Faculty and Staff Perception of Institutional

Mission & Identity

A cooperative research grant project

Kim Pavlick, Ph.D. ● The University of Scranton Ellen Boylan, Ph.D. ● Marywood University North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR) ● Boston ● MA ● December 3-6 ● 2011

A cooperative research grant project

Funding awards in 2011 make possible joint research by faculty at nearby institutions to encourage intellectual exchange and generate results with mutual benefit.

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 leaders of public and private institutions alike are

thinking about spirituality

these days, as the data suggest that's what their students are thinking about, too (Inside Higher Ed, 2009).

background

  There is strong

connection

between institutional

programs

and student

learning

(Pascarella, 2001) .

environment …the best way to assess

identity

is via

mission

statements (Estanek, James & Norton 2006).

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Rationale for the study

 Abelman & Dalessandro (2009)  content analysis of mission statements reveals similar themes; “visionary” terminology (Catholics)  Borne et al (2000)  institutions that clearly articulate their missions are more effective at strategic planning  Porter & Ramirez (2009)  maintaining religious identity is good for institutions

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

purpose

To

assess

faculty and staff perception of mission and Catholic identity at the cooperating institutions and

identify

ways these perceptions are fostered and strengthened on campus.

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The University of Scranton

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Marywood University

  There are key constructs in mission statements.

How are they perceived by various audiences?

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Institutional Characteristics

Scranton Marywood

     Carnegie Classification - Master’s 1 Suburban setting Enrollment   UG 4,100 Grad 1,970 (includes online) Colleges and Schools 4 Degrees offered    Bachelor’s 61 Master’s 25 PhD Physical Therapy      Carnegie Classification - Master’s 1 Suburban setting Enrollment   UG 2,255 Grad 1,143 Colleges and Schools 5 Degrees offered    Bachelor’s 61 Master’s 36 PhD Human Development, Clinical Psychology

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 …institutions influence levels of

engagement

on campus as a result of structural features, programs, policies, and

organizational culture

(Kuh et al., 2005).

theoretical framework



two-step flow

of communication (Lazarsfeld, Berelson, & Gaudet ,1944).

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previous research

DMV and staff

    DePaul University staff N = 500 Assess perception of the institution’s mission, Catholic values, and mission-driven activities Results   most perceive the mission is conveyed throughout the institution affects all functional areas: administration, academics, policies, and student services (Ferrari & Velcoff 2006)

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Previous research:

DMV and Trustees

    DePaul University Board of Trustees N = 39 Assess perception of the institution’s mission. Results  Most value the mission and values of the institution  Decision-making processes are informed by institution’s mission and values (Ferrari, Bottom & Gutierrez, 2010)

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Previous research:

Students reflect mission



faith-based institutions that transmit their values via their mission statements produce students who can achieve ethical and moral development that reflects the constructs of the school’s mission.

(Ferrari, et.al, 2008)

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Enlarging the scope of DMV research…



Institutional comparisons

 Two institutions simultaneously  Each with different founding sponsors 

Instrument use

 To different regions of the country (from mostly Midwest)  With different populations (using faculty & staff groups)

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  Select two “like” institutions for the study  populations  mission statements Target employee samples   Faculty Staff

methodology

    Distribute invitation via employee email Employ the DePaul Mission and Values Inventory (DMV)    Queries respondents on their perceptions of common constructs found in institutional mission statements.

Likert response scale 1-7 Subset of 16 out of 39 DMV items used here.

Administer online using Survey Monkey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DGNJ3BF Analyze results using SPSS

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Survey instrument

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Added demographic items

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results

Characteristic Position

Faculty Staff Other/Unknown

Employment Status

Full-time Part-time

Gender

Female Male

Race/Ethnicity

Hispanic Asian Black Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander White Two or more Unknown

University of Scranton (N = 158) %

44 54 2 17 37

Marywood University (N = 206) %

44 54 2 88 12 73 27 1.3 0.6 0.6 1.9 1.9 0.5 1.3 96.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 94.7 0.5 0.5

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Community Questions

Faculty Marywood University The University of Scranton Staff Marywood University The University of Scranton Q1 I believe that at (institution) our very diverse personal values and religious beliefs contribute to an atmosphere that fosters mutual understanding and respect. Q2 I believe that we manifest respect by our care for each member of the university community. 5.88 6.11 5.46 5.57 5.87 5.97 5.20 5.56 Marywood University All The University of Scranton 5.89 6.03 5.32 6.58 Mean Community Mean by Institution* Marywood University (N=187) 5.96 University of Scranton (N=146) 5.45 *

p

=.000

All 5.74

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Community Q1

 I believe that at (institution) our very diverse personal values and religious beliefs contribute to an atmosphere that fosters mutual understanding and respect.

Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree Marywood University (N=187)

%

34.8 40.6 13.4 3.7 4.8 2.7 0.0 University of Scranton (N=146)

%

16.4 39.7 24.7 5.5 8.2 3.4 2.1 All

%

26.7 40.2 18.3 4.5 6.3 3.0 0.9

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Mission Perception Questions

Q3 I believe that (institution) is innovative. Q4 I believe that (institution) is inclusive. Q5 I believe that (institution) takes risks that are consistent with its mission and values Q6 I believe that (institution) is pragmatic, grounding its education in the realities of everyday life. Q7 I believe that (institution)'s mission and values are visible to all. Q10 I support our current approach to fostering the leadership potential of individuals. Faculty Marywood University The University of Scranton 5.14 5.81 4.97 5.24 5.17 5.67 5.90 5.51 4.63 5.43 5.47 5.21 Mission Perception Mean by Institution* Mean Marywood University (N=187) 5.66 Staff Marywood University The University of Scranton 5.30 6.10 5.11 5.22 5.41 5.68 5.84 6.00 University of Scranton (N=146) 5.19 4.85 5.40 5.45 5.16 All 5.45 *

p

Marywood University All The University of Scranton 5.23 5.96 5.04 5.23 5.32 4.75 5.69 5.89 5.80 5.44 5.48 5.19

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Identity Perception Questions

Faculty Marywood University The University of Scranton Q8 I believe that our religious heritage remains relevant to the university today. Q9 I support our current approach to expressing the University's identity. Q11 I believe that our university invites all inquirers to freely examine Catholicism, other faith traditions and other secular values systems in light of their respective contributions to the human enterprise. Q12 I believe that the curricula at our schools and colleges have appropriate expressions of the university's Catholic identity. Q13 I support my institution’s current approach to expressing its Catholic identity. 5.85 5.64 5.31 5.55 5.47 5.73 5.06 5.06 5.13 5.19 Mission Perception Mean by Institution* Staff Marywood University The University of Scranton 6.18 5.94 5.99 5.81 5.93 5.92 5.65 5.46 5.51 5.76 Marywood University All The University of Scranton 6.03 5.85 5.83 5.58 5.76 5.70 5.40 5.29 5.36 5.52 Mean Marywood University (N=187) 5.79 University of Scranton (N=145) 5.48 All 5.65

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*

p

<.01

Programs Questions

Faculty Staff All Q14 Campus Ministry provides a variety of services and programs designed to serve the University community and enhance the institution's Catholic identity.

Q15 The University sponsors a variety of services and programs to demonstrate the connectedness to the global community. Marywood University The University of Scranton Marywood University The University of Scranton Marywood University The University of Scranton 6.12

6.11

5.68

5.65

6.46

6.26

6.08

5.88

6.32

6.20

5.90

5.78

Programs Mean by Institution* Mean Marywood University (N=187) 6.26 University of Scranton (N=145) 5.84 *

p

=.000

All 6.08

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Significant differences in item means by faculty/staff

Q8 I believe that our religious heritage remains relevant to the university today. Q9 I support our current approach to expressing the University's identity. Q11 I believe that our university invites all inquirers to freely examine Catholicism, other faith traditions and other secular values systems in light of their respective contributions to the human enterprise. Q12 I believe that the curricula at our schools and colleges have appropriate expressions of the university's Catholic identity. Q13 I support my institution’s current approach to expressing its Catholic identity. Q14 Campus Ministry provides a variety of services and programs designed to serve the University community and enhance the institution's Catholic identity. *p<.05

**p<.01

***p<.001

Mean Faculty 5.80 5.39 Staff 6.07* 5.84** 5.20 5.37 5.35 5.93 5.66** 5.74** 5.85*** 6.29**

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Significant differences in item means by faculty/staff by institution

