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Mission Statement
Guiding Questions in
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 Guiding questions in developing a program mission statement
Refer to form, "Developing Department Mission, Objectives and Goals." You may wish to consider responding to the following, suggested questions as a means to develop your program's mission, objectives and goals:
  1. What is our purpose? Briefly, state the primary purpose of the academic program - the primary reason(s) why you perform you major activities (e.g. teaching, research, and service). This might include, for example, educating students to prepare them for particular jobs and/or to prepare them for graduate school. Explain why you do what you do.

  2. Whom do we serve? Indicate who the stakeholders are. Include the primary groups of individuals to whom you are providing your program and those who will benefit from the program and its graduates (e.g., students, faculty, staff, parents, employers, etc.)

    The following may be may considered:

    • What types of students are ideal for our program? What kinds of students do we want to attract?
    • What would we consider ideal graduates of our program? What will they know and be able to do and what dispositions and values do we want them to have, if any?
    • What is our view about employability of our students?

  3. How do we serve? What is the content of the educational experience: Indicate the primary activities of the program. Highlight the most important offerings, and emphases of your program. You may want to consider the following:

    • What is the balance between theory and practice?
    • The focus of our curriculum: Is our focused on the visual and creative arts (only relevant to Art & Design; is it too general to be of assistance?)
    • What is our view on curricular balance, including diversified and specialized/ generalized educational offerings?
    • What should be the role of the liberal arts and sciences, with respect to our program?
    • Do ethics, principles and standards of behavior have a role in the curriculum?

  4. What are our values and guiding philosophy?
    • How do we view the creative/artistic and critical thinking processes?
    • What is our view about the use of technology?

  5. How does our program fit into the collegial, disciplinary, professional, and regional context?
    • Where is our program in relation to the latest developments in the field?
    • Do we want our program to fill a particular niche within the discipline?
    • How do we compare with other programs in the New York area?
    • What collaborations with NYC and national art world, industry, professional organizations, etc. do we see as important components of our program?
    • Should our program engender general cultural awareness or a world view?

  6. What makes our program unique in its context?
    • How do we compare with similar programs in other schools? What differentiates us from them?

  7. What future plans do we envision?