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Engaged Students-Engaged Leaders at a Faith-based University

Engaged Students-Engaged Leaders at a Faith-based University. Joseph R. Ferrari, Ph.D. Peter A. Drake & Jessica Velcoff Dept. of Psychology DePaul University Chicago, IL 60614 jferrari@depaul.edu 773/325-4244. Co-authors & “Thanks…”. Jessica Velcoff & Peter Drake

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Engaged Students-Engaged Leaders at a Faith-based University

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  1. Engaged Students-Engaged Leaders at a Faith-based University Joseph R. Ferrari, Ph.D. Peter A. Drake & Jessica Velcoff Dept. of Psychology DePaul University Chicago, IL 60614 jferrari@depaul.edu 773/325-4244

  2. Co-authors & “Thanks…” • Jessica Velcoff & Peter Drake [Community Psychology graduate students] • Fr. Edward Udovic [Sr VP, University Mission & Values] • Thomas Drexler [Asst VP, University Mission & Values] • Dr. Shaun Cowman & Jaclyn Cameron [recent DePaul graduates]

  3. Mission Statements… - publicly proclaiming for critical assessment the institution’s objectives, expectations, and values; - defines purpose, distinctiveness, and future for the institution; - drives operations by providing guidelines for day-to-day decision making; - helps members connect and identify with the organization (Emery, 1998; Gardiner, 1988; Holland, 1999; Wright, 2002).

  4. ‘Higher Education’ Mission Statements… - focus energies to balance the relationship between educational goals and needs of the outside world - integrate objectives held by diverse stakeholders (e.g., administrators, alumni, faculty, and staff), enabling everyone to work towards common goals - provide an overarching vision toward which each member may strive (Berg, Csikszentmihalyi, & Nakamura, 2003; Ferrari & Cowman, 2004). Missions are conveyed through administrative operations, academic programs and policies, and student services. (Ehrlich, 2000; Rowley, Lujan, & Dolence, 1997).

  5. Measuring Mission: DePaul University “urban, Catholic, and Vincentian” URBANdelivering quality education to locations in and around the metropolitan area of Chicago, IL. CATHOLICdirecting services to the poor and economically disenfranchised through such programs as actively engaging students, faculty and staff in volunteer and community service directed at impoverished communities. VINCENTIANISM(referring to the namesake of the school) respecting human dignity, diversity, and individual “personalism” (Murphy, 1991; Sullivan, 1997)

  6. DePaul University 7 colleges 23,000 students +800 faculty 7th largest private; largest US Catholic University

  7. Measuring Mission: DePaul University 2 reliable and valid measures • Higher Ed institutions need to develop reliable & valid self-report instruments to assess the perceptions and commitment to a university’s mission and values by stakeholders (e.g., students, faculty and staff): The DePaul Values Inventory [DeVI] 25-item; 5pt Likert Rating Scale 1= strongly disagree to 5= strongly agree DePaul Mission and Values [DMV] Inventory

  8. The DeVIfor students: Subscales • Institutional Mission & Values (11 items) [The DePaul mission is apparent to me.] [Vincentian values (the values of personalism and respect for the dignity of the human person, inspired by the University’s patron, St. Vincent DePaul) are generally found in the culture at DePaul.] • Emphasis on Diversity (3 items) [DePaul should have a special emphasis on recruiting minority students.] [DePaul should have more women faculty members.]

  9. The DeVIfor students: Subscales • Pro-social Altruistic Atmosphere (7 items) [The atmosphere at DePaul promotes service to others.] [The atmosphere at DePaul promotes being a community among students, staff, and faculty.] - Life-long Commitment to Values (4 items) [I foresee that Vincentian values will have a continued influence throughout my life.] [Being a student at DePaul has helped me to shape and clarify the values by which I will make life choices.]

  10. Sample Study #1 Cowman (2006) [dissertation] -- predicting mission perception among non-traditional students n = 1574 (939 women, 500men; 171 not specified) Ethnicity: 63% Caucasian 11% Latino(a) 10% African American 9% Asian 7% Other

  11. Mean Scores for DeVI Subscales

  12. Correlates:Student Characteristics & DeVI

  13. Predictors for Institutional Values

  14. Predictors for Lifelong Commitment

  15. Implications for Higher Education • Campus activities may help traditional students’ understanding of mission & perceived impact later in life • Understanding of mission by nontraditional students facilitated by off-campus engagement • Increase connections with home/work

  16. Sample Study #2 Cameron (2007) [thesis] -- perceptions of mission among TRANSFER students [vertical & horizontal] 1,204 Students • 65% Natives (n=748) • 35% Transfers (n=402) • 60% Vertical (n=233) • 40% Horizontal (n=157)

