Transcript Spirituality Among Support Staff: Perceptions of

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
[email protected] 773/325-4244
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]
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).
‘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).
Measuring Mission: DePaul University
“urban, Catholic, and Vincentian”
URBAN delivering quality education to locations in and
around the metropolitan area of Chicago, IL.
CATHOLIC directing 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)
DePaul University
7 colleges
23,000 students +800 faculty
7th largest private;
largest US Catholic University
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
The DeVI for 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.]
The DeVI for 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.]
Sample Study #1
Cowman (2006) [dissertation]
-- predicting mission perception among nontraditional students
n = 1574 (939 women, 500men;
171 not specified)
Ethnicity: 63% Caucasian
11% Latino(a)
10% African American
9% Asian
7% Other
Mean Scores for DeVI Subscales
DeVI Subscales
Alpha
M
SD
Institutional Values
.91
50.9 (11.6)
Lifelong Commitment
To Values
.75
20.5
Note. Value in parentheses is standard deviation
(4.4)
Correlates:Student Characteristics & DeVI
Age
Institutional Lifelong
Values
Commitmt
.07*
.08**
GPA
.08**
.08**
Preparing for class (USS 1)
.01
.05*
In on-campus activities (USS 3)
.06*
.07**
Hours Per Week Spent:
Relaxing & socializing (USS 4)
-.07**
-.08**
Caring for dependents (USS 5)
.09**
.08**
Commuting (USS 6)
-.03
-.01
Predictors for Institutional Values
Β
SE Β
β
Hours Per Week Spent:
on-campus activities (USS 3)
Age
**p. < .01
.095 .029
.091**
.011 .003
.087**
Predictors for Lifelong Commitment
Β
SE Β β
0.012
.004
.089**
0.112
.031
.101**
relaxing & socializing (#4) -.056
.026
-.061*
Age
Hours Per Week Spent:
on-campus activities (#3)
* p. < .05, ** p. < .01
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
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)
DeVI Analysis 1:
Natives vs. Transfers
7
6
Natives
Transfers
*p=0.012
5.27
*p= 0.045
5
4.60
4.48
4.31
5.15
5.32
5.28
4.36
4
3
2
1
0
Institutional Values
Emphasis on Diversity
Pro-Social Atmosphere
Lifelong Commitment
DeVI Analysis 2:
Vertical vs. Horizontal
7
Vertical
Horizontal
*p=0.035
6
5.30
*p=0.035
5
4.66
4.43
4.40
5.43
5.08
5.28
4.39
4
3
2
1
0
Institutional Values
Emphasis on Diversity
Pro-Social Atmosphere
Lifelong Commitment
Implications for Higher Education
 Clarify
Mission
 Emphasize Mission to transfers
 Promote mission-related, non-course
activities
 Expose University Mission initiatives
to students
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
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”)
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”)
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]]
Study 1… [STAFF Participants]
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 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
Varimax Rotation Factor Loadings
‘Institutional Identity Items’ : Sample 1:STAFF
FACTOR 1 = ”Innovative/Inclusive”










Innovative
Inclusive
Manifests personalism
Takes risks
.616
Expresses Vincentian identity
Expresses values in education/
operations through service,
respect, personalism for all
Expresses urban identity
Faith heritage remains relevant
Atmosphere of mutual respect
Pragmatic education
related to life reality
.669
.668
.660
.571
.552
.530
.479
.456
.439
FACTOR 2 = “Catholic Pluralism”






Expresses its Catholic
identity
Curricula expresses
Catholic identity
All faiths freely expressed
freely expressed
Uni Ministry services
religious pluralistic identity
M & V Office services
religious pluralistic identity
Services/programs demonstrate
connectedness to community
EIGEN VALUE:
% OF VARIANCE:
n = 178
5.446
34.04
.791
.711
.709
.694
.467
.447
2.583
21.72
Factor loading > .400 are listed
Varimax Rotation Factor Loadings
‘Mission-Driven Activity’ Items: Sample 1:STAFF
FACTOR 1 = “Urban/Global Engagement”








