Catholic identity at Jesuit universities: How do the presidents of Jesuit universities promote the schools' Catholic identity

Catholic Identity at Jesuit Universities: How Do the Presidents of Jesuit Universities Promote the Schools' Catholic Identity? is a study of presidential leadership at Jesuit universities that examines how three presidents have promoted Catholic identity at their universities in the midst of the changing meaning of being a Catholic in the United States and the competing values of American higher education. This qualitative study investigated the president's role at Fordham University, Santa Clara University, and the University of Scranton by considering two research questions: (1) What is the president's vision of the school's Catholic identity and how does he promote that vision? (2) When there is disagreement between the president's vision of the school's Catholic identity and constituents' views how does the president respond?;The three presidents in this study led institutions with significant contextual differences, even though they are located within a larger common genre of Jesuit institutions. These differences gave rise to dissimilar responses with respect to Catholic identity. All three presidents attempted to make the Catholic identity of their institution more prominent, while also being sensitive and alert to the values of academic life in the United States.;Although the particulars of the presidents' decisions differed across institutions, ultimately all three presidents found themselves in the same position, They tried to locate a balance point for their institution between the values of American higher education and Catholic identity. Each president found himself in a unique context in which he had to find the political equilibrium, the degree of Catholic identity that was right for his institution in order to keep the ideological see-saw in balance. The context dictated where the fulcrum was to be set and each president sought to find that balance point, whether through persuasion, ambiguity, and/or compromise.;Presidents of Jesuit universities and colleges face the struggle of balancing institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and Catholic identity while in pursuit to become even more recognizable both as outstanding academic institutions and Catholic universities. This study suggests that their role is essential in promoting Catholic identity in the midst of these other competing values.