President's Inaugural Response
Embracing the Future Together
23rd President, Creighton University
Good afternoon.
As I begin these remarks I publicly thank Bill Fitzgerald and the Creighton University Board of Directors for selecting me and investing me as Creighton's 23rd president. It is an honor and an obligation I will not take lightly.
I am deeply grateful to Archbishop Curtiss, Governor Johanns and Mayor Daub for their participation in today's ceremony. And a word of thanks, also, to all of our speakers, and the constituencies they represent, for their greetings and challenges.
A special word of welcome to my mother and members of my family who have endured a previous event like this; to my San Francisco friends and USF associates who know of my love affair with the City by the Bay, and to my former students here today, who were a major influence for my return to Creighton; and finally, to all of you, the Creighton faculty, staff, students and the Omaha community.
We planned today's event as a family affair -- Creighton, Omaha, and a few special friends. For this is a time to reflect, within the family, on Creighton's future. A time to think out loud, a time to visualize a new Creighton, building on the rich legacy of Michael Morrison's accomplishments and, indeed, the accomplishments of the past 123 years. For it is a rich and proud legacy. And what opens before us is even richer in opportunities and promise.
But we must believe this. We must want this. We must be willing to work together to accomplish this.
As we embrace the future we must do so with the courage and the tenacity of those Willa Cather heroines who tamed the red grass prairies of Nebraska.
As we embrace the future we must do so with the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the Creighton brothers who ran the transcontinental telegraph lines from Omaha to the West Coast contributing, in their way, to the technology revolution of their day.
As we embrace the future we must do so armed with conviction and faith in our mission, our common God, and one another. As we embrace the future we must do it together as an authentic community; a community in dialogue; a community marked by openness and candor, hope-filled and risk taking, a community committed to renewing and reinventing itself, poised for excellence, confident in its future.
We must believe this. We must want this. We must be willing to work together to achieve it.
The American philosopher Josiah Royce suggests that a true community--of whatever composition--has three aspects: the community that exists through the memory of the founding ideals lived in the present; the community of the present; and the community as it exists in the hopes for the future.(1)
The community that is Creighton did not begin today. It could not exist today without the ideals, efforts, and sacrifices of those who came before us--those Jesuits and lay colleagues who sited and rooted Creighton in the rough, nascent urbanscape of this post-Civil War frontier town of Omaha. And while we have had our share of challenges and opportunities, successes and failures, the bad news and the good, we stand here today as the proud beneficiaries of a coveted and tested pedigree.
The community of the past exists in the memory of the ideas, deeds, and values which formed Creighton. Three of these legacies animate the present and will guide us to our future.
One of the key sustaining elements across the years has been the rich legacy of the spirit of the Jesuit founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and the original Jesuit charism of service, of magis, of seeking the more, and of cura personalis, the personal care of all who join us in this venture of higher education.
We are mindful, too, of the Jesuit emphasis on the goodness and the promise of the world created and redeemed by God. And the Jesuit conviction that service is a primary goal of education and that our graduates and their mentors should be advocates of justice and crafters of a just social order.
This Jesuit tradition is rooted, of course, in our identity as a Catholic university. A second legacy. As such for nearly thirteen decades Creighton has tried to bring to the study of contemporary intellectual and social issues a perspective based on the Christian gospel values of love of God and love of neighbor. Across those years Creighton has recognized its special relationship to the Catholic church at both the local and the universal level. In this context of a Catholic university theology, philosophy, and moral behavior are integral as we provide a setting where religious experience and secular experience join in dialogue to meet the issues of the day.
For the Catholic intellectual tradition is rich in its insistence on searching for truth, discovery, and communicating truth. It is "animated by a spirit of freedom and charity'' characterized by mutual respect, sincere dialogue across all traditions, and the protection of the rights of the individual.
The third legacy: Omaha. When Mary Lucretia Creighton executed her husband's will and built the first university building, she sited it proximate to the center of a bustling Omaha. Thus began a symbiotic, life-giving relationship between Creighton and Omaha.
Omaha has a fabled history of being an alpha point, a staging place for the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Mormon pioneers, the gateway for the western expansion of the railroad and the telegraph, and the cultivation of the cattle and agribusinesses. That same "can-do'', adventuresome spirit continues to prevail in the Omaha of today. The future is promising and the opportunities of a Creighton-Omaha partnership are abundant.