  17. DeVI Analysis 1:Natives vs. Transfers

  18. DeVI Analysis 2: Vertical vs. Horizontal

  19. Implications for Higher Education • Clarify Mission • Emphasize Mission to transfers • Promote mission-related, non-course activities • Expose University Mission initiatives to students

  20. DePaul Mission &Values Inventory: Staff & Faculty a 39 item instrument to evaluate perceptions of two separate but related components to H.E. Institutional Mission: • institution’s identity reflected in its mission statement • mission-driven activities and programs reflecting identity through the vision and values

  21. Institutional Identity: 16 items 7-point scales (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree) URBAN (“The university sponsors a variety of services and programs to demonstrate the connectedness to the community that is characteristic of its urban identity”) CATHOLIC (“I believe that at [the university] our very diverse personal values and religious beliefs fosters mutual understanding and respect”) VINCENTIAN (“I believe that we manifest a personalized Vincentianism…reflective in our care for each member of the university community”)

  22. Mission-driven Activity: 23 items 4-pt scale (1 = not at all important; 4 = very important) URBAN (“community based service learning, staff volunteer services, international studies”) CATHOLIC (“Catholic worship services, interfaith workshops, religious education/spiritual programs”) VINCENTIAN (“Annual Vincentian Lecture Series, quarterly Authors at Lunch program, biennial France Heritage Tours”)

  23. At DePaul – Who Has Completed the DMV? • STAFF = 178, meetings + 361, on-line • FACULTY = 305, on-line • SR. LEADERS/ADMIN. = 35, on-line • STUDENTS = 2002, on-line • STUDENT LEADERS = 85, meetings [[Sp07, Board of Trustees]]

  24. Sample 1: 112 women, 66 men M age = 39.1 years old Caucasian (68.5%) Roman Catholic (53.4%) exempt staff (66.5%) from downtown campus (70.2%) worked M = 6.4 years (SD = 7.5) -student services (47.3%) -facilities and operations (6.9%) -advancement/procedures (17.3%) -administrative/info services (28.6%) Sample 2: 237 women, 124 men M age = 38.1 years old Caucasian (74.2%) non-Catholic (53.2%) exempt staff (67.1%) from downtown campus (63.2%) worked M = 6.1 years (SD = 6.9) -student services (43.9%) -facilities and operations (10.5%) -advancement/procedures (14.6%) -administrative/info services (30.8%) Study 1… [STAFF Participants]

  25. Study 1… [STAFF Procedure] • Participants recruited through interoffice memos and postcards, email messages, and requests from directors; • Complete anonymity and confidentiality assured; • Participants were entered into raffles and prizes for their time; Winter, 2003, Sample 1: attended small group luncheons hosted by a research assistant -- -demographic items (e.g., age, sex, racial identity, religious affiliation, number of years working at the university, primary campus employed, and the administrative office working) -MVI -social desirability + spirituality + sch sense of community Spring 2003 Sample 2: solicited through on-line requests -demographic items -MVI + social desirability + sch sense of community

  26. Varimax Rotation Factor Loadings ‘Institutional Identity Items’ : Sample 1:STAFF FACTOR 1 = ”Innovative/Inclusive” • Innovative .669 • Inclusive .668 • Manifests personalism .660 • Takes risks .616 • Expresses Vincentian identity .571 • Expresses values in education/ operations through service, .552 respect, personalism for all • Expresses urban identity .530 • Faith heritage remains relevant .479 • Atmosphere of mutual respect .456 • Pragmatic education related to life reality .439

  27. FACTOR 2 = “Catholic Pluralism” Expresses its Catholic identity .791 Curricula expresses Catholic identity .711 All faiths freely expressed .709 freely expressed Uni Ministry services religious pluralistic identity .694 M & V Office services religious pluralistic identity .467 Services/programs demonstrate connectedness to community .447 EIGEN VALUE: 5.446 2.583 % OF VARIANCE: 34.04 21.72 n = 178 Factor loading > .400 are listed

  28. Varimax Rotation Factor Loadings ‘Mission-Driven Activity’ Items: Sample 1:STAFF FACTOR 1 = “Urban/Global Engagement” International students .762 Faculty/Staff vol. service .703 Study abroad programs .701 Service Learning programs .693 Diversity initiatives .664 Community service organizations .653 Community partnerships .638 International campus sites .610

  29. FACTOR 2 = “University-Specific Programs” • ‘Annual Vincentian Lectures’ .839 • ‘Authors at Lunch’ Lectures .745 • ‘Vincentian Heritage’ France trips .689 • Mission/heritage publications .675 • In services .616 • Emergency finance assistance .540 • New staff mission-orientation .538 • University Ombudsman .439

