Office of Mission and Values 2010-2011 * Rev. Edward R. Udovic, C.M. Senior Executive for University Mission Georgianna Torres Reyes Assistant Vice President for Mission and Values Scott Kelley Assistant Vice President for Vincentian Scholarship Craig B. Mousin, J.D. University Ombudsperson Brian Cicirello Instructional Technology Consultant Alice Farrell Administrative Assistant Tanya Lewis Special Events Director Alejandro Magaña Coordinator for Mission Services Nathaniel Michaud Director of Publications, Vincentian Studies Institute Fiona Vaughn Budget Manager Part-time Staff Maribeth Conley Office of the Ombuds Evan Fujita Mission and Values Staff Michael McMahon Scholarship Coordinator Rev. John E. Rybolt, C.M. Vincentian Scholar in Residence
Mission Statement Guided by the university s strategic plan, VISION Twenty12, the Office of Mission and Values collaborates with university constituencies in ways that measurably enhance their understanding and support of DePaul University s Catholic, Vincentian, and urban identity. Together we provide the leadership that enables the university to fulfill its distinctive educational mission, serve its diverse student body, and maximize its strategic capacities. As the premier international resource for Vincentian studies, the Office also serves a wide range of external constituencies who seek to deepen their engagement with Vincentian history, spirituality, and service.
STRATEGIC PLANNING Executive Summary 2010-11 The level of mission awareness and mission engagement among DePaul University constituencies remains high. Through its programs and activities, the Office of Mission and Values has played a central role in building and sustaining a pervading culture of mission engagement at the university. However, this level of mission engagement can never be taken for granted and must continually be cultivated, examined, and assessed. This annual report provides the full details of our office s activities in the past academic year. This Executive Summary is designed to highlight key accomplishments and identify challenges for this office in fulfilling its role at DePaul. Mission Statement Guided by the university s strategic plan, VISION Twenty12, the Office of Mission and Values collaborates with university constituencies in ways that measurably enhance their understanding and support of DePaul University s Catholic, Vincentian, and urban identity. Together we provide the leadership that enables the university to fulfill its distinctive educational mission, serve its diverse student body, and maximize its strategic capacities. As the premier international resource for Vincentian studies, the Office also serves a wide range of external constituencies who seek to deepen their engagement with Vincentian history, spirituality, and service. In fulfillment of its mission the Office of Mission and Values sees its many programs as providing a ladder of engagement to university constituencies. The rungs of this ladder include activities and programs that: Introduce and Orient Build Community Educate and Enrich Develop Leadership Capacity Reward and Recognize Promote Research and Scholarship Serve the Community Assessment The pages that follow highlight the major accomplishments and identified goals for each of these areas. Introducing and Orienting: Bi-weekly New Employee Orientation in collaboration with Human Resources. Every two weeks, all new university full-time employees attend an employment orientation sponsored by Human Resources. As an integral part of this orientation a staff member from OMV presents an overview of the university s history, identity, and mission. In the past year 352 new staff members participated in this orientation. On a 4-point scale evaluation scale, where participants were asked whether the presentation had given them an understanding of the university s mission, and 1 was disagree and 4 was agree, the average evaluative score for this presentation was 3.84.
