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Section
II: SACS Core Requirement
II-4. The institution has
a clearly defined and published mission statement specific to the institution
and appropriate to an institution of higher education, addressing teaching
and learning and, where applicable, research, and public service.
JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
Yes, East Tennessee State
University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.
STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The mission statement is specific to East Tennessee
State University (ETSU Mission). The statement reflects both our
origin as a teacher's college, founded to serve the region's public schools,
and the unique characteristics of our current status as a regional university,
including our focus in the health sciences with emphasis on access to
health care in rural Southern Appalachia. The statement addresses our
traditional Appalachian heritage and our commitment to the fundamental
values of higher education. The mission statement is published in and
available from a variety of sources (ETSU Mission; ETSU
Undergraduate, Graduate, and Quillen College of Medicine catalogs).
The mission statement is appropriate for an institution
of higher education. East Tennessee State University is a state-supported,
comprehensive, regional university in the State University and Community
College System of Tennessee, governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents
(TBR). Teaching, research and scholarship, and service are addressed
as the three fundamental tenets of a comprehensive university. The mission
statement describes the institution's commitment to a liberal education
for all; to special programs leading to a primary level of expertise in
the arts, sciences, and selected professional fields at the undergraduate
level; and to significant graduate level programs in specialized areas
to meet the needs of students and the region. The mission statement elaborates
on the primacy of student learning through a strong commitment to innovative
teaching and emphasizes a distinctive focus on improving student competency
in writing, oral communication, and using information technology.
The mission
statement describes the importance and commitment to research and scholarship.
There is a clear expectation that faculty are responsible for developing
and maintaining programs of scholarly activity appropriate to their disciplines
and that the institution seeks to reward these activities. The institution's
commitments to partnerships and collaborations to enhance institutional
and community effectiveness also are recognized. Emphases on community-based
and interdisciplinary education, on expanding opportunities for student's
intellectual and social development, and on a respect for cultural diversity
are prominent to the mission statement, along with the importance of public
service and lifelong learning.
The mission statement is reviewed annually during the
strategic planning cycle. It was last revised in November 1999, adopted
by the President's Council, submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents,
and approved on December 10, 1999.
DOCUMENTATION
SOURCE
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LOCATION
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ETSU Mission
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ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Statement
of Mission
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ETSU Graduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Statements
of Mission and Purpose
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ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine Catalog,
2001-2002, Mission Statement
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