  30. FACTOR 3 = “Faith-formation Programs” Religious education/spiritual programs .742 Interfaith worship opportunities .741 Catholic sacramental opportunities .722 Catholic worship services .711 Community-based service programs .649 Worship opportunities for non-Catholics .580 EIGEN VALUE: 7.25 2.95 2.00 % OF VARIANCE: 31.50 12.81 8.70 n = 178 Factor loading > .400 are listed

  31. SAMPLE 1:STAFF - Descriptive Statistics ‘Identity and Activity’ Subscales IDENTITY ACTIVITIES inclusive/ Catholic urban/global Uni. faith M innovative pluralistic engagement specific formation _________________________________________________________________________ INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY: Inclusive/ 57.35 innovative (7.31) [.822] * p < .05 ** p < .01 Catholic 33.57 *** p < .001 pluralistic (4.95) .598*** [.752] MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY: Urban/global 26.69 engagement (4.63) .218** .178* [.861] University 27.52 specific programs (5.57) .323** .292** .433*** [.866] Faith-formation 13.49 programs (4.08) .178* .211** .314*** .485*** [.812] (n=178): Staff

  32. SAMPLE 2 :STAFF- Descriptive Statistics‘Identity and Activity’ Subscales IDENTITY ACTIVITIES inclusive/ Catholic urban/global Uni. faith M innovative pluralistic engagement specific formation ______________________________________________ INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY: • Inclusive/ 63.18 innovative (9.16) [.758] • Catholic 27.65 * p < .05 ** p < .01 pluralistic (4.52) .548*** [.786] *** p < .001 MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY: • Urban/global 26.52 engagement (4.56) .283** .225** [.861] • University 26.61 specific programs (5.89) .286** .245** .523*** [.885] • Faith-formation 19.98 programs (4.94) .187* .169* .340*** .570*** [.859] (n=361): Staff

  33. Correlates:Identity & Activity x Social desirability Marlow-Crowne (1960) SOCIAL DESIRABILITY INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY: • Inclusive/Innovative .194** • Catholic pluralistic .150** MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY: • Urban/global engagement .036 • University specific programs .111* • Faith-formation programs .027 STAFF:n = 502-548* p < .05 ** p < .01 *** p < .001

  34. Partial Correlates:Identity & Activity x Sch. Sense of Community [controlling SD] Royal &Rossi (1991) sch. sense of community INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY: • Inclusive/Innovative .480*** • Catholic pluralistic .415*** MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY: • Urban/global engagement .270*** • University specific programs .179** • Faith-formation programs .125* STAFF: n = 502-548 * p < .05 ** p < .01 *** p < .001

  35. Take Home Message… Developed a reliable/psychometrically sound university mission measure – Identity & Activities With 2 samples of STAFF, mission perceived as: – innovative & inclusive school offering education to urban residents in progressive means…. - while retaining a Catholic institution, supportive of other faiths…. - offers urban/global programs to reach these identifying aspects… - offers university-specific programs to actualize the mission to stakeholders - offers Catholic and other-faith formation programs in support of individualism among stakeholders

  36. Take Home Message… Controlling for social desirability tendencies…. STAFF reported that their perceptions of the Missionand related-Activities supported their faith beliefs and practices related to their sense of community with peers at school

  37. Senior Administrators: Study 2 • Chief Executive Senior Administrators: Vice Presidents n = 18; Deans n = 17 • Caucasian (66%) • woman (57%) • betw 45 - 55 (M age = 47.86 yrs old; SD = 8.71) • self-identified Christian faith; Catholicism (76%) • worked at the institution ave. 13.23 yrs (SD = 8.88) • none were clergy, including Catholic priests

  38. Senior Administrators: Study 2 • Ferrari & Velcoff’s (2005) 39-item DePaul Mission & Values (DMV) • Reynold’s (1982) revised 13-item M-C Soc. Desirability Scale – Form C • Braskamp’s (2003) measure of perceptions by chief academic officers at faith-based & public institutions (rated: 1 = no importance, 5 = extreme importance) on faculty expectationsto meet the university’s mission: engagement of faculty(12 items) = perceived as engaged in roles that support the mission statement (e.g. advances and fosters positive attitudes related to ethnic, cultural, economic and racial diversity, and supports pluralistic believes among student; current sample M score = 49.97, SD = 5.04); importance of types of faculty evidence supporting the mission(11 items) = faculty responsibilities supporting the mission (e.g. contributions to the university as a person of integrity, perseverance, and courage, curriculum development that supports diversity and respect of others; current sample M score = 40.47, SD = 6.99).

  39. Senior Administrators: Study 2 All senior administrators (i.e., Assistant, Associate, and full Vice Presidents and Deans) were requested to complete the inventories (in counterbalanced order) across 6 weeks. Vice Presidents =administrative officials involved in overall academic, student, or business affairs; Deans =specifically associated with different schools/colleges. All information confidential & recorded anonymously by a research associate in IR office. 35 senior leaders (33.6% compliance) completed on-line items. NOTE: 2 administrators indicated they were too new to comment; 1 administrator claimed lack of time. NO overall sense of reactance/negative feedback.

