Mission Priority Examen
The Process
A Steering Committee chaired by the Vice-President for Mission & Identity and made up of faculty and staff representatives from across the university will be responsible for guiding Loyola through the Examen.
The Institutional Examen moves through several stages, outlined here:
- Loyola commits to Examen during a given year. (2024-2025)
- National Coordinating Committee sends Loyola documents describing the process, offers conference calls/meetings to answer questions. (August/ September 2024)
- Loyola and Province Higher Ed Assistant select peer visitors.(October 2024)
- Loyola reflects on its mission and develops mission priorities using through listening sessions and a survey distributed to students, faculty, and staff. (Fall 2024)
- Loyola composes a self-study (Spring 2025)
- The Self-Study is sent to the Peer Visit Committee (One month before Peer Visit in Fall 2025)
- Peer Committee visits. (Fall 2025)
- After the visit, the Peer Committee sends draft report back to give Loyola opportunity to correct factual errors, express objections, and amend priorities in light of draft Peer Report. (TBD)
- Provincial sends his advice, with final Peer Visit Report, to Fr. General. Jesuit Conference President sends his advice to Fr. General.(TBD)
- Fr. General sends a letter to Provincial, who communicates content to school, other local constituencies including bishop, AJCU President, and National Coordinating Committee.(TBD)
- In light of Fr. General’s response, school works to implement its mission priorities.(TBD)
The Self-Study
The centerpiece of the process is the production of a self-study. Guided by the Jesuits' four Universal Apostolic Preferences, Loyola is asked to identify strengths and weaknesses with respect to mission effectiveness, to examine and evaluate our mission goals, and to establish two or three concrete priorities for mission enhancement during the coming 5-10 years.
In developing the self-study and formulating these mission priorities, the Steering Committee will seek input from individual colleges and offices as well as a variety of constituencies, including faculty, staff, students, trustees, the Loyola Jesuit community and the Archbishop.
Throughout the fall of 2024, three points inspired by the individual Ignatian Examen, a 500-year old prayer practice originated by St. Ignatius of Loyola, will guide each conversation:
Gifts
- What are the gifts of Loyola, especially in terms of its mission?
- What brings you joy about Loyola?
Challenges
- What challenges do you perceive at Loyola, especially in terms of its mission?
Looking ahead
- How can Loyola improve in living its mission, especially in terms of the Jesuits' four Universal Apostolic Preferences?
- What 2-5 priorities ought I/we prioritize over the next several years?
The Peer Review
A Visiting Team of peer faculty/staff from other AJCU colleges and universities will visit New Orleans to interview members of the community and engage dialogue about the insights gleaned through the self-study and the mission priorities established by the university. The Visiting Team is responsible for compiling a report that assesses Loyola's priorities, offers suggestions for new or additional priorities, and affirms Loyola's commitment to its Jesuit identity and to the leadership of the Society of Jesus.
Timeline
Planning,
Preparing and Listening
Fall '24:
Steering Committee formed, process finalize campus-wide survey distributed.
Dialoguing
Dialoguing
Fall '24:
Listening sessions conducted with students, faculty, and staff
Spring '25:
The community's collective wisdom is captured into a comprehensive Mission Examen Report.
Welcoming
and Celebrating
Fall '25:
The campus community hosts a visiting team of AJCU colleagues to more deeply explore findings from Mission Examen Report.
Spring '26:
Final Report is submitted to Jesuit Provincial and Father General Sosa & implementation of mission enhancements begin.
Steering Committee
Co-chairs
John Cunningham, S.J.
Vice President for Mission and Identity
Tom Ryan
University Chaplain
Members of the Steering Committee
- John D. Cunningham, SJ, Chair, Vice President for Mission and Identity
- Tom Ryan, Co-chair, University Chaplain, Professor of Theology and Ministry
- Sarah Allison, Hutchinson Distinguished Professor and Director of Composition, Chair of the University Senate
- Caleb Bernacchio, Legendre-Soulé Chair in Business Ethics, Faculty Director for the Center of Ethics and Economic Justice
- W. Penn Dawson, SJ, Rector of Loyola Jesuits, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law
- Diamond Dixon, President of the Student Government Association
- Aaron Johnson, Associate Director of Housing Operations
- Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, Dean of the College of Music and Media
- Mary Musso, Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid
- Annie Phoenix, Executive Director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute
- Elizabeth Rainey, Assistant Provost
Peer Site Visit
The peer site visit will take place Fall 2026.
Peer Visitors
- John Sebastian, Chair of the Peer Visitor Team, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Professor of English, Loyola Marymount University
- Mia Bertagnolli, Interim Provost and Professor of Biology, Gonzaga University
- Andrew Downing, S.J., Director of Ignatian Programs in the Office of Mission and Ministry, Georgetown University
- Nicki Gonzalez, Professor of History and Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion, Regis University