Santa Clara University

I am a blessed individual. From the moment I embarked on my doctoral studies, I knew I wanted to be a scholar-teacher. Someone wrote that the test of a “calling” is to find the burdensome aspects of your career a small price to pay for the pleasure of its engagement. I pass the test! Academic “drudgery” (e.g. grading exams, dealing with publication refusals and rewrites, and the occasional pedagogical or research failure) has never tarnished my overall joy each September when the academic year commences.

This is not to say difficult choices are absent in the life of the scholar-teacher. Some strategic career decisions are intermittent and others perennial. These decisions pivot an academic career toward greater inner freedom or shallow careerism. Intermittent decisions in academic life are typical of any career: Should I remain at my present university or move (take advantage of greater research support?; serve more needy students?; provide for personal growth?; join an educational culture more in line with my own values?)? All careers are shaped by such choices, and for these decisions we often seek and have counsel available.

However, perennial decisions are no less important and shape the career of the scholar-teacher in subtle ways. Examples might be: Should I undertake the difficult intellectual and political process of proposing a new course? How should it be designed and taught? Is there material specific to the Jesuit, Catholic tradition that should be included? This is not a trivial decision sequence. Curriculum design impacts students' lives over several years by shaping the character of the educational experience. In a similar fashion, scholarship choices involve long lines of causation. Should my present research program be closed down or re-conceptualized? Who do I need to partner with if I venture into a new arena of intellectual inquiry? Among competing needs, whose problems should I address? How do I include the voice of the marginalized in my scholarly inquiry?

When puzzling over such decisions, a Jesuit, Catholic university hopes its faculty asks where the voice of God is within these choices. Its tradition also suggests there is something in Ignatian Spirituality that can provoke a unique perspective regarding discernment. But how can the University aid its faculty in these decisions?

There is also discernment regarding university service. Should I accept (volunteer for) appointment to this controversial committee? How will I continue scholarly inquiry and a teaching rhythm if I accept this administrative post? Should I advance to a new administrative role or return to full-time teaching and scholarship?

As I look back over my own career, there were times when I made such decisions in true inner freedom, congruent with my gifts, and even selflessly. There were other occasions when anxiety, perceived career pressures, and personal ambition distorted my choices.

When puzzling over such decisions, a Jesuit, Catholic university hopes its faculty asks where the voice of God is within these choices. Its tradition also suggests there is something in Ignatian Spirituality that can provoke a unique perspective regarding discernment. But how can the University aid its faculty in these decisions?

Introspection In Jesuit, Catholic Education

Jesuit Higher Education is undergoing a period of deep introspection. What does it mean to be a “Jesuit” University as we begin a new century? What should be the partnership between faculty and Jesuits in the unfolding future?

Santa Clara University has been involved in an intensive dialog regarding institutional mission and University level programs as part of its Strategic Plan. Still, for the individual faculty member, the implications of Jesuit identity can remain more elusive.

“I am not a Jesuit so I am not sure exactly how the Jesuit dialog really fits with my life.”

“I have extensive professional, scientific and career pressures to work through. I welcome the Jesuit cultural heritage, and many of its values, but scholarship has to remain a primary concern. I often feel my legitimate professional pressures are only partially acknowledged in the discussion of what a Jesuit University should be.”

“I already feel overwhelmed with the demands associated with trying to balance teaching, scholarship, and family. The 'Jesuit' conversation seems to ask for additional commitments.” “I am not Catholic. My religious tradition and its insights do not seem included in conversations regarding 'Jesuit Education.'”

As a faculty member I hear comments like these quietly spoken by colleagues. Further, there is much about the Jesuit ethos that is shrouded in mystery. Phrases like “discernment” and the “Spiritual Exercises” aren't always understood. Yet in the end, Santa Clara University will be fully Jesuit only if faculty members integrate dimensions of the Ignatian tradition into their individual choices.

Twelve faculty members from a variety of academic disciplines, different career stages, and representing multiple religious traditions have been invited to meet once each month for shared professional discernment. The objective is to uncover the intersection of a modern Ignatian spirituality with individual faculty choices—not an abstract, idealized dialog but rather an opportunity to learn through the current struggles of a scholar-teacher.

Insights From Leadership Devlopment Theory And Spiritual Formation

In thinking about a program that might be helpful to faculty discernment, a common premise in current research on both contemporary leadership and spirituality has to be considered. We now understand that both require integration through reflection upon strategic choices. For example, McCall, Lombardo, and Morrison (1988) provide scientific evidence that leadership skills develop through the experience of and reflection on decisions such as engaging action, accepting setbacks and reorienting projects, starting endeavors from scratch, turning around failed programs, etc. In like manner, a hallmark of Ignatian Spirituality is discovering the action of God in decisions about everyday life (Lonsdale, 2000, p. 191). In this sense Ignatian discernment is not so much a concept or a technique but rather a way of living (Delbecq et al., 2000).