Premiere DePaul Parent Orientation in collaboration with University Ministry and the Office of New Student and Family Engagement. During the Premiere Parent and Family Program OMV offers an optional session on the university s mission, identity, and values. In the summer of 2010, 2,755 parents and family members were in attendance at this program. Of these, 383 chose to attend our optional session (14%). Evaluations from attendees were positive, and their feedback was used to fine tune the session s content and focus. Goal: Survey attendees to understand their motivations in choosing the optional session, and use this information to increase attendance in each subsequent year. Building Community: Demon S.W.A.P. (Demon Surplus with a Purpose) in collaboration with Housing Services and University Ministry.) This is a new program that collects unwanted and gently used items left behind by students in the residence halls at the end of the year. These items are then sold with the proceeds donated to the Vincentian Assistance Fund, which assists students during personal emergencies. DePaul Emeritus Society. The DES membership is comprised of retired faculty and staff from DePaul. Its purpose is to keep our retirees linked to the university. The OMV staffs the DES and its activities. The Society took on the project of creating an endowed scholarship and enhancing giving across the board to the university. 48% of members made a contribution to the Capital Campaign in this fiscal year totaling $483,473.00. Educating and Enriching: Catholic Intellectual Tradition Series. This collaborative salon series builds capacity among DePaul faculty and staff to engage in the Catholic intellectual tradition on campus. One of this year s salons featured two Philosophy professors leading a discussion on Nature and Culture: Models of Human Evolution. This discussion focused on three texts written in 1859: Charles Darwin s The Origin of the Species, J.S. Mill s On Liberty, and Karl Marx s Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy. Using these texts as well as Pope Benedict XVI s Caritatis in Veritate, the salon examined the fraught relationships between humans and nature, the meaning of progress in human society, and beauty s role in human development and evolution. Twelve faculty members participated and rated the experience at 4.75 on a 5 point scale. Goal: Involve faculty from all of DePaul s Schools and Colleges and their respective disciplines. Offer two salons per quarter. Increase faculty participation. DeAndreis-Rosati Memorial Archives Lecture Series. This quarterly series invites U.S. and international scholars to present on Vincentian historical topics, especially if they have used the DRMA in their research. One presenter this year was the distinguished British historian Dr. Joseph Bergin, who spoke on the topic: Moving in high circles: Vincent de Paul and the politics of the French church during the Catholic Reformation. Another speaker was an Irish doctoral student, Sean Smith, who spoke on: Celebrating the Sun-King: The Congregation of the Mission, Charity and the French State under Louis XIV 1674-1704. Podcasts. First introduced in 2006, the Vincentian podcast series: Let s Talk About Vincent de Paul produced 31 new episodes, bringing the total series count to 180 episodes. We also recorded six lectures (see above series) and produced them as podcasts. This year saw a total of
56,351 views (compared to 26,833 views last year) views through the OMV website and 246,242 downloads (compared to 91,447 last year) to portable devices. Goal: Rename podcast series so the content type is more easily identifiable. Use the interview series as a complement to other content types. Collaborate with other programs and departments to expand and diversify content. Establish curricular and co-curricular opportunities to enhance the use of digital story-telling as a means towards mission integration. Vincentian Heritage Days: Each quarter OMV sponsors Vincentian Heritage Days and seeks out new programs and collaborative sponsors for events. This year s attendance increased from 2,829 to 3,826 (73% increase). This follows on the previous year s increase of 104%. Goal: Continue programming excellence to expand participation. Developing Leadership Capacity: International Vincentian Scholarship Program: Celebrating its 10 th anniversary, this program welcomes Vincentian priests and brothers from provinces in the developing world to English Language and graduate studies at DePaul University. Over the last ten years, 27 confreres have been received. Five years ago the university undertook not only scholarship support but also room and board. To date, the program has spent $2,237,065.75. This amounts to an average support per confrere of $82,854.28. This represents a significant contribution from the university to the Vincentians. Vincentian Community Service Fellowship Program. This program is also celebrating its 10 th anniversary. These scholarships are designed to provide graduate level education for practitioners in non-profit service careers, especially in organizations sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago and Vincentian organizations. This program has served 18 students at a cost of $510,278.84. The average award per student is $28,348.82. 13 of the 18 students were from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Sustainability Initiatives Task Force: OMV is playing a leadership role in the task force that is developing a Sustainability Plan for the university. We continue to contribute Catholic and Vincentian perspectives on sustainability in this important work. Goal: Continue to play a leadership role in the university s sustainability efforts, in particular contributing Catholic and Vincentian perspectives. Vincentian Endowment Fund: Established in 1992 with a gift from the Vincentian community, the VEF provides funding for faculty, staff, and student grants for projects and programs that enhance the university s Catholic and Vincentian identity widely considered. This year, 45 grants were funded for $101,965.63. Since its inception, the endowment has funded 502 grants awarding $1,525,773.03. Vincentian Heritage Tours: This year marks the 10 th anniversary of university-sponsored Vincentian Heritage tours of France. In August 2010 the sixth faculty/staff tour took place with 34 participants. In May 2011, the fourth senior leadership tour took place with 16 participants. A
