University's Updated Vision and Mission Statements Approved

Photo by Russell Cothren

Old Main Clock

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – An updated version of the University of Arkansas' vision and mission statements has been approved by the university's Board of Trustees and is now available online in the ‘About’ section of the university’s homepage.

The statements are a result of more than two years of strategic work that also produced the university’s guiding priorities, academic strategic plan and unifying messaging themes for communicating about the university.

Vision and Mission 

Vision: The University of Arkansas represents the best of public higher education, advancing Arkansas while building a better world.

Mission: The University of Arkansas is determined to build a better world by providing transformational opportunities and skills, promoting an inclusive and diverse culture, nurturing creativity, and solving problems through research and discovery, all in service to Arkansas. 

Since 1871, our fundamental purpose as a land-grant institution and state flagship remains unchanged — to serve the state of Arkansas as a partner, resource and catalyst by:

• Providing access to a comprehensive and internationally competitive public education, and fostering student success across a wide spectrum of disciplines.
• Utilizing research, discovery and creative activity to improve the quality of life, develop solutions to the challenges we face and drive the state's economy.
• Contributing service and expertise through outreach, engagement and collaboration.

“While the university’s core mission hasn’t changed much in many years, it was a great time to ensure that how we express our vision and mission is clear, concise and aligned with the recently developed guiding priorities, academic strategic plan and unifying messaging themes,” said Mark Rushing, assistant vice chancellor for University Relations.

Campus feedback generated during the strategic planning process was used to guide the vision and mission update. The planning process included:

• More than 75 individual meetings with academic departments, centers and programs.
• Departmental summaries of their strengths, weaknesses, challenges and future direction.
• Dean, faculty, staff and student working group discussions and university-wide theme development.
• Development of guiding priorities and key initiatives.
• Alignment of college-level and unit-level strategic plans with the priorities.
• Development and implementation of the university's strategic plan.

Feedback received during the development of unifying messaging themes for university communication also influenced the vision and mission update.

The development process included survey responses from more than 8,000 university stakeholders, a series of 87 in-depth interviews representing 16 different stakeholder groups and feedback from four working groups representing faculty, staff and students.

The university’s Board of Trustees approved the updated vision and mission at its regular fall meeting on Sept. 14.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.