Mission, Code & Core Values

The mission is expressed and expanded through our:

Core ValuesNewman CodeASC Mission

Core Values

Newman University's Mission Statement is grounded in the following Core Values:

Catholic Identity (“We are a Catholic university…)

As a Catholic institution of higher learning, Newman finds guidance in Ex corde ecclesiae and other teachings of the Catholic Church and draws nourishment from its relationships with surrounding Catholic communities and dioceses. At the same time, our Catholic identity is distinctively shaped by the influence both of our founders and sponsors, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, and of our namesake, the Catholic theologian and educator St. John Henry Newman. From the Adorers, we receive our special mission of developing and empowering our graduates to work for the betterment of society—a mission inspired by the Adorers’ own founder, Saint Maria De Mattias. From St. Newman, we inherit our vision of the university as an institution that educates the whole person to seek the truth and to lead a meaningful and purposeful life. Finally, with a strong liberal arts foundation, our curriculum honors the richness and vitality of our Catholic intellectual heritage while affirming the value of dialogue involving persons of varied cultures and religious traditions.

Academic Excellence (…named for St. John Henry Newman…)

Following the ideals of St. Newman, we seek to educate the whole person. A firm grounding in the liberal arts strengthens all our programs and instills habits of lifelong learning that will accompany graduates as they pursue a variety of personal, academic, and professional goals. Newman’s faculty strives to utilize best practices in instruction, the insights derived from scholarly research, and a culture of assessment to promote classroom and program improvement, while the small college atmosphere of Newman facilitates the development of an active, dynamic learning community. In addition, Newman University has a special mission—to make an environment of academic excellence available to a diverse range of students and to empower those students, through the education we provide, to transform the world. In sum, it is the development of the intellectual, moral, and spiritual capabilities of the entire university community combined with our collective dedication to the promotion of peace and social justice that characterizes academic excellence at Newman University.

Culture of Service (…and founded by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ…)

The passion to serve others is integral to the missions of both Newman University and the Adorers of the Blood of Christ. We actualize this mandate by fostering a distinctive culture of service in which each member of the community is encouraged to find personally fulfilling ways of growing through giving. Manifestly, gifts of time and talent are visible symbols of our commitment to transforming the human condition, while inwardly, service is also transformative for the student who successfully develops a critical consciousness that hungers and thirsts for justice and peace. Through our Christ-centered humanitarian commitment to serving the underserved, we honor that common mission which we share with our founders and sponsors, namely that of developing and empowering people.

Global Perspective (…for the purpose of empowering graduates to transform society.”)

Newman University is committed to promoting an interdependent global perspective formed by a critical consciousness that hungers and thirsts for justice and peace. More than just an awareness of other cultures, such a perspective affirms the interdependent nature of all of creation. At the same time, it speaks to the ideal of the educated person in the modern world: a person who possesses a strong sense of self yet embraces difference; a person who not only seeks knowledge but effectively applies it; a person of wide vision who remains well grounded. To this end, we seek to engage a diverse array of students in outstanding educational experiences designed to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and values they will need to become leaders in the transformation of an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Newman Code

"As a member of the Newman community, I pledge to live in the spirit of critical consciousness by respecting the dignity of every person, honoring both personal and institutional integrity, and striving to embrace all humanity."

To Live in the Spirit of Critical Consciousness

Newman University is an environment rooted in Judeo-Christian principles and founded on the Catholic tradition of its sponsor, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ. It challenges all members of the learning community to pursue an ever expanding awareness of themselves and the world. We strive to create a more just world through the power of reason and an understanding of the Gospel call to personal responsibility for developing and empowering others. The mission of Newman University challenges each member of the community to accept the responsibility of forming a critical consciousness. We understand critical consciousness to be not only an ability to perceive injustice, but also a willingness to take action against it. The Newman Code expresses our commitment to engaging the whole person in the effort to transform society.

To Respect Dignity

We understand that diverse perspectives are integral to a learning environment. We value the insights of every member of the Newman community. When differences of opinion and belief arise, we put aside personal prejudices and listen carefully with open minds. We respond calmly, thoughtfully, and with consideration for opposing views. At all times we treat others with the same respect to which we are entitled. We uphold, and when necessary defend, the inherent dignity and the fundamental rights of all individuals. Mindful of everyone's need for conditions that support their work and development, we respect both public and private property and work to promote a safe and cooperative learning environment.

To Honor Integrity

Confronting life truthfully, we hold our word as our bond. If we say we will do something, we do it. We believe that remaining true to our word, even in the face of temptation or persecution, has a value beyond measure. By pledging to honor our personal integrity, we commit ourselves to being honest and forthright at all times in the classroom, on the playing field, and in our private and professional lives. In particular, as members of a community of higher learning, we hold academic integrity in special regard. Recognizing that the value of a Newman degree depends on the academic integrity of the institution, we neither provide nor accept any unauthorized aid on academic work. The integrity of an institution reflects that of its individual members. We understand that compromising our personal integrity fractures and weakens the community as a whole. It damages the bond of trust on which the educational enterprise is founded. By pledging to honor institutional integrity, we affirm our personal responsibility to every other member of the Newman community. In all personal and academic matters, we abide by the relevant policies and codes of Newman University.

To Embrace All Humanity

Embracing humanity means creating a welcoming climate of kindness, warmth, and love. It begins with those nearest us, but it does not end there. Promoting right relationships among all individuals, we seek to foster a culture of inclusion wherein every person feels valued and encouraged to perform to his or her full and unique potential. Although diverse as individuals, we are united as members of one human family. Conscious of this, we strive to live in the spirit of the Good Samaritan by selflessly considering the disadvantaged and offering service to those in need, supporting and assisting one another in our respective life journeys.

ASC Mission

As a sponsored ministry of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC), Newman University exists to further the ASC Mission: