The
institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with
its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education
This
section of the self-study report describes the purposes of the University
of Northern Iowa as an institution of higher education as reflected
in its mission statement. Descriptions of the decision-making and
strategic planning processes at the University of Northern Iowa are
provided, with special attention given to changes made in those processes
in the last 10 years, the time following the previous institution-wide
evaluation by the North Central Association. The long- and short-range
institutional and educational goals of the University are presented
by way of the recently approved 2001-2006 Strategic Plan, "Focused
on Excellence" (see http://www.uni.edu/pres/2001-2006strategicplan/),
and a description is provided of the Universityês efforts to keep
the public informed of the strategic goals of the institution. This
section concludes with evidence of the Universityês support for freedom
of inquiry for faculty and students and the institutionês commitment
to excellence in both the teaching provided by faculty and the learning
expected by students.
