Fordham University is currently being evaluated by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) which routinely assesses if universities are following the Jesuit mission through Mission Priority Examen. The process occurs every seven years and involves meeting with administration and students as well as the university writing a self-study report.
“In the fall, we focused on looking at our last Mission Priority Examen, conducting a baseline evaluation against those priorities, and then began to have conversations, listening sessions and interviews with faculty, staff, students and board members to identify new areas of inquiry,” said Assistant Vice President of Strategic Mission Initiatives and Executive Director of the Center for Community Engaged Learning Julie Gafney. “This will set the stage for much deeper campus engagement this spring.”
A steering committee of both Jesuits and laypeople leads the evaluation. The evaluation process is meant to engage universities in Ignatian reflection to lead them into dialogue and growth.
“The process is really like trying to have a thoughtful conversation with the whole campus, asking questions like what is going well? What challenges are we facing? Where do we meet our goals and where do we have new goals that have not yet been realized? Where is the energy and what are the needs of our students? Our faculty? Our community?” said Gafney.
The evaluation will take around a year and a half. It began in October with the university starting its year of self-analysis. Next fall, a group from other Jesuit universities will visit the campus after reading the self-report.
“They will write their own Visitor’s report in response, and then these documents will eventually go to the leadership of the Society of Jesus,” said Gafney.
Fordham’s Jesuit identity is integral for many students, as the values it provides will guide them through their academic careers.
“Ignatian Spirituality calls us to be attentive to the movements of our minds and spirits, which I believe forms confident and competent leaders,” said Kaitlyn Squyres, FCRH ’26, a member of Synodal Fordham. “I have taken several seminars and Community Engaged Learning courses that require personal reflective writing, and I believe this practice is so important for students discerning their future studies and careers. I hope that the Mission Priority Examen will remind Fordham how important its vast Core Curriculum is and how its reflective writing requirements benefit students.”
Throughout the next year, Fordham will work to create a dialogue in the campus community through focus groups, surveys, listening sessions and interviews. The university will also evaluate its mission statement to ensure it is a guiding force.
“Our mission demands we see every person as sacred and to be treated with dignity,” said Eli Taylor, GSAS ’26, a member of Fordham Synodal. “Fordham might not live up to this as fully as it should, which I hope comes to light through the Mission Priority Examen overall.”
The process does not focus on Fordham’s literal academic prowess, but more so on its spiritual impact. The AJCU’s goal is to make sure Jesuit universities fully represent Jesuit ideals.
“An Examen […] should be a prayerful and broadly participative process that seeks to identify how the Spirit is moving a community to deeper and more effective engagement with our shared mission in a rapidly changing context.” said Father Arturo Sosa, S.J.