total of 541 participants have taken part in this program since its inception. These tours are universally praised by those who undertake them from students to trustees. Vincentian Mission Fellows: This two year program is designed to mentor an elite group of the most highly engaged undergraduates in Vincentian history, spirituality, and service. Thirty-three students applied for ten slots. This program includes retreats, service, class-work, working with mentors, and a Vincentian Heritage Trip to France. Goal: Successfully launch the new program, and prepare for future cohorts. Vincentian Mission Institute: This two year co-sponsored program (together with Niagara and St. John s Universities) aims to provide senior leaders at our institutions with an in-depth formation into the distinctive elements that characterize Catholic-Vincentian higher education. DePaul has an endowment to help support this initiative and plays the leading role in providing infrastructure support for the entire program. Goal: Successfully launch the new program, and prepare for future cohorts. Continue to find meaningful ways to keep past participants engaged. Rewarding and Recognizing: OMV is the institutional sponsor of a number of high-profile award and recognition programs that recognize the contributions of a wide variety of members of our constituencies to the success of DePaul s mission. Promoting Research and Scholarship: DePaul University seeks to be the premiere international resource for Vincentian Studies. The Vincentian Studies Institute: Continues to publish its journal Vincentian Heritage, as well as a number of other special heritage publications. Goal: This coming year will be the last in which we publish a paper-based, paid-subscription journal. During this year we will prepare for the switch to a free, e-journal. Via Sapientiae Institutional Repository: In collaboration with the Library, Archives and Special Collections our digitization of Vincentian resources continues. By the end of June 2010, there were 62 series, 1518 articles, and a total of 223,438 pages uploaded to the site. Over 34,035 articles have been downloaded as of the same date. Page visits increased 50% (8,437 to 16,718). Page views increased by 58% (37,500 to 64,497). New visits represented 56.8% of this total. Visitors were from 139 different countries. Goal: Increase the pace of digitization dramatically. Endowment and Research Grants: In addition to the Vincentian research funded internally through the Vincentian Endowment Fund, the V.S.I. funds select Vincentian research for external scholars. This has resulted in a network of lay Vincentian scholars from around the world who seek our assistance in their research.
Goal: Increase awareness of grant funding among Vincentian scholars internationally with special emphasis on doctoral students. Establish a quarter-long visiting Vincentian scholar program to debut in the fall of 2012. Hire a full-time tenure track Vincentian scholar in the Catholic Studies Program. Use the fully funded Vincentian Studies Institute Endowment (1m+) to support these efforts. Vincentian Virtual Exhibitions: This year saw the premiere of our first Vincentian-themed virtual exhibition. A virtual exhibition extends the life-span of themed exhibitions indefinitely and provides the ability to continue to add to these exhibitions with additional research and resources. These exhibitions are also accessed internationally 24/7. Goal: Produce one virtual exhibition per academic year. Continue to update posted exhibitions. Hire full-time public historian to administer the program. Vincentiana, Special Collections and Research Library: This year also marks the 10 th anniversary of the establishment of a program to create Vincentian material culture, special collections, and research collections. Since its inception this program has added over 1000 volumes to the Vincentian research and special collections, and 7,106 items to the material culture collections. Goal: Establish a ten year plan for the digitization of these collections working with the new Vincentian Heritage Specialist in the Library. Vincentian History Research Network: This year the V.S.I. established a Vincentian History Research Network as a dynamic online forum designed for researchers and scholars on Vincentian topics broadly considered. The VHRN is a place to learn about Vincentian resources, announce publications, projects, or events, ask questions about possible archival and bibliographic resources, announce publications or participation in conferences, and seek grant funding. At present there are just under 100 registered members. Goal: Double membership and participation in the site s second year. What did Vincent say? The final university project to commemorate the 350 th anniversary of the death of St. Vincent de Paul (2010) is a searchable database of quotes from the saint. The site has been delayed as great care was taken to make it easily accessible and usable. A premiere in September 2011 is planned. Goal: Follow-up with a companion site: What did Louise say? Serving Community: The University Ombudsperson Office: Celebrating its 10 th anniversary, the University Ombudsperson Office continues to provide a safe place for members of the university community to confidentially discuss concerns or situations that they feel preclude them from fully participating in the life and mission of the university. The number of visitors and contacts fluctuates from year to year and is often affected by major events or controversies in the university s life.
