Office of Mission Effectiveness
Objectives
- Articulate more effectively the Mission statement, its core values, and Incarnational Spirituality so that integration can occur in the professional and personal lives of UIW employees.
- Create a greater awareness of and appreciation for the history, heritage and values of the Congregation of Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word as the underpinning of the UIW mission and culture.
- Define structures on or around which a mission culture is built.
- Review and collaborate on revision of evaluation tools which can more effectively measure staff performance in relation to the mission and core values.
- Develop a simple process to examine present systems, structures and policies in light of the mission and criteria for assessing mission integration.
- Promote a deeper understanding of the Christian education vocation and the Catholic identity of UIW.
Mission Centered Hiring
The University Planning Commission's Vision Statement states that the "University is committed to the effective integration of its Mission throughout all academic programs, campus life, and governance of the University." To begin that integration, all employees are introduced to the UIW heritage and Mission as part of the hiring process. Hiring for mission is a "no-brainer" according to Dr. Steinfels who points out that every organization attempts to hire people who are willing to carry out its goals outlined in its mission statement.
Mission-centered hiring is very important in inducting the new employee into the culture of UIW. A major part of the responsibility of the Mission Effectiveness Office staff is to conduct a required mission interview with every prospective employee. The purpose of the interview is twofold: ( a) to give persons applying for positions on the campus an understanding of the mission and of their responsibility to uphold it in their area of work and (b) to get an idea of whether the person is prepared and willing to adopt and support the mission. If there is any question about such willingness, the Mission Effectiveness person has the responsibility to notify the supervisor doing the hiring.
Employee Orientation
The heart of the orientation process is grounded in the desire to acculturate individuals to the mission and traditions of the University of the Incarnate Word community. The following tenets of a philosophy of orientation remain stable over the years:
As a result of the entire orientation process (pre-employment orientation to re-orientation) employees of the university should:
- Feel particularly responsible for the mission of the university, to such an extent that they routinely exceed expectations;
- Embrace, not only the goals of their discipline and department, but also, the institutional vision;
- Sense that they belong to a faith-based community which extends beyond the mere job responsibilities;
- Have a sense of ownership about the university and their place/function in it;
- Value team success over individual accomplishments;
- Reach beyond the specifics of their job description;
- Understand that their interactions impact students;
- Recognize that serving students means knowing their life histories as well as their demographics;
- Understand that the Mission remains constant while all else-environment, companions, techniques, knowledge, programs-changes.
Contact: Sr. Audrey O'Mahony
Assistant to the President for Mission Effectiveness
(210) 829-3939
