CHAPTER 3

Mission

Campus Mission and Goals

Statutory Statement

The University of Colorado’s mission and purpose are currently described in the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S. 23-30-101a) as follows:

"The Boulder campus of the University of Colorado shall be a comprehensive graduate research university with high admission standards which offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate programs. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education shall, after consultation with the Board of Regents, further define the role and mission of the institution and establish as great a distinction among the graduate offerings at the Boulder campus of the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado as is in its judgement educationally, geographically, and economically appropriate. The Board of Regents shall adhere to this further definition of role and mission. The university has the responsibility to provide on a statewide basis, utilizing when possible and appropriate the faculty and facilities of other education institutions, those graduate level programs designated by the Commission as primarily its statewide responsibility. The Commission shall include in its funding recommendations a level of General Fund support for these programs."

Campus Strategic Plan

The mission established by statute was clarified and detailed in the CU-Boulder 1996 Strategic Plan, which states that CU-Boulder’s mission is:

"To advance and impart knowledge across a comprehensive range of disciplines to benefit the people of Colorado, the nation, and the world by educating undergraduate and graduate students in the accumulated knowledge of humankind, discovering new knowledge through research and creative work, and fostering critical thought, artistic creativity, professional competence, and responsible citizenship."

Catalog Statements

A more concise statement also appears in the campus catalog and other documents:

"The mission of the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) is to lead in the discovery, communication, and use of knowledge through instruction, research, and service to the public."

This statement is supplemented by two amplifying statements in the catalog:

"The University of Colorado at Boulder is a diverse community of advanced learning with the highest standards of scholarship, in which research and creative work enrich the teaching of students who thrive in an academic environment."

"As a comprehensive university, CU-Boulder is committed to the liberal education of students and to a broad curriculum ranging from the baccalaureate through the post-doctoral levels. The educational experience of CU-Boulder, therefore, is distinguished by the wide scope of its programs and course offerings, the notable reputation of its research facilities, the diversity of its student body, and the professionalism and dedication of its faculty."

CU System Total Learning Environment Initiative

The Boulder campus’s mission and goals fit within the CU system’s Total Learning Environment (TLE) initiative, launched in 1996-97. TLE’s four goals include:

1. Supporting innovations in learning, including both undergraduate and graduate education;

2. Being more responsive to our students and other constituents;

3. Using technology to improve teaching, learning, research, and management;

4. Enhancing the university’s human, capital, financial, and organizational infrastructure.

The Boulder campus has adopted four campus goals as part of the TLE initiative:

1. Undergraduate learning environment. Generate innovation in the undergraduate learning environment in ways that promote a sense of discovery and lifelong learning, develop skills in critical thinking, and prepare students for citizenship and leadership.

2. Research and graduate education. Continue the leadership role in advancing knowledge and understanding through research and graduate education with appropriate links to government, business, and other institutions through outreach and technology transfer.

3. Diversity. Nurture a campus climate of inclusion, knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the full range of the human experience in order to foster a better society.

4. Technology. Situate the University of Colorado at Boulder to be a leader in the technological transformation of the 21^st century, empowering the entire campus and its graduates to compete in the world.

Arts and Sciences Teaches Bulk of CU-Boulder Students

The College of Arts and Sciences teaches about 70 percent of all student credit hours generated on campus, including undergraduate and graduate. The college teaches not only the approximately 14,100 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate students enrolled in its programs, but it also provides instruction for students enrolled in other schools and colleges. Thirty-six departments and about 50 programs or centers are housed within the College of Arts and Sciences .