Goal: While the number of visitors served over the past year indicates that many in the university are aware of this Office, we are striving to make more members of the DePaul Community aware of the services we provide through different resources. In the next year, we will be working on ways to disseminate information about the work of this office to the DePaul community by revising our website and other technology resources. Vincentian Assistance Fund: Beginning with a gift from the Vincentians in 1986, this endowment provides funds for OMV to help students, faculty, and staff who find themselves in emergency situations. During the 2010-2011 year, $32,211.00 was distributed to 28 students, 3 staff, and 1 faculty. This represented an increase of $165.14 per grant over the previous year, a 20% increase. As with previous years, the overwhelming majority of grants were for students. Also, as in the past four years, emergency aid for housing accounted for the single largest number of requests (21 of 32). A successful relationship was begun with Chicago Getaway Hostel and Hostelling International Chicago to help provide emergency housing. Since the beginning of the endowment, 568 persons have been assisted for an average grant of $592.28. Assessment: Faculty and Staff Mission Survey: In collaboration with Institutional Research and Market Analytics, Mission and Values gathered data on mission effectiveness via the Faculty and Staff Campus Climate Survey. The survey was e-mailed to all full and part-time faculty and staff in early 2011. Close to 1100 staff and faculty took the survey, a 40% increase over the 2005 survey when it was first created and administered. Over 93% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they have a good understanding of DePaul s mission and 88% believe they can explain DePaul s mission to others. Over 84% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the heritage of St. Vincent de Paul remains relevant to the university today. Over 82% agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul incorporates its mission and values into its planning processes and 76% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul s mission and values inform decision making at the university. Seventy nine percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they see a relationship between their work and the mission. In regard to Catholic identity, 75% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul demonstrates an appropriate commitment to its Catholic identity. Based on the wording of the question, however, these results are slightly ambiguous. It is unclear whether respondents view DePaul s commitment to its Catholic identity appropriate because DePaul s projection of its catholic identity is strong, weak, nondescript, or some other factor. DePaul s commitment to students and service also came through on the survey. Close to 90% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul is a student centered institution. In regard to service, 88% agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul emphasizes service to others, and 92% agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul demonstrates a commitment as an educational institution to the city of Chicago and its surrounding communities. The survey also showed that Vincentian personalism resonates with the majority of faculty and staff. Over 84% agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul respects members of its community as individual, while over 78% agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul provides equal opportunities to employees regardless of age, national origin, race, sex, handicap, creed, color or sexual orientation. While these numbers are
encouraging, many respondents voiced concerns over the lack of diversity in upper administration and how DePaul treats its low-wage workers. Overall, the survey results demonstrate that DePaul has done a good job of educating faculty and staff about the meaning and importance of DePaul s mission, as well as impressing upon them the continued significance and relevance of St. Vincent de Paul. Respondent comments reveal a general desire for more DePaul departments to promote and further integrate the university s mission. The comments also show the Office of Mission and Values remains effective in promoting DePaul s mission and values. Student Mission Survey: Since 2002, the office of Mission and Values has collaborated with teams of student researchers under the direction of Dr. Joseph Ferrari, (Psychology) to administer the DePaul Mission and Values survey. The survey aims to evaluate staff, faculty, and student perceptions of DePaul s Catholic, Vincentian, and urban identity. In 2010, 5,574 students completed the survey. Student participation was a dramatic increase from 2007, when only 1,706 students completed the survey; though, graduate and professional students were not sent the survey in 2007. Of those students who completed the 2010 survey, over 63% were either undergraduate seniors or students enrolled in a graduate or professional program, 60% were