Education for the Mind, Heart, and Spirit Duquesne University Self-Study
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EDUCATION FOR THE MIND, HEART, AND SPIRIT DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY SELF-STUDY Prepared for The Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education By Duquesne University’s Self-Study Steering Committee January 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................................iii List of Tables...................................................................................................................................................iv Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................1 Duquesne’s Eligibility Certification Statement .....................................................................................4 Introduction......................................................................................................................................................5 Section I: Foundations for Self-Study.............................................................................................................9 Chapter 1: Mission, Goals, and Integrity......................................................................................................10 Section II: Institutional Context...............................................................................................................21 Chapter 2: Institutional Planning and Resources ........................................................................................21 Chapter 3: Leadership, Governance, and Administration .........................................................................37 Section III: Student Life..............................................................................................................................50 Chapter 4: Student Admissions and Support Services ...............................................................................50 Section IV: Teaching and Learning.........................................................................................................70 Chapter 5: Faculty............................................................................................................................................70 Chapter 6: Educational Offerings, General Education, and Related Educational Offerings...............87 Section V: Assessment.............................................................................................................................. 106 Chapter 7: Institutional Assessment........................................................................................................... 106 Chapter 8: Assessment of Student Learning............................................................................................. 116 Section VI: Summary and Conclusion ................................................................................................. 129 Appendix 1: University Organization Chart....................................................................................... 132 Appendix 2: List of Acronyms and Abbreviations............................................................................ 133 Appendix 3: List of Supporting Documents and Locations.......................................................... 135 Appendix 4: List of Committee Members........................................................................................... 142 Duquesne University Self-Study iii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Academic Quality ............................................................................................................................53 Table 2. First-Year Freshmen.......................................................................................................................54 Table 3. Freshman Enrollment History by Ethnicity................................................................................57 Table 4. Enrolled Freshmen: Six Year SAT Average Comparison.........................................................57 Table 5. Total Financial Aid Awarded.........................................................................................................60 Table 6. Faculty Tenure.................................................................................................................................71 Table 7. Average Faculty Salaries.................................................................................................................78 Table 8. Doctoral/Research Faculty Salary Comparison .........................................................................79 Table 9. Graduate Program Review Status.................................................................................................93 Table 10. Spiritan Division: Current Overall Retention......................................................................... 101 Table 11. Dimensions of a Duquesne Education ................................................................................... 117 Table 12. Learning Outcomes on Syllabi ................................................................................................. 119 Table 13. Alignment of Course Syllabus Learning Outcomes.............................................................. 121 Table 14. Alignment of Program Learning Outcomes........................................................................... 122 iv Duquesne University Self-Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Duquesne’s “Education for the Mind, Heart, and Spirit” is shaped and informed by the University Mission Statement, which defines our institutional purpose as serving God by serving students through a commitment to academic excellence, moral and spiritual values, ecumenism, service, and world concerns. The 2003–2008 strategic plan was developed to assure that institutional goals and priorities are tied to the mission and based on effective planning for, and use of, institutional resources. This Middle States self-study offered the University community the opportunity to reflect on our ongoing successes and challenges in achieving the goals and objectives of the strategic plan and to prepare for Duquesne’s continuing growth as a Catholic university in the Spiritan tradition. The vision of the strategic plan affirms that: “Duquesne University will enter the first ranks of American Catholic higher education.” The three goals of this vision statement, emphasizing Duquesne’s Spiritan identity and mission, the quality of students’ experience, and the University’s national reputation for academic excellence, form the basis for the twenty-nine objectives identified in the plan. All stakeholders contributed to defining the strategic plan’s goals and objectives. The accompanying implementation plan identified specific objectives to be supported by the annual budget cycles from FY03–FY08. Incorporating $1.24M into the five-year financial plan to fund these strategic initiatives ensured greater resource alignment with the strategic planning process. The self-study documents Duquesne’s success in achieving strategic initiatives and identifies areas to target for future growth. Significant self-study findings will be incorporated into the next strategic planning cycle. DUQUESNE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS SPIRITAN IDENTITY AND MISSION Duquesne has substantially accomplished most of the objectives in support of this goal. The mission is a factor in hiring and performance evaluations. Orientation programs on the mission are conducted for all new students, faculty, and staff. The University Core Curriculum has been revised with increased emphasis on faith and reason, global diversity, and social justice. Implementation of the revised Core began in fall 2007 and will proceed in stages through 2009. A separate University Core Curriculum Committee for Assessment has been formed to oversee the quality of student learning in the Core. Duquesne’s Catholic Spiritan identity has been highlighted with the founding of the Centers for Spiritan Studies and Catholic Social Thought. Duquesne’s commitment to diversity has been demonstrated in many ways, from funding for minority hiring initiatives and hiring a minority student recruiter, to creating an Office of Multicultural Affairs and commissioning a campus climate study. Nevertheless, increasing campus diversity offers a continuing challenge and remains a high priority. ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCE Duquesne has successfully moved forward on all objectives in support of this goal. Admission has become more competitive. Over the last five years, the number of undergraduate applications increased by more than 50%, and the percentage of those admitted dropped by about a third. The academic quality of students has improved, and retention rates are exceptionally strong. Leadership and service have become part of admission criteria. Duquesne University Self-Study 1 Campus ministry has been expanded with the addition of two campus ministers. The Bethel Animation Center, an off-campus retreat center, has been renovated so that spiritual and mission- related programs for students can be increased. A formal campus master plan was adopted in 2004 and updated in 2005. This plan provides the University with a comprehensive development plan for ten years and a twenty-five year guide for future development. Campus facilities have been improved and the quality of residence life enhanced. Brottier Hall, a twenty-story apartment building that can house more than 750 students, was