Mission: Core Component 1.A

1.A - Core Component 1.A

The institution’s mission is broadly understood within the institution and guides its operations.

The mission statement is developed through a process suited to the nature and culture of the institution and is adopted by the governing board.
The institution’s academic programs, student support services, and enrollment profile are consistent with its stated mission.
The institution’s planning and budgeting priorities align with and support the mission. (This sub-component may be addressed by reference to the response to Criterion 5.C.1.)

Argument

1.A.1 In 2002, following President Crow's inauguration, Arizona State University (ASU) set forth a new and ambitious trajectory to become a comprehensive knowledge enterprise dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of excellence, broad access to quality education, and meaningful societal impact. The development of ASU’s foundational documents was initially overseen by the University Design Team appointed by President Crow and comprised of the Executive Vice President and University Provost and a number of vice presidents, deans, department chairs, and senior faculty members. The resulting Mission Statement, as well as the other foundational documents, were then reviewed and affirmed by the University Faculty Senate as part of the New American University Blueprint. The Mission and Vision statements have been subsequently refined and re-approved (also minutes for Presidents Report) by ASU’s governing board, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), as part of ASU's 2014 Strategic Enterprise Plan. In 2015, the University’s mission was formally adopted as the University’s Charter to institutionalize ASU’s values and commitment. The Charter is ASU’s commitment to the citizens of Arizona that ASU recognizes its responsibility to fulfill the requirements of the Arizona Constitution to provide public education:

"ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom we exclude, but rather by whom we include and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves."

ASU has also defined a set of design aspirations to fulfill its Charter and guide the university’s future planning:

Leverage our place

ASU embraces its cultural, socioeconomic and physical setting.

Transform society

ASU catalyzes social change by being connected to social needs.

Value entrepreneurship

ASU uses its knowledge and encourages innovation.

Conduct use-inspired research

ASU research has purpose and impact.

Enable student success

ASU is committed to the success of each unique student.

Fuse intellectual disciplines

ASU creates knowledge by transcending academic disciplines.

Be socially embedded

ASU connects with communities through mutually beneficial partnerships.

Engage globally

ASU engages with people and issues locally, nationally and internationally.

1.A.2 ASU’s academic programs, services, and enrollment profile are monitored for consistency both with the foundational documents, as well as the responsibilities to the public interests, as described in the discussions related to components 1.D, 2.C, and 5.B. As a state university, ASU’s Charter, Mission and Goals focus on serving Arizona and providing access to all qualified Arizonans. ASU’s programs, enrollment profile and admissions standards are consistent with these goals.

ASU enrollment on its Metropolitan Campuses shows consistent enrollment growth over the past decade to approximately 72,000 on-campus students. Arizona residents account for 62.8% of the students, of whom 5,413 are new transfer students from Arizona Community Colleges, demonstrating ASU’s commitment to educating Arizonans.

ASU offers a variety of services to its students including Financial Aid, Scholarships, Advising, Career Services, and Support for Academic Success. Support for high achieving students is provided on each Metropolitan Campus by Barrett, the Honors College.

ASU further fulfills its mission to greater society through ASU Online and offering over 150 online degree programs and serving 26,859 online students in Fall 2016. ASU Online is part of EdPlus at Arizona State University, which provides innovative technologies to support ASU academic programs worldwide.

ASU fulfills its global goals by serving the international community. ASU’s international enrollment has grown steadily in recent years to 10,249 undergraduate and graduate students in Fall 2016. International students are supported by the International Students and Scholars Center.

1.A.3 Consistent with ASU’s Charter, Mission and Goals, ASU’s FY2016 use of funds summary shows that almost half of its current budget is allocated to Instruction and Academic Support ($1015.2M). Also consistent, is that the next two largest funds allocations are to Research and Public Service and Student Services and Institutional Support. ASU’s FY 2017 budget proposal to the ABOR shows the same commitment to the ASU Charter and Goals. Additional discussion of ASU’s resource allocation is provided in Core Component 5.C.1.

Mission: Core Component 1.A

2017 Assurance Argument

1.A - Core Component 1.A

Argument

Sources