These three legacies: Creighton as a Catholic university, fostered in the Jesuit tradition, and rooted in Omaha are three of the building blocks of our present wellness and of our future hopes.
Gathered here today, we are the present animated by that spirit of the past. The Creighton of today is a vibrant, healthy, productive, and responsive institution, consistently ranked nationally and recognized as an outstanding comprehensive university, educating highly qualified students, possessing an excellent faculty who teach with passion and professionalism while being committed to productive, timely and relevant scholarship and research.
Creighton is an institution known for quality, value centered, professional education and health care delivery; known for service and outreach to the greater community; known as the intellectual center of Catholic thought and dialogue in Omaha; respected well beyond the city's perimeter, Nebraska's state line or regional confines.
But that is now. Beyond this event comes the push and pull of daily effort that will prepare us and propel us into the future. A part of every community is the hope that it sustains to reinvent itself, to give it continuity, to give it a future. And for my part, I am hoping for a bold tomorrow for Creighton. A future embraced with passion and clarity of vision.
It is a bright future, with both opportunities and challenges, but especially opportunities.
We must believe this. We must want this. We must be willing to work together to achieve this.
What is the community I hope for? What is the anatomy of this community? What are the constituent pieces of this community mosaic?
As I talk with students, as I listen to faculty and staff, as I walk reflectively around the Jesuit garden, I see the new Creighton as a faith-based and value-centered community; an inclusive community; an engaged community, an educationally focused community; and a community in conversation. A brief comment about each.
- Creighton as a value-centered community is rooted in our identity as a Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition. Two of our sustaining legacies referenced earlier.
In this first year of the new century Creighton is a different institution than it was at the turn of the last century. But our distinctive identity, then as now, as Catholic and Jesuit remains one of the points of institutional cohesion and recognition.
It has been noted that "a Catholic university is not simply a place to form leaders of society and businessmen as in the past, nor merely a place where theology is taken seriously as one discipline among others, but as a diverse community of scholars, dedicated to the discovery and sharing of truth and to applying truth to shape a better world'' -- a world where peace and justice flourish and human dignity is honored.
We do so confident that the mystery of God and human life can always be plumbed more deeply and appropriated more fully.
For a Catholic university interprets the church to the world and the world to the church.
The on-going conversation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae has served as a stimulus for renewed efforts to foster the Catholic identity and mission of Creighton and other like institutions.
We pursue this identity and mission with great seriousness. In that we are creating what Ex Corde Ecclesiae describes as a primary and privileged place for a fruitful dialogue between the gospel and culture (2) -- a place where faith meets reason.
While Creighton will continue to express this commitment on paper, in its bylaws and mission statement, the reality is experienced in the kind of learning that is pursued, the kind of caring relationships that are experienced, the kind of values that are lived, and the quality of orientation and mission-development opportunities given to new faculty and staff.
It could be argued that Creighton is more intentionally and deliberately Catholic than in times past. And those efforts will continue in our service to the archdiocese, in our education in spirituality, ethics, and priestly formation; in the undiminished presence of theology and philosophy in the core curriculum; in our commitment to university ministry; a healthy parish life; in our hiring for mission; and in our on-going affirmation to provide ethical health care in our hospital and clinics.
This institutional congruence between mission and identity will be a stabilizing element in our future.
- What of Creighton as an inclusive community? A second characteristic. The demographics of the United States, Nebraska, and Omaha are changing. Higher education faces staggering challenges in its demographic pool. Between 1990 and 2010, the non-white youth population will increase by 4.4 million, while the white youth population will decline by 3.8 million. (3)
Already today one in four persons in this country is African-American, Latino, Asian, or Native American. By 2010 my former home state of California will be a minority majority state. Confronted by such statistics, we as institution and as individuals have little choice but to address racial and ethnic diversity. The future is inevitably multicultural and diverse.
Over the past years Creighton has made considerable progress in attracting students of color and of making Creighton affordable to students of diverse backgrounds. But just as important is making Creighton a welcoming environment in which diversity will thrive.
It does us little good to recruit students, faculty, and staff of color if we cannot retain them, graduate, tenure and promote them. We must strive to make Creighton an attractive place, nurturing the richness of differences and using this diversity to make Creighton a richer place.