Mean Q9 I support our current approach to expressing the University's identity. Q10 I support our current approach to fostering the leadership potential of individuals. Q11 I believe that our university invites all inquirers to freely examine Catholicism, other faith traditions and other secular values systems in light of their respective contributions to the human enterprise. Q12 I believe that the curricula at our schools and colleges have appropriate expressions of the university's Catholic identity. Q13 I suppor t my institution’s current approach to expressing its Catholic identity. Q14 Campus Ministry provides a variety of services and programs designed to serve the University community and enhance the institution's Catholic identity. Marywood University Faculty 5.64 5.51 5.31 5.55 5.47 6.12 Staff 5.99 6.00** 5.81* 5.93* 5.92* 6.46* University of Scranton Faculty 5.06 5.21 5.06 5.13 5.19 5.68 Staff 5.65* 5.16 5.46 5.51 5.76** 6.08* *p<.05

**p<.01

***p<.001

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  

conclusions

perceptions of mission and identity differ by institution despite shared religious denomination perceptions of institutional mission and identity differ by faculty and staff groups overall faculty and staff perceptions of institutional mission and identity differ by group within institutions.

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Future research

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References

Amis, J., Slack, T., Hinings, C.R. (2002). Values and organizational change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science,38,436-465. Doi:10.1177/002188602237791. Bourne, B., Gates, L., Cofer, J. (2000). Setting strategic directions using critical success factors. Planning for Higher Education, 28, 10-18.

Detomasi, D. (1995). Mission statements: One more time. Planning for Higher Education, 24, 31-35.

Dwyer, J. & Zech, C. (1998). American Catholic higher education: An ACCU study on mission and identity, faculty development, and curricular revision. Current Issues in Higher Education, 19 (1), 3-32.

Estanek, S. James, M. & Norton, D. (2006). Assessing Catholic Identity: A study of mission statements of Catholic colleges and universities. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 10 (2), 199-216.

Feldner, S. N (2006). Living our mission: A study of university mission building. Communication Studies, 57 (1), 67-85. doi:1199313561 Ferrari, J., Cowman, S., Milner, L., Gutierrez, R., & Drake, P. (2008). Impact of school sense of community within a faith-based university: Administrative and academic staff perceptions on institutional mission and values. Social Psychology of Education,12, 515-528. doi: 10.1007/s11218-009-9093-3 Ferrari, J. & Guitierrez, R. E. (2010). Passing the torch: Maintaining faith-based traditions during transition of leadership. Education, 131, 64-72. Ferrari, J. & Velcoff, J. (2006). Measuring staff perceptions of university identity and activities: The mission and values inventory. Christian Higher Education. Retrieved www.informaworld.com/index/759221666.pdf

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Gallin, A. (2001). Negotiating identity: Catholic higher education since 1960. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

Hellwig, M.K. (2004). Evaluating the mission and identity of a Catholic college or university. In Association of

Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, and Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Mission and identity: A handbook for trustees of Catholic

colleges and universities (pp. 45-52). Washington, DC: Author.

Inside Higher Education (2009). Spiritual accountability. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/pri...assessment/01/02/2007/News Katz, E. & Lazarsfeld, P. (1955). Personal Influence. New York: The Free Press.

Morphew, C. & Hartley, M. (2006). Mission statements: A thematic analysis of rhetoric across institutional type. The Journal of Higher Education, 77 (3), 456-461. doi:10.1353/jhe.2006.0025

Peck, K. & Stick, S. (2008). Catholic and Jesuit identity in higher education. Christian Higher education, 7 (3), 200-225. doi:10.1080/15363750701818394 Porter, S. & Ramirez, T. (2009). Survival of the wealthiest. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2009/04/17/closing .

Stripling, J. (November 17, 2010). The Catholicity Test. Retrieved from Inside Higher Education. http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2010/11/17/catholic Ziegler, J. (2009, February 27). Economic crisis, Catholic identity are top concerns of college presidents. The National Catholic Register. Retrieved from http://www.ncregister.com//site/print_article/17443 .

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discussion

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Contact us

Kim Pavlick, Ph.D., Professor The University of Scranton Department of Communication Pavlickk2scranton.edu

570.941.4147

Ellen Boylan, Ph.D.

Marywood University [email protected]

Office of Planning and Institutional Research 570.348.6203

Presentation: http://www.marywood.edu/instresearch/professional-publications activities.html

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Faculty and Staff Perception of Institutional

Mission & Identity

A cooperative research grant project

Kim Pavlick, Ph.D. ● The University of Scranton Ellen Boylan, Ph.D. ● Marywood University North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR) ● Boston ● MA ● December 3-6 ● 2011