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Â鶹´«Ã½ Mission Priority Examen

The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) and the North American Jesuit Provincials have established a self-study and peer review process for reaffirming the Jesuit, Catholic mission of Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States and Belize, a process requested by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus. 

Known as the Mission Priority Examen (MPE), the process is grounded in the examen, a practice of Ignatian reflection, and invites the campus community to reflect upon areas of strength in embodying our Jesuit, Catholic identity and opportunities for deepening our mission. In welcoming AJCU colleagues to support one another’s institutional self-reflection, we aim to foster a more vibrant and collaborative network of Jesuit higher education.

SLU’s 2024-25 Mission Priority Examen

In December 2023, at the invitation of Thomas P. Greene, S.J., provincial superior of the Central and Southern Province, Â鶹´«Ã½ launched its second MPE process. After consultation with David Suwalsky, S.J., vice president for Mission and Identity, President Fred Pestello invited a steering committee representing the university community to begin its work. Comprised of faculty, staff and administrators from every academic unit, the steering committee convened focus groups on the north campus, south campus, School of Law, Madrid and virtually.

Read the 2024 MPE report

All SLU community members were invited to participate in the examen process. The focus groups included:

  • Adjunct faculty
  • Admissions
  • Alpha Sigma Nu
  • Alumni
  • Athletics
  • Board of Trustees
  • Campus Ministry
  • Chaifetz School of Business
  • Chairs
  • College for Public Health and Social Justice
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Philosophy and Letters
  • Community and neighborhood partners
  • Deans
  • Distribution Services
  • Division for Innovative Community Engagement
  • Doisy College of Health Sciences
  • Donors
  • Facilities, custodial and maintenance Services
  • Faculty Senate
  • Graduate Student Association
  • Human Resources
  • Jesuit community at SLU
  • Libraries and Museums
  • Madrid faculty, staff and students
  • Marketing and Communication
  • Office of the Provost
  • Parents of current students
  • Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching
  • Research
  • School for Professional Studies
  • School of Education
  • School of Law
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Science and Engineering
  • St. Francis Xavier College Church
  • Staff Advisory Committee
  • Student Development
  • Student Government Association
  • Student Organizations, affinity groups, commuters, and resi-muters
  • Transformative Workforce Academy
  • University CORE
  • University Dining Services
  • University Leadership Council

Process and Timeline

Check back for updates to the process as we continue the Mission Priority Examen.

Month

Activity

January
  • Launch
  • Steering committee convenes

February
  • Focus group sessions

March
  • Data aggregation
  • Steering committee reconvening

April
  • Final focus group sessions
  • Data review

May
  • Data review
  • Discernment of priorities

June/July
  • Mission Priority Examen self-study report drafting

August
  • Draft revision and discernment
  • Distribution of departmental data to steering committee for ongoing conversation "locally"

September
  • University-wide survey
  • Mission Priority Examen self-study report submitted to peer team

October
  • Peer team visit
  • Peer team report

November
  • Final Mission Priority Examen submission to the AJCU and Society of Jesuits provincial