It has been noted that "by valuing people for their unique identity and enabling them to contribute, we strengthen our resources, problem solving, decision making, and vitality as an institution.'' (4)
To be seen to be truly "serious about diversity'' we have to "walk the talk.'' This commitment has to be reflected in our financial aid programs, infused in the curricula and co-curricular opportunities, reflected in faculty mentoring and staff promotions, evidenced in student retention, celebrated in our community.
It is my belief that this same commitment to diversity includes an expanded role for women at Creighton. At an institution that has a majority of female students, there is a need to enhance the profile of women in the senior ranks of the professorate, in administration, and in decision making positions across the campus, colleges and clinics. This, too, will enrich this community and its enterprise.
At the same time we must be mindful of another aspect of diversity, namely globalization. Just as the Society of Jesus is global in its make-up and ministries, so Creighton must continue to globalize the curricula, increase the number of international students studying here, and multiply opportunities for Creighton students to study abroad.
Finally, when we speak of diversity the raw nerve of racism and bigotry is never far beneath the surface. Education traditionally has been the great equalizer. Perhaps never before has this challenge been so apparent or confounding. Access and opportunity are the only avenues open to resolving this dilemma, a complex dilemma that is moral, social, and economic.
Given the Judeo-Christian values of Creighton, our belief in Catholic social teaching, and our tradition of educating for social mobility, this is a challenge we willingly take. For we know from experience that "saber est poder,'' that education empowers. And we are in the business of empowerment.
It is my strongly held belief that there is in Jesuit education an implicit acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity.
We have an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of Creighton. It is exciting to be on the cusp of change. So I ask you to help make "diversity'' a recognized strength; one which complements Creighton's identity as Catholic, Jesuit and urban. From my perspective and experience this is a win-win situation. (5)
For diversity "is a strength that yields more creative, synergistic, and effective outcomes."(6)
- As Creighton forges an inclusive community it will also become an engaged community. Our third characteristic. For me, part of the new Creighton is a higher visibility in the Omaha community, a greater willingness to be involved in the deliberations that impact the quality of life and the future direction of Omaha.
I hope Creighton will be a willing partner with the city, assuming the role played by our founding family, the Creightons, as they helped shape the future of a young and robust Omaha with their vision of what could be. Like them, let us be risk-takers, let us be good civic citizens. Let us be visible, vocal, responsive, and responsible.
But most importantly let us be good neighbors, reaching out to the African American community of North Omaha and the new Hispanic presence in South Omaha. Let us do this with quality dental and health care, business and legal expertise, educational opportunities, community service, and pastoral care.
A community is the sum of many parts working for the common good. Sometimes the pieces do not fit comfortably together or they appear to be incompatible. At those times you work a little harder to find common ground, exploring new and creative avenues of cooperation. I vision Creighton being such an architect of community not because it is the law, or for political or economic gain, or campus enhancement, but because it is the right thing to do. I see Creighton continuing to be a private university in the public service.
- The heart of the enterprise is education. As a penultimate characteristic I see Creighton as an educationally purposeful community.
Part of the uniqueness of this university lies in the academic diversity we have achieved within a compact face-to-face community of learners and scholars. Our academic configuration is a key ingredient in our present and future success.
Unlike the exclusively liberal arts colleges or free standing medical, law or business schools, Creighton has the riches of a multitude of disciplinary and professional perspectives. Unlike the mega-universities, Creighton has personal relationships that can and do intersect those professional and disciplinary boundaries, as well as the tradition of putting our students first.
In this context the relationship between teaching and research is paramount.
Teaching has been and must remain central for us. Our mission states that "Creighton exists for students and learning.'' That core mission is carried out by the teaching activities of the faculty (motivated by their concern for the full development of each of our students.) Creighton has built and enhanced its reputation as an institution of dedicated, inspiring, and student-oriented teachers. Quality teaching is an absolute! Quality teaching must remain a cornerstone of the university's future. We must hire and retain only the best teachers. We must provide an environment and the tools that support teaching excellence. We must be more deliberate in acknowledging and rewarding outstanding teaching.
Every Creighton student, undergraduate or professional, traditional or adult learner -- deserves the best in our classrooms, seminar rooms, and laboratories. They deserve our best in office and hallway meetings, at clinical sites and internships, and through our web sites, listservs, and other newer means of teaching.
