North Georgia College & State University - Archived Mission Statement
This mission statement was superseded February 2005. Current mission statement
North Georgia College & State University is a comprehensive coeducational university that stresses a strong liberal arts program, as well as preprofessional, professional, and graduate programs that address the needs of a pluralistic society. Serving as a liberal arts university for all its students and as a military college for its Corps of Cadets, the University is distinct in many ways. As the only four-year public institution of higher learning in the northeast Georgia region, North Georgia College & State University provides a quality college education to southern Appalachian residents who might not otherwise obtain a college education. Approximately forty percent of undergraduate students reside on campus. One of only four military colleges in the nation, and the only one in, the University System of Georgia, North Georgia College & State University maintains a nationally prominent Army ROTC program that attracts students from across the state, region, and nation. Approximately fifteen percent of the student body participates in the Corps of Cadets. North Georgia College & State University has the preeminent academic program among senior universities in the University System of Georgia when measured in terms of admission test scores, retention rate, graduation rate, faculty student ratio and use of full-time faculty in the classroom. The percentage of incoming freshmen who must participate in the Developmental Studies Program is the lowest among two and four year institutions in the University System.
North Georgia College & State University shares with other institutions in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:
- 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;
- 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;
- technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education;
- 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.
North Georgia College & State University, shares with other senior universities in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:
- 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 or state;
- 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;
- 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 interinstitutional collaborations;
- 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 university1s scope of influence;
- a commitment to scholarly and creative work to enhance instructional effectiveness and to encourage scholarly pursuits, and a commitment to applied research in selected areas of institutional strength and area need.
North Georgia College & State University is committed to academic excellence. Consistent with that commitment, the University will:
- provide a high quality liberal arts education as a basis for traditional arts and sciences undergraduate programs, as well as for preprofessional, professional, and graduate programs;
- provide support services and an environment conducive to the students' intellectual, ethical, social, and physical development and cultural awareness so that they can become knowledgeable and responsible state, regional, national, and international citizens;
- emphasize the development and enhancement of oral and written communication, critical and analytical thinking skills, and research skills;
- remain one of the nation's senior military colleges and maintain a high quality ROTC program;
- provide an environment conducive to maintaining high quality degree programs while adapting and expanding program offerings and delivery systems in response to changing societal needs;
- continually review and improve its institutional effectiveness process;
- provide professional development activities to encourage the faculty to enhance their teaching, scholarship, and service;
- link higher education, public and private schools, and local communities in efforts toward educational reform;
- promote increased cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity among the faculty, staff, and student body;
- provide support services and funding to enable faculty to conduct applied research in their area of expertise;
- provide the technology to advance its educational purposes;
- expand its efforts toward internationalization;
- become preeminent in developing student leadership skills;
- maximize use of external resources to enhance the academic mission;
- provide human resource services and professional development activities to increase the effectiveness of administration and support staff;
- provide public service programs to meet educational, professional and community needs in northern Georgia by serving as a resource for services and providing expertise, training, research and enrichment opportunities to the citizens of northern Georgia.