The Vision, Mission, Statement of Purpose, and Core Values of Western Kentucky University

Vision
WKU – A leading American university with international reach.

Mission
Western Kentucky University prepares students to be productive, engaged, and socially responsible citizen-leaders of a global society. It provides research, service and lifelong learning opportunities for its constituents. WKU is responsible for stewarding a high quality of life for those within its reach.

Statement of Purpose
As a nationally prominent university, WKU is engaged internationally in acclaimed, technologically driven academic programs. An inspiring and talented faculty promotes a high level of scholarship and an entrepreneurial attitude leading to success for all within WKU’s reach. The WKU experience occurs on a unique campus and through a spirit which attracts an intellectually exciting and diverse family of the nation’s best students.

WKU provides students with rigorous academic programs in education, the liberal arts and sciences, business, and traditional and emerging professional programs, with emphasis at the baccalaureate level, complemented by relevant associate and graduate-level programs.

The University places a premium on teaching and student learning. Its faculty engage in creative activity and diverse scholarship, including basic and applied research, designed to expand knowledge, improve instruction, increase learning, and provide optimum service to the state and nation. The University directly supports its constituents in its designated service areas of Kentucky with professional and technical expertise, cultural enrichment, and educational assistance. The University encourages applied research and public service in support of economic development, quality of life, and improvement of education at all levels, especially elementary and secondary schools. In particular, WKU faculty and staff contribute to the identification and solution of key social, economic, scientific, health, and environmental problems within its reach, but particularly throughout its primary service area.

Maintaining a campus of distinctive history and character, WKU sustains a student population of increasing quality. It fulfills its responsibility for access through its community college, extended campus programs, and distance learning.

WKU’s commitment is to ensure value in a holistic learning experience through high standards for student achievement and conduct, a strong faculty, technological innovation, personalized attention, broad access, and public accountability for actions and outcomes. Out-of-classroom experiences are intentionally created to enhance learning, to promote diversity, and to contribute to the success of students.

WKU recognizes that its mission continues to evolve in response to regional, national, and global changes, and the need for lifelong learning.

Core Values
Shared purposes and beliefs drive the decisions and actions of any organization or institution.  The core values that undergird the foundations of WKU are reflected in the University’s vision, mission, and purpose statements, and in the goals of the strategic plan.  The rich heritage that is WKU's has been built upon a foundation of shared values that have withstood the test of time and the challenges of many changes.  These values are deeply embedded in the words of WKU's first President, Dr. Henry Hardin Cherry, as he set forth a vision for this University—

• to be a live school and to impart to its students a burning zeal to do and be something…
• to be progressive, to use modern methods and equipment, but reject all worthless educational fads…
• to let the reputation of the school be sustained by real merit…
• to “ring the rising bell in the human soul” by inspiring all students who come in touch with the work of the intuition…
  
  

This vision is further reflected in Dr. Cherry’s oft-quoted reminder that “It’s what’s above the rim that counts” and in the two University ideals expressed in the University seal:  “Life More Life” and the University motto:  “The Spirit Makes the Master.”

Building upon these long-lasting values, the following core values represent a reaffirmation of the shared purposes and beliefs upon which this strategic plan is built:

• Emphasis on cooperation, teamwork, and mutual respect for individual differences in scholarship, diversity, and culture.
• Expectation for all conduct to be characterized by integrity, honesty, and commitment to high moral and ethical values and principles.
• Commitment to assuring quality of programs, competence of graduates, and opportunities for lifelong learning.
• A view of scholarly endeavors that includes teaching, research, and creative activities as mutually supportive.
• Encouragement of meaningful and active partnerships among students, faculty, staff, and constituents to strengthen the learning environment.
• Nurturing of innovative and creative activities of faculty, staff, and students that advance University mission and goals.
• Dedication to the importance of achieving excellence in all programs and for adding value to the degrees and credentials of our students.
• Commitment to providing a collegiate experience that prepares students to be informed, engaged, and dedicated citizens.
• Commitment to contributing to improved quality of life and economic well-being of Kentuckians, especially those in our primary service area, as well as other constituents and stakeholders.
• Commitment to developing empowered, informed, and responsible learners who recognize both the personal and shared responsibility to actively participate in university life by upholding the principles of the University Creed.