  40. Correlates between All Sub-scale Scores DMV: DMV: DMV: DMV: DMV: FacExp FacExp Soc innov/inclu Cath plur urb/glb rel herit faith-form enagmt types Des DMV: innovative & [.65] inclusive @ p < .06 * p < .05 **p < .01 Catholic .44**[.70] pluralism urban/global .26 .11 [.80] engagement religious .34* .16 .69**[.70] n = 35 heritage Catholic & other .33@ .01 .26 .54**[.70] faith-formation Faculty Expectations Scales (Fac. Exp) engagement .19 .02 .48** .61** .48**[.65] types of evidence -.04 .12 .46** .57** .34* .63**[.76] Social Desirability Scale (Soc Des): .33 .35* -.09 .22 -.00 .23 .20 [.66]

  41. Mean Scores: Deans & Vice-Presidents Deans Vice Presidents (n = 17) (n = 18) DMV Scales: innovative 56.88 59.22 & inclusive identity (7.84) (6.82) NO sign. diff. betw Deans vs. VPs Catholic pluralism 35.82 33.44 identity (3.56) (4.98) NO sign. diff. among Asst/Assoc/Full levels urban/global 25.65 24.9 engagement (3.77) (4.70) [controlling Soc Des] religious 27.47 28.17 heritage (5.16) (4.02) Catholic & other 16.12 17.83 faith-formation (4.90) (4.32) Faculty Expectations Scales: engagement 49.18 50.72 (5.74) (4.32) types of evidence 39.76 41.17 (6.35) (7.67)

  42. Take Home Message… men & women Sen. Leaders (whether by title or rank, controlling for soc. desirability) similar= - perceptions of the institution’s mission: - perceptions of mission activities: - expectations of faculty in support of that mission Sen. Leaders believed that mission-driven activities (e.g., faith-formation activities, urban & global engagement) were related to Faculty involvement in these activities + perceptions that faculty should produce evidence supporting mission-related activities.

  43. Faculty: Study 3 • Brandt (2007: Jan!): thesis n = 247 57% men, 43% women 45.7 years old (SD=10.20) 8.16 years (SD= 8.12) 35 Full Professors 61 Associate Professors [51.8% tenured] 59 Assistant Professors 92 Instructors 33.44% Roman Catholic 26.23% Christian

  44. Faculty: Study 3 - Correlates Social DePaul Mission and Values Inventory Desir incinn Catplur urbglo relher faithopp _________________________________________________ DePaul Mission & Values Scales (DMV): • inc-inn .221** • Catplur .163* .714** • urb-glo .022 .346** .346** • rel her .002 .427** .433** .557** • faithopp .036 .192** .246** .292** .581** School Sense of Community (SOC): • setting .162* .528** .266** .138* .189* .113 • co-worker .110 .524** .292** .220** .261** .131* n = 247 *p < .01 **p < .001

  45. Faculty: Study 3 - Partial Correlates DePaul Mission and Values Inventory inc-inn Cathplur urb-glo rel her faithopp ________________________________________ School Sense of Community (SOC): • setting .512** .246** .143* .191* .121 • co-worker .516** .280** .224** .263** .136* n = 247 *p < .01 **p < .001

  46. Take Home Message… Faculty, regardless of rank and religion, support mission statements at their university Moreover, a strong mission perception relates to a strong sense of community among faculty, independent of social desirability tendencies

  47. Student Leaders: Study 4 Objective:Survey student leaders who participated in a yearlong mentored leadership training program; Purpose:Evaluate whether student leaders may be taught to perceive the institutional mission, especially when guided by staff mentors. Research Question 1:Does training with mission mentoring make a difference in terms of understanding and embracing the institutional mission, vision, and values? Research Question 2:How do club officers compare with regular members involved in mission mentoring?

  48. Student Leaders: Study 4 Participants: • Wave 1 (n = 85; 30 men, 45 women) -- Age (M = 20.66) -- GPA (M = 3.30) • Student Club Officers (n = 31) • Regular Club Members (n = 54) -- Year in School: Freshman (n = 11) Sophomore (n = 21) Junior (n = 22) Senior (n = 21)

  49. Student Leaders: Study 4 Participants: • Wave 2 (n = 25; 7 men, 17 women) Year in School: • Freshman (n = 3) • Sophomore (n = 8) • Junior (n = 7) • Senior (n = 6)

  50. Student Leaders: Study 4 Survey Instrument: Student Life Assessment • DePaul Values Inventory (DeVI) • DePaul Mission & Values Inventory (DMV) • Social Desirability Scale • Leadership Scale • School Sense of Community Scale

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