LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT: CHARISM AND THE UNIVERSITY

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LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT CHARISM AND THE UNIVERSITY

• RICHARD TRISTANO, SAINT MARYS UNIVERSITY OF
  MINNESOTA
• IALU LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, TUESDAY, 10 JUNE 2008

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THE PLAN

• 930-1000 PRESENTATION
• 1000-1030 BREAK
• 1030-1100 QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
• 1100-1130 EACH TABLE WORKS ON APPLYING A GOAL
  OR OBJECTIVE
• 1130-1200 EACH TABLE BRIEFLY REPORTS ON
  APPLICATION

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A DISCLAIMER

• THE LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT IS MEANT TO
  APPLY ONLY TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE
  UNITED STATES.

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LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT CHARISM AND THE UNIVERSITY

• I. THE CHALLENGE
• II. THE NEED
• III. THE PROCESS
• IV. THE PRODUCT
• V. THE DOCUMENT

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I. THE CHALLENGE

• TO CREATE A TRULY LASALLIAN UNIVERSITY TO BE AN
  EXCELLENT ACADEMIC INSTITUTION THAT IS FULLY
  INTEGRATED WITH THE LASALLIAN CHARISM.
• TO BECOME A DISTINCTIVELY EXCELLENT TEACHING
  INSTITUTION

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THE CHALLENGE

• WHY DO WE NEED TO BE A MORE DEEPLY ROOTED,
  COMPLETE, AND INTENTIONALLY LASALLIAN INSTITUTION?

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THE CHALLENGE

• BECAUSE IT IS OUR MISSION
• BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ARE
• BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ASPIRE TO BE
• BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SURVIVAL AND
  PROSPERITY THE NEED FOR A STRONG IDENTITY.

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II. THE NEED

• WHAT DO WE NEED TO MORE FULLY REALIZE OUR
  LASALLIAN MISSION AND IDENTITY?
• KNOWLEDGE
• WILL
• OPPORTUNITY

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THE NEED

• 1. KNOWLEDGE
• THE NEED TO DEVELOP AN ABILITY TO DEFINE
  LASALLIAN IN ITS FULLNESS AND COMPLEXITY.

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THE NEED

• 2. WILL
• THE RESOLVE TO SPEND TIME AND ENERGY STUDYING THE
  LASALLIAN CHARISM AND TO APPLY IT TO WHAT WE DO.

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THE NEED

• 3. OPPORTUNITY
• THE NEED FOR TIME AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TO
  STUDY THE LASALLIAN CHARISM AND TO APPLY IT TO
  WHAT WE DO.

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III. THE (MY) PROCESS

• PAPER ONE TWO PARTS, ONE WHOLE THE LASALLIAN
  UNIVERSITY
• THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE
  LASALLIAN CHARISM
• FOR EXAMPLE TERTIARY VERSUS PRIMARY EDUCATION
• DE LA SALLE DECIDES TO TEACH IN FRENCH

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UNIVERSITY VERSUS CHARISM

• ACADEMIC RIGOR VERSUS SEEING GOD PRESENT IN EACH
  STUDENT.
• The faults children like these commit ordinarily
  include not following the lesson, not reading
  well, not remembering or reciting catechism well,
  and learning nothing or very little. What is
  beyond their capacity must not be required of
  them. Neither should teachers let them become
  discouraged but should manage somehow to advance
  them, encourage them from time to time, and be
  satisfied with the little progress that they
  make. (Conduct, 149.)

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THE PROCESS

• PAPER TWO AN APPROACH TO LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT
• CAN WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF A
  LASALLIAN UNIVERSITY?

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THE PROCESS

• WHY CANT WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY THOSE
  CHARACTERISTICS?
• BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE, WILL, AND OPPORTUNITY
• BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF INTEGRATING
  UNIVERSITY AND CHARISM

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THE PROCESS

• THE BREAKTHROUGH BROTHER LUKES SALMS PAPER
  CHARACTERISTICS OF LASALLIAN SCHOOLS IN THE
  USA. (1998)

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BROTHER LUKE SALM, FSC

• Sensitivity to social needs
• The importance of religious education
• Commitment, in association, to teaching as a
  vocation
• Quality of education
• An emphasis on the practical
• Unity of the sacred and the profane

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THE PROCESS

• THE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE GRANT PROGRAM
  (OPPORTUNITY)
• THE FORMATION OF L.A.G. THE LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT
  GROUP
• MET FOR 11 MONTHS
• THE WRITING PROCESS CONSTANT REVISION SIX
  DRAFTS

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THE PROCESS

• CRITICAL RESPONSE OF LASALLIAN EXPERTS FROM OTHER
  LASALLIAN UNIVERSITIES
• FOUR ADDITIONAL DRAFTS
• FINAL REVISION
• SENT TO DIRECTORS OF MISSION ALL SEVEN
  LASALLIAN UNIVERSITIES

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IV. THE PRODUCT

• LASALLIAN ASSESSMENT
• TO CONSTRUCT A CONCRETE AND SPECIFIC WORKING
  DEFINITION OF THE LASALLIAN UNIVERSITY THAT CAN
  BE IMPLEMENTED, ASSESSED, AND IMPROVED OVER TIME.
• A DOCUMENT THAT IS

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THE PRODUCT

• FORMATIVE
• INTEGRATED UNIVERSITY, CATHOLIC, LASALLIAN
• DISTINCTIVE IN WHAT IT ASSESSES AND HOW IT
  ASSESSES
• YET THOROUGHLY ACADEMIC
• ACCOUNTABLE

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THE PRODUCT

• WITH EMPHASIS ON
• THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT
• THE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP
• INCULCATING VALUES
• EXPRESSING THE LASALLIAN CHARISM IN ACCEPTABLE
  ACADEMIC LANGUAGE

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A DIGRESSION LASALLIAN PEDAGOGY

• WHAT DISTINGUISHES A LASALLIAN UNIVERSITY IS
  NOT CONTENT BUT PEDAGOGY, HOW WE TEACH.

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V. THE DOCUMENT

• PROLOGUE PARADIGM
• 1030-1100 QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
• 1100-1130 EACH TABLE WORKS ON APPLYING A GOAL
  OR OBJECTIVE
• 1130-1200 EACH TABLE BRIEFLY REPORTS ON
  APPLICATION

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THE ASSIGNMENT

• CHOOSE AN OBJECTIVE, OR IF YOU PREFER, A BROADER
  GOAL.
• HOW CAN THE OBJECTIVE OR GOAL BE APPLIED, OR BE
  APPLIED BETTER AT YOUR INSTITUTION?
• WHAT SORT OF OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTATION EXIST?
  HOW CAN THEY BE OVERCOME?