Mission

Utah State University is one of the nation's premier student-centered land-grant and space-grant universities. We foster the principle that academics come first; we cultivate diversity of thought and culture; and we serve the public through learning, discovery, and engagement.

Core Theme 1: Learning

USU's statement of mission and roles, most recently amended by the State Board of Regents in 2009, directly charges the University with specific responsibilities with regard to learning. Beyond this structural and governance mandate, learning has always been at the core of USU's history, work and mission. In this context, the term learning embodies both undergraduate education and graduate education at USU. It is closely connected, and interwoven, with USU's other core themes, discovery and engagement. The learning process encompasses functional activities including recruitment and retention of a diverse student population; provision of the educational and financial resources students need to succeed; creation of student-centered learning environments; investment in appropriate learning infrastructure; and use of ongoing and effective assessment processes to measure learning outcomes and inform the changes and investments needed to improve those outcomes, with a focus on degree qualifications, discipline mastery and professional development. Success or failure for this core theme is measured directly through the outcome measures in the indicators articulated below, which are, in turn, assigned numerical scores. For Core Theme #1: Learning, a total score (from all measures combined) of 18 or greater will be considered to be meeting expectations.

Core Theme 2: Discovery

At USU, discovery is the creation and development of knowledge through the achievement of productivity and excellence in research, scholarship and the creative and performing arts. As a land-grant and space-grant institution, the focus of USU's discovery outcomes has particular importance. A key component of the University's discovery work is the practical application of knowledge for the benefit of all citizens. The engagement core theme more fully elaborates these outcomes, with a focus on objectives that address social, political, economic and cultural impacts. The outcomes articulated below focus primarily on productivity and excellence with links to both learning and engagement. For Core Theme #2: Discovery, the scores from all indicators outlined below is summed. A total score, from all measures combined, of 18 or greater will be considered to be meeting expectations.

Core Theme 3: Engagement

A core characteristic of USU is collaborative engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. This is perhaps most evident with the Utah Cooperative Extension Service, founded in 1914, which disseminates information and provides education through offices located throughout the state. But the scope of USU’s off-campus engagement is much greater, extended across all eight colleges. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty are preserving the historical land-grant tradition of providing service and expertise to the state, nation, and world as they partner with communities to address critical societal issues and contribute to the public good. Engagement is primarily organized around three spheres of work: (1) the Cooperative Extension Program; (2) the engagement activities of the eight colleges – at all campuses; and (3) economic development. For Core Theme #3: Engagement, the scores from all indicators outlined below is summed. A total score, from all measures, of 12 or greater will be considered to be meeting expectations.