Notre Dame Revamps Faculty Values

The University of Notre Dame has updated its faculty values by removing the historic emphasis on its Catholic mission. Instead, the university has introduced broader concepts like “community,” while still identifying itself as a “Catholic research university.”

Previously, staff values required staff to “understand, embrace, and support the Catholic mission of the university” and promote values consistent with that mission. The new framework appears to dilute these specifics, now simply stating that staff should “treat everyone with dignity and respect” and “co-operate.”

In the past, the value list also included expectations for staff to uphold “high moral standards,” prioritize collective goals over personal interests, and take into account the “common good.” There was a strong belief that staff should be “widely trusted, respected, and honorable,” and accountable for their actions and accomplishments.

Notre Dame did not respond to requests for comment regarding these changes.

The updated values now emphasize a “commitment to truth and service” as well as an eagerness to “embrace opportunity with creativity and dedication.” Heather Christoffersen, vice president for human resources, explained that these revisions reflect how the university aims to advance its mission as a global Catholic research university.

The university announced these changes on November 10, following discussions about adapting to the shifting landscape of higher education.

In a related move, earlier in the year, academic leaders suggested that hiring women and minorities should be viewed as equally important to the university’s mission as hiring Catholics.