International students
Faculty/Staff vol. service
Study abroad programs
Service Learning programs
Diversity initiatives
Community service organizations
Community partnerships
International campus sites
.762
.703
.701
.693
.664
.653
.638
.610
FACTOR 2 = “University-Specific Programs”








‘Annual Vincentian Lectures’
‘Authors at Lunch’ Lectures
‘Vincentian Heritage’ France trips
.839
.745
.689
Mission/heritage publications
In services
Emergency finance assistance
New staff mission-orientation
University Ombudsman
.675
.616
.540
.538
.439
FACTOR 3 = “Faith-formation Programs”






Religious education/spiritual programs
Interfaith worship opportunities
Catholic sacramental opportunities
Catholic worship services
Community-based service programs
Worship opportunities for non-Catholics
EIGEN VALUE:
% OF VARIANCE:
n = 178
7.25
31.50
2.95
12.81
Factor loading > .400 are listed
.742
.741
.722
.711
.649
.580
2.00
8.70
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]
 Catholic
33.57
pluralistic
(4.95) .598***
[.752]
* p < .05 ** p < .01
*** p < .001
MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY:



Urban/global
engagement
University
specific programs
Faith-formation
programs
26.69
(4.63)
27.52
(5.57)
13.49
(4.08)
(n=178): Staff
.218**
.178*
[.861]
.323**
.292**
.433***
[.866]
.178*
.211**
.314***
.485***
[.812]
SAMPLE 2 :STAFF- Descriptive Statistics
‘Identity and Activity’ Subscales
M
IDENTITY
inclusive/
Catholic
innovative
pluralistic
ACTIVITIES
urban/global
Uni.
engagement specific
faith
formation
______________________________________________
INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY:


Inclusive/
innovative
Catholic
pluralistic
63.18
(9.16) [.758]
27.65
(4.52) .548***
[.786]
* p < .05
** p < .01
*** p < .001
MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY:



Urban/global
26.52
engagement
(4.56)
University
26.61
specific programs (5.89)
Faith-formation
19.98
programs
(4.94)
(n=361): Staff
.283**
.225**
[.861]
.286**
.245**
.523***
[.885]
.340***
.570***
.187*
.169*
[.859]
Correlates: Identity & Activity
x Social desirability
Marlow-Crowne (1960)
SOCIAL DESIRABILITY
INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY:


Inclusive/Innovative
Catholic pluralistic
.194**
.150**
MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY:



Urban/global engagement
University specific programs
Faith-formation programs
STAFF:n = 502-548 * p < .05
.036
.111*
.027
** p < .01 *** p < .001
Partial Correlates: Identity & Activity
x Sch. Sense of Community
[controlling SD]
Royal & Rossi (1991)
sch. sense of community
INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY:


Inclusive/Innovative
Catholic pluralistic
.480***
.415***
MISSION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY:

Urban/global engagement
University specific programs
.270***
.179**

Faith-formation programs
.125*

STAFF: n = 502-548
* p < .05
** p < .01 *** p < .001
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
Take Home Message…
Controlling for social desirability
tendencies….
STAFF reported that their perceptions
of the Mission and related-Activities
supported their faith beliefs and
practices
related to their sense of community
with peers at school
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
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
expectations to 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).

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.
Correlates between All Sub-scale Scores
DMV:
DMV:
innov/inclu
DMV:
Cath plur
innovative &
[.65]
inclusive
Catholic
.44**
pluralism
urban/global
.26
engagement
religious
.34*
heritage
Catholic & other .33@
faith-formation
DMV:
DMV:
DMV:
FacExp FacExp
urb/glb rel herit faith-form enagmt types
@ p < .06
[.70]
.11
.16
.69**
[.70]
.01
.26
.54**
.02
.12
**p < .01
[.80]
n = 35
[.70]
Faculty Expectations Scales (Fac. Exp)
engagement
.19
types of evidence -.04
* p < .05
.48**
.46**
.61**
.57**
.48**
.34*
[.65]
.63**
[.76]
Social Desirability Scale (Soc Des):
.33
.35*
Soc
Des
-.09
.22
-.00
.23
.20
[.66]
Mean Scores: Deans & Vice-Presidents
DMV Scales:
innovative
& inclusive identity
Catholic pluralism
identity
Deans
(n = 17)
56.88
(7.84)
35.82
(3.56)
Vice Presidents
(n = 18)
59.22
(6.82)
33.44
(4.98)
NO sign. diff. betw
Deans vs. VPs
NO sign. diff. among
Asst/Assoc/Full levels
urban/global
engagement
25.65
(3.77)
24.9
(4.70)
religious
heritage
27.47
(5.16)
28.17
(4.02)
Catholic & other
faith-formation
16.12
(4.90)
17.83
(4.32)
Faculty Expectations Scales:
engagement
types of evidence
49.18
(5.74)
39.76
(6.35)
50.72
(4.32)
41.17
(7.67)
[controlling Soc Des]
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 missionrelated activities.
Faculty: Study 3

