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Announcement from Provost
Fernandes Dear Members of the Campus Community: In the fall of 2006, UNC Asheville embarked on a campus-wide strategic planning process which resulted in an affirmation of the University’s current mission, expressed in a revised and considerably more concise statement. This iteration of the mission and vision is included in the attached document (Strategic Plan 4-11-08.doc) and was approved by the University Planning Council in the spring of 2008. Based on the attachment, our mission is to be: “The Standard of Excellence in Public Undergraduate Education” The document also includes a statement of our vision as follows: "Our way of practicing the liberal arts embraces the centrality of learning, rigorous undergraduate research, creative expression, exemplary teaching, and an informed commitment to serving our community and to leading our complex world." The approved mission and vision statements, linked to the Strategic Plan and adopted as a whole, were approved by the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees at their June 2008 meeting. As part of the UNC Tomorrow (Phase II) initiative, last December all UNC campuses were required to conduct a mission review and submit revisions for the Board of Governor's review and approval. Having just adopted a new mission statement as part of the Strategic Plan, we submitted our newly revised statement. Our complete response to the UNC Tomorrow (Phase II) Mission Review initiative is attached for your information (UNCT Response Phase II _ Mission Review_UPC.doc). On December 5, 2008, the University Planning Council reviewed this report. Recently, we have learned that the process through which our mission statement was developed did not appear to allow for sufficient input and consultation from members of the campus community. As a result, Chancellor Ponder requested and received more time to review our mission statement before it is approved by the Board of Governors. Last week, Chancellor Ponder met with Dr. Betsy Wilson, Chair of the Institutional Development Committee (IDC), and me to request that we develop an inclusive process for reviewing and agreeing upon the University's mission. Time will be tight for this project. We must aim for completion by early May in time for a special called Board of Trustees meeting right after commencement. Last week, Dr. Wilson invited me to attend an IDC meeting to discuss this work. On behalf of the IDC, Dr. Wilson and I are writing to request your input and feedback on the newly stated UNC Asheville mission. To assist in this process, we have also attached the previous mission statement last endorsed by the Board of Trustees in August, 2000. Please send your thoughts to both Dr. Wilson and me via email. We would be happy to talk with you in person as our schedules permit. By March 6, we seek the names of volunteers and nominees willing to work on this process of reviewing and revising our current mission statement. The bulk of this work will take place this semester as tentatively follows: March 6: Volunteers/nominees respond to email announcing the process. March 17: IDC Chair and members establish Mission Review Task Force of 6 faculty (3-4 from IDC), 2 staff, and 2 students. March 19: Establishment of Mission Review Task Force is reported to Faculty Senate.
March 20: Co-chairs convene task force. Task force seeks/reviews input. April 30: Drafts plus revisions discussed by Faculty Senate, Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council and the Student Government Association. Early May: Final sent to Board of Trustees for consideration. June: Final forwarded to UNC Board of Governors for review and approval. On behalf of Chancellor Ponder and the members of the Institutional Development Committee, Dr. Wilson and I welcome your input into the mission statement as early and as often as you wish during this time compressed process. We look forward to working with all of you to reach a mission statement of which we can all be proud.
Sincerely,
Membership of the Mission Review Task Force
Links to
Mission Review documents
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Office of the Provost
and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
| North Carolina's Public Liberal Arts University |