Academic Master Plan Open Forums
September 2015
DRAFT Vision and Mission Statements
1. Vision: A comprehensive university that engages students through cultivating critical inquiry,
creative thought, and advancing holistic learning in ways that foster community, passion, and
the curiosity needed for a fulfilling life.
Mission: To provide transformative and challenging learning opportunities that are diverse and
inclusive. UNI prepares students to become engaged global citizens, embrace challenges, and
meet society’s need for skilled professionals by promoting private and public professional
development, outreach, research, and service-learning.
2. Vision: A premier comprehensive university that collectively engages students through
cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought and advancing applied and experiential learning
in ways that foster community, passion, and the curiosity needed for career success and a
fulfilling life.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to providing an innovative and transformative education grounded in
the liberal arts that provides opportunities for civic engagement, undergraduate and graduate
scholarship and practical experiences. Students, staff, and faculty are inspired to expand the
imagination, offer service to others and promote and respect diversity and foster sustainability.
With its emphasis on teaching and learning, the university purses academic excellence and
discovery and recognizes scientific, artistic and other modes of expression. As a result, we share
the responsibility and reward of advancing knowledge and serving society.
3. Vision: A premier national comprehensive university that challenges and supports students to
achieve personal and professional success through applied, engaged and personalized
experiences that serve the global community.
Mission: (key words) serving society, sustainability, informed citizens, productivity, engage with
community, critical inquiry, emphasis on teaching and learning, liberal arts, global society.
4. Vision: A national comprehensive university that challenges and supports students as a whole
person through cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought in ways that address the
challenges of our dynamic world.
Mission: To provide effective and challenging experiential learning opportunities that are broad
and inclusive through civic engagement, research opportunities, public service, internships, and
hands-on activities in the classroom. In a rigorous and supportive academic environment,
students synthesize knowledge and in-depth study to live productive and impactful lives. As a
result, UNI graduates are valued as thoughtful, innovative global citizens.
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5. Vision: A national comprehensive university that fosters critical inquiry and creative thought to
develop informed citizens of a global society.
Mission: To guide students in achieving personal and professional success. Creating a
challenging curriculum grounded in the liberal arts. Opportunities for students, faculty, and staff
to develop personally and professionally.
6. Vision: Leading comprehensive student-centered university that challenges, supports, and
inspires scholastic achievement and professional, personal fulfillment, and civic engagement in a
dynamic world.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to personalized rigorous education for undergraduate and graduate
students that fosters critical inquiry, creative thought, and adaptable skills. Through active
learning, UNI’s learning and teaching community will prepare its members to contribute
personally, professionally, and civically in an ever changing and interconnected world.
7. Vision: (shorter and more memorable) UNI is a leading comprehensive university that
collectively engages students through cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought and
experiential learning ways that foster community, passion, and the curiosity needed for career
success and a fulfilling life to face the challenges of our constantly changing dynamic world.
Mission: (break into several sentences) To provide efficient, effective, and challenging learning
opportunities while also preparing students with the tools necessary to…
 Become engaged global citizens
 Preparing students to embrace challenge
 Promote and respect diversity
 Foster sustainability
 Become able to view situations from different lenses/viewpoints
 Civic involvement
8. Vision: A national comprehensive university that collectively engages students through
cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought and advancing applied and experiential learning
in ways that foster community, passion and the curiosity needed for personal and professional
success in a dynamic world.
Mission: As a leading comprehensive university, UNI is dedicated to providing a broad range of
undergraduate and graduate programs. The university pursues academic excellence, supports
scholarship and discovery, promotes civic engagement, and recognizes scientific and artistic
modes of expression.
 Informed citizens of a global society
 Promote and respect diversity
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9. Vision: To be the nation’s premier comprehensive university that challenges and supports
students by providing superior applied and experiential learning to foster passion, curiosity, and
informed citizenship.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to educational experiences that inspire students to combine,
challenge, develop critical inquiry and creative abilities, productively engage with their
community and become informed citizens of a global society.
 High quality education
 Grounded in the liberal arts…
 Sustainability
 Research opportunities
 Public service
 Internship
 Rigor and supportive academic environment
10. Vision: A comprehensive university, grounded in the liberal arts, that enhances knowledge,
examines values, and develops skills necessary to engage the challenges of a dynamic world.
11. Vision: A leading comprehensive university that engages its community by cultivating critical
inquiry and creative thought through foundational, applied, and experiential learning in ways
that foster intellectual excellence, community, passion, and the curiosity needed to meet the
challenges of a dynamic world.