Charles Currie, S.J., president of the Association of Jesuit College and Universities considers finding formats for faculty formation a critical contemporary priority for the Jesuit University. (Currie, 2001). What might be a model for deepening faculty understanding of Ignatian discernment?

An Ignatian Faculty Forum

This past fall the Bannan Center has sponsored a new experiment in faculty leadership and spiritual development. Twelve faculty members from a variety of academic disciplines, different career stages, and representing multiple religious traditions have been invited to meet once each month for shared professional discernment. The objective is to uncover the intersection of a modern Ignatian spirituality with individual faculty choices-not an abstract, idealized dialog but rather an opportunity to learn through the current struggles of a scholar-teacher.

The format for the monthly evening meeting includes a personal and spiritual “check-in” opening inter-religious meditation, exploration of the salience of pre-assigned readings from the Ignatian tradition and other spiritual and wisdom traditions for professional choices, a simple soup and bread dinner, sharing of individual decision struggles, and a closing meditation.

The design of the forum echoes the critical lesson from such management training program as TEC (The Executive Committee) and YPO (Young Presidents' Organization)-that we learn habits of the heart and discernment by reflecting on challenges we are wresting with in the present tense.

However, four spiritual elements are overlaid on this well-tested protocol:

Stable Community: Drawn from the spirituality of Benedict, the idea is that in a stable community, over time, trust wins out over fear and the responsibility and challenge to love courageously wins out over the temptation to self-centeredness or the temptation to walk away from spiritual challenge.

Spiritual Discernment: In community we learn to listen for the Spirit, which draws near in love to awaken the self to compassionate service, and to be a self-disciplined, non-anxious presence in one's organizational setting.

Lectio-Divina: Shared spiritual readings inspire the members of the group to listen to the Spirit speaking in and through both Word and the dialog following meditation.

Hospitality: The Forum becomes a place of hospitality, providing for each member's needs in mutual care, prayer, and sharing of gifts (Phillips and Huntington, 2001).

Experience To Date

The Ignatian Faculty Forum is now in its fourth month at the time of this writing. Some statements from participants provide a sense of the unfolding experience:

“It is a new experience to be able to share my real dilemmas with a group of colleagues in a confidential setting of trust.”

“I can't believe how the four hours fly by. This is the longest and the quickest 'faculty meeting.' I look forward to each month's conversation.”

“I am deeply touched to see how thoughtfully other faculty approach these important decisions and try to incorporate spiritual insight. I am becoming more reflective about my own decisions.”

“I never realized how much the Ignatian perspective could apply to my personal teaching and scholarship.”

“I am learning a great deal. Each topic discussed by other participants has important personal transfers for me.”

“This has been the most supportive experience I have had in my faculty career.”

The Ignatian Faculty Forum has successfully established an atmosphere of trust where members openly bring forward personal professional challenges and share their heartfelt struggles. Issues raised have included work-life balance dilemmas, sensitive interpersonal collegial problems, struggles regarding organizational priorities, discernment regarding foci for new scholarship, as well as teaching and pedagogical puzzles.

Closing Comments

Professionals in many organizations have teams who assist in strategic discernment. The scholar-teacher is often more isolated. This is even more true as intellectual specialization often means that one's intellectual partners are now located in other institutions. While the Internet allows for technical discourse, more intimate support is often limited. Yet, unless the teacher-scholar is supported in discernment regarding how Ignatian insights can interpenetrate professional challenges, there is a danger that many choices will be dominated by the logic of the secular academy rather than creatively linked to the Jesuit mission. The Ignatian Faculty Forum is a hope-filled experiment proving to be a source of both assistance and solace as faculty wrestle with discernment regarding scholarteacher issues.

References

Delbecq, André L., Liebert, SNJM, Elizabeth, Mostyn, CSC, John, Walter, Gordan and Nutt, Paul. “Discernment and Strategic Decision Making: Reflections for a Spirituality of Organizational Leadership.” Santa Clara University, 2001.

Lonsdale, David. Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: An Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality. Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y., 2000.

McCall, Jr., Morgan W. , Lombardo, Michael M. and Morrison, Ann M. The Lessons of Experience: How Successful Executives Develop on the Job. D.C. Heath and Co., Lexington, Mass. 1988.

Phillips, Kevin (Rev.), and Huntington, John (Rev.). “The Five Spiritual Disciplines of The Business Leadership and Spirituality Network.” Leadership Formation Network, Mountain View, Ca., 2001.

Thomas, James (Rev.), and Delbecq, André. “The Leadership Formation Group: Alpha Experience Report.” Leadership Formation Network, Mountain View, Ca., 2001.

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This article was originally published in explore Magazine, spring 2003, vol. 6, no.2. pp. 28-31.