Eastern Michigan University: Board Policy Manual

University Mission, Values, Philosophy and Guiding Principles

Effective Date:	11.2.1964	Revision Date:	2.8.1990
Chapter Name:	Powers and Limitations of the Regents		Policy Number:	1.3
Policy Name:	University Mission, Values, Philosophy and Guiding Principles
*A PDF version of this policy is available via this link.*

MISSION

Eastern Michigan University is committed to distinguishing itself as a comprehensive educational institution that prepares people and organizations to adapt readily to a changing world. Central to this mission are:

Providing an exceptional learning environment;
Applying new technologies to teaching, learning, and research;
Expanding knowledge and providing leadership through research, contract learning, and public service; and
Continually interpreting and responding to a changing regional, national, and global society.

VALUES

Eastern Michigan University's mission and philosophy are built upon shared values that define and nourish the intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic environment. These values are:

EXCELLENCE: The University, in all of its activities, encourages the achievement of excellence by all members of its various constituencies.

RESPECT: The University recognizes that wisdom, sound judgment, tolerance, and respect for other persons, cultures, and ideas are hallmarks of an educated person.

The University seeks to demonstrate, through all its programs and activities, appreciation of human diversity and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect that will nourish human liberty and democratic citizenship.

SCHOLARSHIP: The University promotes and encourages continual research and creative activity by all its constancies. Through such activity, participants remain intellectually alive, expand their fields of knowledge, enrich learning experiences, and bring academic recognition to the community. The intellectual and personal growth of individuals is a central purpose. Knowledge and learning are both the University's products and its processes.

OPPORTUNITY: The University is committed to providing opportunities for learners of varying interests, abilities, backgrounds, and expectations.

It seeks to attract, serve, and accommodate a highly qualified and pluralistic student body, drawn from a variety of ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds and to make a special effort to provide access to the campus's educational opportunities for non-traditional students and underrepresented populations.

COMMUNITY: The University strives to create and nurture a community that fosters mutual trust and respect for the open and amicable expression of differences.

SERVICE: The University endeavors to provide service for the public good. It encourages all constituents to be concerned about the welfare of humanity and to engage in public service.

The University is committed to developing and strengthening collaborative initiatives with the industrial, business, civic, and educational world.

FREEDOM: The University respects and protects personal and academic freedom. It seeks to provide an environment that facilitates involvement in intellectual and cultural activities and encourages formal and informal interaction between and among students, faculty, staff, administration, and community.

INTEGRITY: Intellectual, academic, financial, and operational integrity are critical to the University's survival and effectiveness.

LEADERSHIP: The University strives to provide leadership in addressing the educational and social issues confronting the people and organizations in our society.

It promotes leadership and development activities that enhance educational and industrial opportunities for meeting this charge.

EMPOWERMENT: The University community is empowered to do what is right and necessary to achieve the University's mission.

PHILOSOPHY

The University is dedicated to improving the quality of life within the global community it serves through teaching, contract learning, research, and service.

As an integral part of the state-supported public education system, the University is responsible for providing leadership in developing creative, innovative, and collaborative approaches to meet learning and research demands created as a result of a dramatically changing world.

The University recognizes that an educated populace is the essential ingredient for the successful improvement of humankind. It is dedicated to:

Providing opportunities for professional, intellectual, and personal growth;

Preparing individuals for careers and professions;

Encouraging all University members to be concerned about the welfare of the campus, local, and world communities;

Assisting organizations to function effectively in a global economic environment; and

Instilling in all persons a commitment as leaders, to engage in public service.

The University seeks to provide an intellectual, social, and cultural environment that attracts, serves, and empowers a pluralistic community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Guiding principles form the framework against which the University tests its effectiveness. In all programs, activities, and services, the University seeks to be:

APPROACHABLE: Psychological barriers that impede participation are eliminated. People and organizations are valued as the University's resources, products, and customers.

ACCESSIBLE: Programs and activities of the University are open to all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, political belief, or physical handicap.

The University seeks to demonstrate, through all its programs and activities, its appreciation of human diversity and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect that will nourish human liberty and democratic citizenship.

The sexual orientation provision of this policy shall not prohibit the University from maintaining relationships with agencies of the federal government. Further, because the University wishes to study how particular employment benefits, family housing, financial aid packages and student residency status would be affected by the addition of the sexual orientation provision, the provision shall not apply to those subjects at this time. The provision will apply to those subjects only after the appropriate Board of Regents' committees and the Board of Regents determine after the study, how and to what degree the provision should apply to those areas.

AFFORDABLE: The University is committed to ensuring that those individuals who are qualified and who desire to participate are not discouraged from doing so because of financial resources, time restraints, or physical distance.

The University seeks to provide financial aid for all constituencies, to be sensitive to changing demands in the educational marketplace, and to deliver educational services in nontraditional ways and settings.

APPLICABLE: Programs are designed to broaden perspectives, enrich awareness, deepen understanding, establish disciplined habits of thought, respond to changes in the workplace and society, and help develop individuals who are informed responsible citizens.

ATTAINABLE: Recognizing that various constituencies have different needs, programs, activities, and services must be flexible so that all people have the opportunity to participate and to achieve their goals or purpose.

Authority for Creation or Revision:

Minutes of the Board of Regents, November 2, 1964, para. .144.
Minutes of the Board of Regents, February 8, 1990; para. .4155M.
Minutes of the Board of Regents, January 23, 1996

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