Mission:
 Grounded in the liberal arts
 High impact practices
 Broad undergraduate and high quality graduate programs
 Rigorous
 Promote and respect diversity
 Advancing knowledge and the creative enterprise and serving society
 Embrace challenge
 Engage global citizens
 Faculty, staff, and students inspire one another
12. Vision:
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National leader
Cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought and flexibility
Preparing students for civic engagement and personal and professional success
Student engagement
Mission:
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Cultivate and respect for diversity and inclusivity
Promote sustainability
Education grounded in the liberal arts with small student-teacher ratio which
emphasizes high standards and personalized education
Prepare students for complex and changing global society
Interdisciplinary opportunities
Engage students in experiential learning, internships
Classroom experiences that are rigorous, cultivating critical and creative reflection on
complex problems
13. Vision: To educate students for personal and professional success
Mission: To provide students with opportunities to develop life-long skills that may be applied in
a range of career and life circumstances. To cultivate critical inquiry and creative thought
through experiential and in-class learning in ways that foster community, passion, and the
curiosity needed for a successful and fulfilling life.
14. Vision: The premier comprehensive university that collectively engages students through
innovative and transformative education. (elaborate in mission)
Mission:
 Stewardship
 Student community world
 Cultivate inquiry, expand imagination, offer service, promote and respect diversity, and
foster environmental sustainability….
15. Vision: A comprehensive university that collectively engages students through cultivating critical
inquiry and creative thought and advancing applied and experiential learning in ways that foster
community, passion, and the curiosity needed for a fulfilling life and career.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to providing innovative and transformative educational experiences
that inspire students to embrace challenge, respect diversity, develop critical inquiry and
creative abilities, productively engage with their community, and become informed citizens of a
global society fostering sustainability. Faculty and staff prepare students to thrive in a dynamic
world with reason, creativity and compassion. In a rigorous and supportive academic
environment, students synthesize broad knowledge and in depth study to live productive lives.
As a result, UNI graduates are valued as thoughtful, innovative citizen-leaders.
16. Vision: The nation’s premiere comprehensive university [engaging and challenging students,
faculty, and staff by cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought] to excel in a dynamic world.
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Mission: To pursue academic excellence, support scholarship and discovery in a fulfilling
professional and personal life. To provide opportunities for research, service and civic
engagement.
17. Vision: Premiere institution nationally recognized; empowering to achieve personal and
professional success; applied, engaged, and personalized experiences; cultivate creative,
curious, innovative critical thinkers and leaders.
Mission: Rigorous and supportive; embrace and promote diversity; sustainability; flexibility;
multi-dimensional; global citizens; thoughtful.
18. Vision: A comprehensive university that creates an engaging, supportive, and challenging
environment that fosters community, passion, and curiosity.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to providing undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts
education that engages students in experiential learning, including civic engagement,
undergraduate scholarship and internships. Students, faculty, and staff are inspired to embrace
challenge develop critical inquiry…..
19. Vision: People of Iowa; comprehensive; integrated; curricular and co-curricular; community,
passion, curiosity; start students on a road to wisdom; prepare for challenges; whole person;
engaged
Mission: Grounded in Liberal Arts; broad range of academic and co-curricular programs;
cultivate inquiry; expand the imagination; engaged citizens; strive for excellence in all we do;
sense of community for students.
20. Vision: The University of Northern Iowa seeks to be a comprehensive university that develops
the whole person by cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought and advancing applied and
experiential learning.
Mission: To provide educational experiences that inspire students to embrace challenge,
develop critical inquiry and creative abilities, productively engage with their community, and
become informed citizens of a global society. Faculty and staff prepare students through
engaging in learning, scholarship and discovery and encouraging scientific, artistic, and other
modes of expression and inquiry.
Innovative teaching, learning, and experiential opportunity.
21. Vision: To be a premiere comprehensive university cultivating critical inquiry and creative
thought through applied, engaged and personalized experiences to gain career success and a
fulfilling life.
Mission: Creative and transformative experiences inside and outside the classroom grounded in
the liberal arts by integrating meaningful, high-impact experiences in the realm of research
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opportunities and internships. Students will be able to embrace challenges, develop inquiry, and
be engaged global citizens.
22. Vision: UNI will serve as a leading comprehensive university that challenges, supports, and
engages a diverse campus community by cultivating critical inquiry and creative thought
fostering personal and professional success and a positive impact on the local and global society.
Mission: Undergraduate and graduate education that is innovative and transformative; rigorous
and supportive academic environment; interdisciplinary; highest standard of excellence;
promote and respect diversity; meeting societies needs for skilled professionals; community
engagement; recognizes scientific, artistic and other modes of expression.
23. Vision: A center for learning, nationally recognized for supporting students in achieving personal
growth and professional success.
Mission: UNI provides educational experiences that inspire to embrace challenge, develop
critical inquiry and creativity, productively engage with their community, and become informed
citizens in a global society.
24. Vision: A high-profile comprehensive university that challenges and supports students in
achieving personal and professional success through offering applied, engaged and personalized
experiences that prepare our students for the challenges of our dynamic and interconnected
world.
