Mission Priority Examen

During the 2017-2018 academic year, Loyola Marymount University participated in a Mission Priority Examen at the request of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus and with the support of the Jesuit Provincials in the United States and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

The Examen invited the LMU community to engage in institutional reflection on the mission and to commit to a set of priorities for faithfully and creatively promoting our Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount identity and values in the years to come.

The Process

A Steering Committee chaired by the vice president for Mission and Ministry and made up of faculty and staff representatives from across the university was responsible for guiding LMU through the Examen.

The institutional Examen involved several stages. For a detailed description of the Mission Priority Examen and accompanying materials, please visit the AJCU's Mission Priority Examen website.

The Self-Study

The centerpiece of the process is the production of a self-study. Using the document Some Characteristics of Jesuit Colleges and Universities: A Self-Evaluation Instrument, LMU was 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 sought input from a variety of constituencies, including faculty, staff, students, trustees, religious communities, and the Archbishop of Los Angeles. For LMU faculty, staff, and students, this consultation with stakeholders took place through a series of Group Interviews. Many of these interviews were conducted during regular meetings of existing committees, but a number of open sessions were also scheduled to maximize input from the community.

Materials provided to the Group Interview participants are available here.

The Peer Review

In February 2018, a Visiting Team of experts from other Jesuit colleges and universities visited LMU 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 Term then compiled a report that assesses LMU's priorities, offers suggestions for new or additional priorities, and affirms LMU's commitment to its Catholic, Jesuit and Marymount identity to the leadership of the Society of Jesus.

Read more about the members of the Visiting Team.

Timeline