We returned to campus committed to implementing "the Kolvenbach vision" as fully as possible. Toward that purpose, we have participated in (A) a follow-up event and (B) a follow-up process.

• A. We hosted a public lecture by Father Paul Locatelli on "The Future of Justice Education in Jesuit Higher Education" on October 30, 2000. Approximately 200 people attended. The event was co-sponsored by the Justice and Peace Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences as the Markoe-DePorres Social Justice Lecture for 2000 and by the Offices of the President and of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. It was also named a Jubilee 2000 event. Fr. Locatelli also guest-taught two classes in advanced accounting, met with deans and vice presidents, and conversed informally with our delegation.

• B. Since then we have focused on dialogue with the president about how Creighton will respond to the imperatives of the conference. This dialogue has taken three forms: 

1.  Shortly after the conference, our delegation met informally with Fr. Schlegel to share our responses to the conference and to elicit his. We sought, and received, a very general mandate to continue the work that began with the university’s justice self-study, continued through the regional conference, and culminated at the national conference. No specific action came of this meeting.
 
 2.  In response to an open request to the university community from Fr. Schlegel, we commented in writing on a list of fifteen strategic planning priorities he inherited from a process completed under his predecessor. We encouraged an infusion of the perspective articulated in Fr. Kolvenbach's address and commented on specific priorities in that light. According to the president's Founders Week Convocation address on Feb. 6, five priorities have been selected. They have not been publicized.
 
3.  The delegation met shortly afterwards to respond to the president's address. That resulted in a letter to him outlining our concern that the commitment to justice function as a foundational theme throughout the strategic planning initiative he is now developing. We received a note from Fr. Schlegel on February 27 indicating that our delegation would be represented on the strategic planning committee at some level, perhaps as a subcommittee. We are now waiting for further direction in this matter.

Because we are in a time of transition with a new president, we are hopeful and uncertain about the future direction of justice education at Creighton University. We are hopeful because our delegation remains committed and the new administration is open to these concerns. We are uncertain because we are still in the talking stage.

 Contact: Roger Bergman - Email: rbjps@creighton.edu