Mission: Embrace challenge; experiential learning; promote and respect diversity; academic
excellence; fostering curiosity; engaged; community.
25. Vision: State and regional focus prepare and sustain in professionals.
Mission: Opportunities for student, faculty, staff, and administration for scholarship, research
and inquiry, experiential learning, integrated civic engagement, and service; local, global
experience and perspective.
26. Vision: UNI will be a/the premiere comprehensive university through providing an integrated
education that combines real-life experiences and state-of-art curriculum that fosters
community, passion, and curiosity needed to prepare for dynamic world. UNI educates, citizens
of Iowa, the nation and the world.
Mission: Liberal arts; global society; rigorous and supportive academic environment;
experiential learning; graduate education; by integrating meaningful, high-impact experiences in
the form of research opportunities, public service, internships, and hands-on activities in the
classroom, UNI prepares students for any challenge they face after graduation. Our commitment
extends to every student at UNI where we collectively share the responsibility and reward of
advancing knowledge and serving society.
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27. Vision: A premiere comprehensive university that engages students to achieve their academic,
personal and professional goals through critical inquiry and experiential learning.
Mission: Global citizens/citizenship; serving the state of Iowa; diversity and valuing; advancing
knowledge/research; distinct/outstanding academic programs; leader in ______ programs;
creativity; service.
28. Vision: National leader in educating students; challenges and supports students; whole persondeveloping; prepare students for challenges of dynamic world; cultivating critical inquiry,
creative thought and advancing meaningful, high-impact experiences; foster community.
Mission: As a leading comprehensive university, UNI provides challenging and transformative
learning opportunities that prepare undergrad and graduate students with the expertise
necessary to become engages global citizens. Faculty, staff, and students are inspired to
cultivate inquiry, expand the imagination, offer service to others, and promote and respect
diversity. As a result, UNI graduates are valued as thoughtful, innovative citizen-leaders.
29. Vision: A premiere comprehensive university that collectively engages, challenges and supports
students through critical inquiry, creative thought, and integrates state of the art education to
be prepared for our dynamic world.
Mission: UNI is dedicated to providing quality educational experience that inspire students to
embrace challenge, promote and respect diversity and proactively engage with their
community. Our commitment extends to every student at UNI where we collectively share the
responsibility and reward of advancing knowledge and serving a global society.
30. Vision: A comprehensive university that serves as a national leader in offering applied, engaged
and personalized learning.
Mission: To provide a range of undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts along with
high-quality graduate programs. To prepare informed, educated citizens for a diverse global
society in a rigorous and supportive learning environment.
31. Vision: Premiere comprehensive university; engages students through critical inquiry and
creativity; advancing applied and experiential learning; fosters community, passion and
curiosity; prepares engaged global citizens
Mission: Provide effective, challenging learning opportunities; diversity; sustainability;
experiential learning; undergraduate/graduate education; to inspire students to embrace
challenge, develop critical inquiry and creative abilities. Proactively engage with their
community and become informed citizens of a global society; rigorous and supportive learning
environment.
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32. Vision: UNI will be a nationally respected Comprehensive University that challenges and
supports the whole person to achieve personal and professional success and lifelong learning.
Mission: Inspire students, faculty and staff to embrace challenge, develop critical inquiry and
creative abilities, productive engage with their community and become informed citizens of a
global society. Emphasizing quality teaching and learning, pursue academic excellence, support
scholarship and discovery, yield graduates who are valued as thoughtful citizens.
33. Mission: UNI is committed to providing meaningful, high-quality learning opportunities that
support the development of a creative, whole person in a global community.
34. Vision: UNI will serve as a national leader in comprehensive education that engages and
challenges students through critical inquiry and creative thought to foster personal and
professional success.
Critical Mission Elements:
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Undergraduate and graduate
Inclusive/global/diverse
Embrace challenge
Something about experiential education and community engagement
Emphasis on teaching and learning
Liberal arts? Informed citizens?
35. Notes written down:
 Students first- how to incorporate
 Intentional engagement within a dynamic global society
 Education of future teachers
 Preparing teachers and other professionals
 Undergraduate and graduate education, rigorous and personalized
 Critical and creative inquiry to fostering community
 Applied, experiential, problem solving
 Emphasis on teaching and learning
 Student centered education as evidenced by our emphasis on teaching and learning,
commitment to critical and creative inquiry to personalized learning
 Sustainability
36. Vision: By 2030, UNI will be recognized regionally and nationally for preparing students to meet
the challenges of a dynamic world through applied, engaged, collaborative and rigorous
learning.
Mission:
 Cross disciplinary
 Envision the future national need of quantitative-tech related landscape
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Provides the skill set of 21st century
Missing in all- BY WHEN
Interdisciplinary
Experiential
State-of-art curriculum
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