Brandt (2007: Jan!): thesis n = 247
57% men, 43% women
35
61
59
92
45.7 years old (SD=10.20)
8.16 years (SD= 8.12)
Full Professors
Associate Professors
[51.8% tenured]
Assistant Professors
Instructors
33.44% Roman Catholic
26.23% Christian
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
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
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
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?
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
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
(n
(n
(n
(n
=
=
=
=
11)
21)
22)
21)
Student Leaders: Study 4
Participants:
 Wave 2 (n = 25; 7 men, 17 women)
Year in School:
–
–
–
–
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
(n
(n
(n
(n
=
=
=
=
3)
8)
7)
6)
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
Student Leaders: Study 4
Timeline:
Fall 2005
Wave 1 Data Collection
Winter 2006
Wave 2 Data Collection
**Winter 2007
Data Analysis
**Spring 2007
Summary Report
Implications:
- Are we “walking the talk?”
- Is our institutional message around vision,
values, and mission being effectively conveyed to
and embraced by students
[leaders different than regular members]?
The Engaged Student Project
Objective: survey undergraduates identified
as "highly mission engaged“ leaders
Purpose: enhance objectives at furthering
student engagement in DePaul's mission
and values (e.g. program development).
Definitions: student engagement is
characterized by a high level of
involvement in activities reflecting the
University’s mission and values.
The Engaged Student Project
Recruitment: students were identified by
Staff Advisory Group (n= 15 directors,
assistant directors & coordinators) from
academic and leadership programs.
Participation: ~ 250 students contacted via
e-mail to participate in an on-line, openended survey; 230 addresses ‘usable’
105 started survey [45.7% of total]
101 completed survey [43.9% of total; 96.2% of starts]
68 women, 32 men
45% Rom Catholic
57% White
55% upper class
54% live off campus 48% 1st genrtn
The Engaged Student Project
Survey: demographics + 14 items on
‘student engagement’
 10
closed-ended, e.g.:
How would you describe your level of
mission-related engagement as a student?
(As measured by the time and effort you
spend on co-curricular activities that you
believe reflect the university’s mission and
values)
very high
high
average
below average
The Engaged Student Project

+ 4 open-ended, e.g.:
How has the university encouraged and
supported your engagement as a student
with its mission and values?
Timeline:
Fall ’06:
student identification/survey
development
Winter ’07: survey administration &
analysis
Spring ’07: dissemination of findings
Future Directions
Similar profile with:
NEW FACULTY ??
[Peter Drake]
Utilize findings from Engaged Student
Survey to promote student engagement at
DePaul [Jessica Velcoff]
BOARD of TRUSTEES??
[Jessica & Peter]
Future Directions
Variations with Different Colleges ??
Divisions ?? Majors ??
Races?? Genders??
Other Stakeholders – Parents?? Alumni?
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & EVALUATION
related to Mission??
[e.g., ‘engaged student’ mentoring]
Application to OTHER SCHOOLS??
Pubs using the DMV
Ferrari, J.R. & Velcoff, J. (2006).
Measuring staff perceptions of university
identity and activities: The mission and
values inventory. Christian Higher
Education, 5, 243-261.

Velcoff, J., & Ferrari, J.R. (2006).
Perception of a university mission
statement by senior administrators:
Relating to faculty engagement. Christian
Higher Education, 5, 329-339.
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THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME
&
INTEREST
“It is not enough to do good, we must
do it well” – St. Vincent dePaul