Locatelli serves Jesuit community in Rome

By Liz O'Brien

University President Paul Locatelli, S.J., is scheduled to return from Rome on March 12, which will end his two-and-a-half-month absence and mark the longest period of time he has been away from the university in his 20 years as president. As the university president's eighth week at the 35th General Congregation comes to a close, administrative operations at the university are "smooth sailing," according to Jim Briggs, executive assistant to the president.

Before his departure, the President's Leadership Council was formed to oversee administrative decisions normally made in the President's Office.

"Basically, Father has delegated to that group any decisions that need to be made that are fairly routine, operational decisions," said Briggs. "If something comes up that seems to be of greater importance than that, we also have a once-a-week video teleconference with him."

Included in the council's agenda in recent weeks have been the revision of the university's plans for the dedication and opening of the Learning Commons, Technology Center and Library, and increasing the participation of students, staff and faculty in the university's Connect-Ed program.

Briggs noted that the council's agenda is virtually no different than what the agenda of the President's Office would be if Locatelli were on campus. The group meets once weekly, as opposed to the usual twice-weekly meetings of the president's staff.

"The responsibility lies with each of those people to go ahead and run their area the way they would normally run them," Briggs said.

The leadership council is comprised of the president's staff -- Briggs, Provost Lucia Gilbert, Vice-President for Administration and Finance Bob Warren, Vice President for University Relations Jim Purcell, and General Counsel John Ottoboni -- and Sonny Manuel, S.J., rector of the university's Jesuit community.

Though Locatelli was recently appointed as the Secretary for Higher Education within the Jesuit community, his role at the General Congregation in Rome is to serve as one of two elected delegates for the California province.

"I think it was a recognition of his wisdom and experience after all these many years, and given that he has, as secretary of education, worldwide responsibility ... I think we as a province thought he should be there because of that," said Manuel.

Delegates were selected in December 2006 by Jesuits in the California province, which includes institutions in the states of California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.

Locatelli has spent the last seven weeks first electing a new superior general for the worldwide Jesuit community and participating in General Congregation 35. Locatelli indicated to Briggs that he had met the new superior general from Spain, Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., at least once and was very happy with the congregation's decision.

"There was that great sense of excitement, a great sense on his part and the part of other delegates that the spirit was really working within this group, and that the outcome was a very positive one from everyone's point of view," Briggs said.

Since the election, the elected members of the congregation -- 226 in all, representing six continents -- have been at work revising major documents and determining the future direction of the Jesuit community. Locatelli's role as a member of Santa Clara's Jesuit community is likely to play a part in his contribution to the council, Manuel said.

"I think he brings there all the concerns that he has from here," Manuel said. "He's been big on the theme of globalization, so I'm sure that will come up."

Last Thursday, the congregation suspended its agenda for a day to meet with Pope Benedict XVI. The Holy Father paid tribute to former Superior General Kolvenbach and encouraged Jesuits to move forward with their mission of educating the spirit.

When the congregation concludes in mid-March, Locatelli will return home to a busy schedule that includes the dedication and opening of the Learning Commons, the President's Club dinner and a Board of Trustees meeting.

"I think (Locatelli's return) is going to strengthen the focus on the priorities that we already have, which are service to the poor, justice and the promotion of faith," said Manuel.

Contact Liz O'Brien at (408) 554-4546 or eobrien@scu.edu.