Clayton State University - Archived Mission Statement
This mission statement was superseded April 2006. Current mission statement
Clayton State University has a demonstrated commitment of service to its community and region - particularly the Southern Crescent of metropolitan Atlanta. Bringing educational opportunities to the citizens and businesses of the Southern Crescent to contribute to the regions' future development is central to the University's mission and aspirations.
As Georgia's only baccalaureate-granting university that also houses a regional technical institute, Clayton College and State University is a unique institution. This status enables the University to serve as a practical bridge between Georgia's two systems of post secondary education and between the liberal arts and specialized career/vocational education.
Clayton State University's core mission is to provide superior career-oriented studies that will prepare students to succeed in the world of work in the 21st Century and to provide services and continuing education that will assist the Southern Crescent and the state in improving the quality of life for residents. In approaching this mission, the University incorporates five common elements in all of its programs and services:
- developing effective communication including broad and technologically sophisticated access to information;
- recognizing and responding to the increasingly global context of contemporary life;
- promoting community-based, experiential learning to create durable and meaningful connections between education and all other aspects of life;
- focusing on continuous education and growth as a result of on-going assessment of learning;
- understanding and developing a facility with the power and limitations of modern technology.
As a senior university of the University System of Georgia, Clayton College and State University shares characteristics with all of its sister institutions and with the senior university's in particular (italics below). The University's unique characteristics and its five common thematic elements are particularly applicable to several of the system characteristics as highlighted.
- a supportive campus climate, necessary services, and leadership and development opportunities, all to educate the whole person and meet the needs of students, faculty and staff; as a non-residential, metropolitan institution, Clayton State University provides an array of student services designed to meet the varied needs of commuter students of differing ages and interests. Opportunities for leadership development are provided through an honors program, a wide range of student organizations, and an active Student Government Association. Cultural and educational enhancements are offered to students and the community through the widely-recognized Lyceum and Spivey Hall programming.
- cultural, ethnic, racial and gender diversity in the faculty, staff and student body, supported by practices and programs that embody the ideals of an open democratic, and global society; Clayton College and State University particularly values ethnic and racial diversity. The University has the highest percentage of minority enrollment of any institutionin the University System of Georgia except for the historically black colleges, and is experiencing growth in its international student population. Clayton College and State University is committed to highlighting global contexts throughout its programs and services.
- technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education; Clayton College and State University is dedicated to placing a major emphasis on technologically advanced access to information and to ensuring that all students acquire a working familiarity with the uses, limitations, and ethical implications of modern informational technology.
- collaborative relationships with other System institutions, State agencies, local schools and technical institutes, and business and industry, sharing physical, human, information, and other resources to expand and enhance programs and services available to the citizens of Georgia; A pioneer in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, Clayton State University has advanced this relationship to the baccalaureate level through the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program. The University has also been a leader in building partnerships with local school systems to train teachers and to raise the educational aspirations of school children. An emphasis on community-based experiential learning strengthens the connection between formal education and life.
- a commitment to excellence and responsiveness within a scope of influence defined by the needs of an area of the state, and by particularly outstanding programs or distinctive characteristics that have a magnet effect throughout the region of state; Given the proximity of Hartsfield International Airport and the rapid development of the Interstate 75 corridor, the Southern Crescent region is poised on the threshold of dramatic change. Clayton College and State University has a special role to play in helping to ensure that the economic and cultural development of its region keeps pace with other areas of Metropolitan Atlanta. The internationally acclaimed Spivey Hall concert facility and the support provided by the Spivey Foundation positions the University for national excellence in music education.
- a commitment to a teaching/learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom, that sustains instructional excellence, serves a diverse and college-prepared student body; promotes high levels of student achievement, offers academic assistance, and provides developmental studies programs for a limited student cohort; as a community-based institution, Clayton State University is committed to serving young learners and life-long learners alike. Flexible hours, multiple instructional sites, and distance learning promote access within the context of admission standards that promote excellence. A leader in the assessment of student learning outcomes, Clayton College and State University uses individual assessment results for placement and feedback and draws on aggregate results to inform program improvement.
- a high quality general education program supporting a variety of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional academic programming at the baccalaureate level, with selected master's and educational specialist degrees, and selected associate degree programs based on area need and/or institutional collaborations; defining general education outcomes and explicitly focusing curricula to achieve them has been a hallmark of Clayton State University, and the University aspires to continued leadership in this domain. At Clayton College and State University, students will find career-oriented education with a solid liberal arts foundation. Associate and baccalaureate majors, including integrated and interdisciplinary programming, focus on clearly defined student learning outcome . Graduate programming will be undertaken by the University in collaboration with other institutions as community needs dictate.
- a commitment to public service, continuing education, technical assistance, and economic development activities that address the needs, improve the quality of life, and raise the educational level within the university's scope of influence; Clayton State University provides a strong resource for the Southern Crescent in these areas through its varied educational programming. The University's continuing education and community services program is one of the state's largest and provides direct educational and technical support to the economic development of the communities served. In addition, Spivey Hall's outreach programs serve the cultural needs of the community and develop future audiences.
- a commitment to scholarly and creative work to enhance instructional effectiveness and to encourage faculty scholarly pursuits, and a commitment to applied research in selected areas of institutional strength and area need. The University is committed to a continuing investment in its faculty development program which is specifically designed to enhance areas such as use of instructional technology and applied research to benefit the campus and community.