University of Oregon Mission Statement

The University of Oregon is a comprehensive research university that serves its students and the people of Oregon, the nation, and the world through the creation and transfer of knowledge in the liberal arts, the natural and social sciences, and the professions. It is the Association of American Universities flagship institution of the Oregon University System.

The university is a community of scholars dedicated to the highest standards of academic inquiry, learning, and service. Recognizing that knowledge is the fundamental wealth of civilization, the university strives to enrich the public that sustains it through

• a commitment to undergraduate education, with a goal of helping the individual learn to question critically, think logically, communicate clearly, act creatively, and live ethically

• a commitment to graduate education to develop creators and innovators who will generate new knowledge and shape experience for the benefit of humanity

• a recognition that research, both basic and applied, is essential to the intellectual health of the university, as well as to the enrichment of the lives of Oregonians, by energizing the state's economic, cultural, and political structure

• the establishment of a framework for lifelong learning that leads to productive careers and to the enduring joy of inquiry

• the integration of teaching, research, and service as mutually enriching enterprises that together accomplish the university's mission and support its spirit of community

• the acceptance of the challenge of an evolving social, political, and technological environment by welcoming and guiding change rather than reacting to it

• a dedication to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community

• a commitment to international awareness and understanding, and to the development of a faculty and student body that are capable of participating effectively in a global society

• the conviction that freedom of thought and expression is the bedrock principle on which university activity is based

• the cultivation of an attitude toward citizenship that fosters a caring, supportive atmosphere on campus and the wise exercise of civic responsibilities and individual judgment throughout life

• a continuing commitment to affordable public higher education