Guiding Principles

The University of Montana's Mission Statement

The University of Montana-Missoula pursues academic excellence as demonstrated by the quality of curriculum and instruction, student performance, and faculty professional accomplishments. The University accomplishes this mission, in part, by providing unique educational experiences through the integration of the liberal arts, graduate study, and professional training with international and interdisciplinary emphases. The University also educates competent and humane professionals and informed, ethical, and engaged citizens of local and global communities; and provides basic and applied research, technology transfer, cultural outreach, and service benefiting the local community, region, State, nation, and world.

The University of Montana's Core Values

• Learning experiences of high quality designed to allow students to realize their full potential with student success as the primary objective
• Basic and applied research that contributes to knowledge and meets the needs of the State, region, nation, and world
• Internationalism, diversity, and community among students, faculty, and staff
• Affordable access to higher education for Montanans
• Effective and efficient use of resources, providing full accountability for all funds
• Service to the citizens, communities, regions, business, industry, State, and world

Aspirations for Academic Affairs

Through the planning process, the following aspirations emerged:

• Grow as a research university with an entrepreneurial spirit in the evolution of Montana's economy and culture
• Optimize the intellectual and real-world mix of art, science, and culture by fostering an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment
• Capitalize on our unique environment and location to lead and innovate in key areas
• Provide a stimulating intellectual atmosphere to inspire undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff
• Lead the diversification of Montana by creating a model of campus diversity
• Provide a model environment of information technology that advances all aspects of teaching, learning, and research