology)

Can it work? We believe it can if development is approached as any complex innovation and carefully managed.

Will it be quick and easy?. No and No. Is success guaranteed? No Is it economically feasible in this tight money

period ? Yes Are better alternatives available? Don’t know

of any Will the benefit be worth the effort? Depends

on how you feel about the contribution of Jesuit higher education to nation’s social fabric

Thank you