In November, the University of Detroit Mercy launched a new aspirational set of core values designed to incorporate both the long-held Catholic heritage of the University and the developing identity of Detroit Mercy in the context of the great city of Detroit. This action was developed in the wake of a University-wide reflection process that took place over a period of months involving the entire University community. According to the University of Detroit Mercy’s website, “The new values will serve to guide the University during this exciting time of growth.”
The new core values of Educating the Whole Person, Cultivating a Diverse Community, Embodying Mercy and Compassion, Fostering Faith and Justice, and Serving and Leading in Detroit have more modern and inclusive language than in the old core values. According to the University leadership, the intention was not to alter the mission of the University but to express the mission in a manner more fitting for a new generation. According to Fr. Charles Oduke on the Sept. 23 episode of the webcast “Core Values Unveiled,” “We wanted values that speak to who we are in language that is clear and inclusive.”
Additionally, he stated that the new core values considered the whole University community since “everyone was given a voice in the building of these values.” The whole University community was given a voice in the development of the new values to ensure their new core values reflect their traditions as well as their own reality.
“Cultivating a Diverse Community” is one of the values which also takes into consideration the commitment of the University of Detroit Mercy to the achievement of a sense of community for all members of the campus. Within the context of the podcast conversation, the need to establish a sense of community for the members of the University of Detroit Mercy was also discussed. According to Fr. Oduke, “everyone should feel welcome to see themselves a part of the Detroit Mercy family,” in order to establish a community.
A further core value, “Embodying Mercy & Compassion,” clearly takes its cues from the Jesuit/Mercy Catholic traditions of the University. Fr. Oduke explained the importance of one of the values when he said the University strives to live “radical hospitality,” a term he used to convey the richness of the respect, empathy and dignity the University hopes to promote. Such a focus on compassion seems to encourage a community of people not merely in need of compassion but also compelled to show it.
The value “Serving and Leading in Detroit” emphasizes the unique position of the university in the Detroit community.
Highlighting the meaning of being a Detroit university explained Fr. Oduke, “We want Detroit Mercy to be not only a university in Detroit — but a university for Detroit.”
This particular value demonstrates the established passion for community engagement and service learning.
Finally, the ultimate goal of the University would be for all members of the community of students, faculty and staff to live by the newly established values.