female, and close to 90% were commuters. In relation to DePaul s Catholic Identity, 57% of students agreed or strongly agreed, as they did in 2007, that they supported DePaul s current approach to expressing its Catholic identity. In addition, 64% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the curricula of DePaul s colleges and schools have the appropriate expressions of the university s Catholic identity. This is 10% increase from 2007. A lower percentage of students viewed access to Catholic worship and sacramental opportunities as important. Less than 30% of students viewed access to Catholic worship services as important or very important, while only 27% of students viewed sacramental opportunities as important to very important. But 50% of students viewed religious education and spirituality programs as important or very important, and over 52% of students viewed service trips as important or very important. The numbers parallel the student responses from 2007, except for access to Catholic worship services. In 2007, over 35% of students viewed access to Catholic worship services as important or very important. In response to other Catholic Identity questions, over 68% students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul invites all students to freely examine Catholicism, other faith traditions and other secular values systems in light of their respective contributions to the human experience. Over 73% of students agreed or strongly agreed that diverse personal values and religious beliefs contribute to an atmosphere that fosters mutual respect at DePaul. As for DePaul s Vincentian Identity, over 61% of students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul s mission and values are visible to all. Close to 61% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they support DePaul s current approach to its Vincentian identity and over 57% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the heritage of Vincent de Paul remains relevant to the university today. The 2010 percentages represent a slight increase from 2007. Notably, 78% of students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul is inclusive and provides access for all to higher education regardless of class, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or economic barriers. This is a 7% increase from 2007.
In regard to DePaul s approach to education and decision making, 61% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul is innovative and never content with maintaining a business as usual approach. Over 53% of students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul takes risks consistent with its mission and values and takes steps outside of tradition and beyond status quo approaches, encouraging and demonstrating an adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit. In addition, 64% of students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul is pragmatic by grounding its education in the realities of everyday life. For all three questions, the percentages are a 3 to 4% increase from 2007. In regard to DePaul s urban Identity, 74% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they support DePaul s current approach to expressing its urban identity. Close to 68% of students agreed or strongly agreed that DePaul sponsors a variety of services and programs to demonstrate the connectedness to the community that is characteristic of DePaul s urban identity. The 2010 represent 4 to 5% increases from 2007. In regard to DePaul sponsored activities that support DePaul s urban identity, 82% of students viewed Community-based Service Learning as important or very important. In addition, 75% of students viewed University Ministry s DePaul Community Service Association s activities as important or very important and over 72% of students viewed University-wide Service Days as important or very important to DePaul s urban identity. Finally, 83% of students viewed Diversity Efforts as important or very important to DePaul s urban identity. The 2010 student responses to all these questions either parallel or reflect a slight increase from 2007 responses. Communications and Marketing: Website: The purpose of the Office of Mission and Values web site is to provide a comprehensive, web-based resource where visitors can learn about the mission and values of DePaul University, as well as the programs and services of the office. Goal: Continue to use the website to better understand end users, distribute new content, and promote mission related activity across campus. Communications and Marketing Director: Our strategic planning process has identified the need to create the position of Communications and Marketing Director for OMV. The depth, breadth, and reach of our programming as well as the multiplicity of internal and external constituencies we serve has outgrown our ability to use sophisticated and up-to-date technologies to enhance our communication and thus our effectiveness in serving our constituencies. Goal: We will prepare and submit a proposal for this position in the upcoming SRAC process.