Standard 1: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness

The institution has a clearly defined mission that reflects its character, values, organizational structure, and unique student population. The mission outlines the institution’s explicit commitment to equitable student achievement and serves as a guiding principle for institutional planning, action, evaluation, improvement, and innovation.

Standard 1.1

The institution has established a clearly defined mission that appropriately reflects its character, values, structure, and unique student demographics. The institution’s mission articulates its commitment to ensuring equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for all students. (ER 6)

Standard 1.2

The institution establishes meaningful and ambitious goals for institutional improvement, innovation, and equitable student outcomes.

Standard 1.3

The institution holds itself accountable for achieving its mission and goals and regularly reviews relevant, meaningfully disaggregated data to evaluate its progress and inform plans for continued improvement and innovation. (ER 3, ER 11)

Standard 1.4

The institution’s mission directs resource allocation, innovation, and continuous quality improvement through ongoing systematic planning and evaluation of programs and services. (ER 19)

Standard 1.5

The institution regularly communicates progress toward achieving its mission and goals with internal and external stakeholders in order to promote understanding of institutional strengths, priorities, and areas for continued improvement. (ER 19)

Required Documentation - Mission and Institutional Effectiveness

Required Item Documentation
i. Documentation of institution’s authority to operate as a post-secondary educational institution and award degrees (e.g., degree-granting approval statement, authorization to operate, articles of incorporation) (ER 1)
ii. Procedures/practices for periodic review of mission/mission-related statements, including provisions for revision (if/when revisions are needed) that allow for participation of institutional stakeholders, as appropriate for the character and context of the institution
iii. Documentation of the governing board’s approval of the institutional mission (ER 6)
iv. Procedures/practices for setting institutional goals, including provisions for the inclusion of input from relevant institutional stakeholders, as appropriate for the character and context of the institution
v. Documentation that the institution has established standards and goals for student achievement (i.e., institution-set standards), including but not limited to standards and goals for successful course completion, certificate completion, degree completion, transfer rates, job placement rates, and licensure examination pass rates, at the institutional and program levels (ER 2, ER 11)