The university's mission also states: "Creighton faculty members conduct research to enhance teaching, to contribute to the betterment of society, and to discover new knowledge."
Research is also fundamental to our mission. There is indeed a symbiotic relationship between quality teaching and research. Faculty must be active scholars, contributing to the advancement of their disciplines and to our common fund of knowledge. Creighton has been and must continue to be a place that fosters research, scholarly publication, and the pursuit of truth in all of its expressions. Like quality teaching, trend-setting research must be acknowledged and rewarded. Our researchers across the campus must also have the environment and the tools necessary to support quality research and to attract external funding.
There are many universities that value quality teaching; as there are many that value quality research. But there are few that refuse to sacrifice one for the other; few that prize both teaching and research excellence in all faculty. Creighton does.
Creighton values the dedicated teacher who is also a publishing scholar; as we value the accomplished researcher who is also an inspiring teacher. Creighton will continue to nurture and maintain this balance of teacher-scholar. It is a model that is both professionally gratifying for faculty while providing our students with a sustained high quality education.
Teaching and research are both impacted and enhanced by today's technology revolution. The Creighton brothers' vision involved sharing technology; the Creighton sisters' vision involved sharing information with students, establishing both the university and Saint Joseph's Hospital. It is incumbent on the university today to continue this family tradition to extend communication resources and provide students and patients with the latest learning tools and information.
We cannot relax our vigilance when it comes to technology. The number of circuits on a chip will double seven times in the next ten years; internet 2 is already demonstrating much improved internet services; e-business is growing at more than 100% annually; and students are inundated with new sources of information, scholarly and not.
As an institution there are many issues to be resolved. Should Creighton become a laptop campus with laptop computers required of all students and faculty (this has significant pedagogical implications); distance learning issues and satellite campuses; joint research conducted globally via internet; redefining the function and role of university libraries; technologically enhanced health care delivery; and equipment renewal programs, to cite but a few of those issues.
Instructional technology will be used effectively only if it is incorporated into the core pedagogy of the learning experience. In reality much of this interest in technology is driven by the students who are "tech literate.'' In many instances the students are pushing the faculty and the university forward.
With all of the promise and expectations of technology the central issue remains. As a teaching and learning community how are we using these innovations and enhanced communication capacities? How will they impact on what is taught and how it is taught? Like other institutions, Creighton will continue to struggle with both the challenges and the opportunities of the ever accelerating information revolution.
- Finally, little of the above will become reality unless we are a community in conversation. There is a Mexican proverb: "la gente hablando se entiende'' -- "people understand each other by talking.''
This is an invitation to join the conversation; to be a community in dialogue about our Catholic and Jesuit identity, strategic planning, campus expansion, the reward system for excellence in teaching and research; men and women talking together about diversity and the implications of an inclusive community, the role of athletics, community outreach and justice immersion opportunities. There is so much to talk about.
To the members of the Creighton family I say: the conversation is impoverished without your response. I am aware that an expanded conversation will change the way we hold our conversation. We will hear words and expressions from varied perspectives and value systems. We will open ourselves to being challenged, exposed to the expansion of our horizons and engaged in new experiences.(7)
This invitation to a new level of conversation undoubtedly involves some risk. But risks worth taking if our conversations are informed and reasonable, nurtured by compassion, tempered by realism and a respect for tradition, and implemented with justice. We will become risk-takers even as we become stakeholders in Creighton's future.
But we must believe this. We must want this. We must be willing to work together in building Creighton into a value centered, inclusive and engaged community, an educationally focused community in conversation on the campus and beyond.
To close, I cite St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, who wrote in the constitutions of the Society of Jesus: "the greater the good, the more divine the work.''
There is great good being done by Creighton in its classrooms, laboratories, hospital, clinics and service outreach. We pray our God continues to bless this enterprise.
May God bless you and yours. Thank you.
- R. A. Mcdermott, "Hope for a Renewing Community," 1991, Pp. 2-3.
- Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Part I.
- AGB, "Trustees And Troubling Times," P.9.
- Katz and Torres,1985, P.33.
- Schlegel, "USF: Building Community for a New Tomorrow," Pp. 10-12, 1993.
- Katz, op. cit. P12.
- S. Cole, "Comments" at Ace Meeting, February 14,1995, San Francisco.