Criterion One: Mission & Integrity

The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.


Core Component 1a: The organization's mission documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization's commitments.

Examples of Evidence

  • The board has adopted statements of mission and values along with organizational priorities that together clearly and broadly define the organization's mission.
  • The mission, vision, values, and goals documents define the varied internal and external constituencies the organization intends to serve.
  • The mission documents include a strong commitment to high academic standards that sustain and advance excellence in higher learning.
  • The mission documents state goals for the learning to be achieved by its students.
  • The organization regularly evaluates and, when appropriate, revises the mission documents.
  • The organization makes the mission documents available to the public, particularly to prospective and enrolled students.
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Core Component 1b: In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves.

Examples of Evidence

  • In its mission documents, the organization addresses diversity within the community values and common purposes it considers fundamental to its mission.
  • The mission documents present the organization's function in a multicultural society.
  • The mission documents affirm the organization's commitment to honor the dignity and worth of individuals.
  • The organization's required codes of belief or expected behavior are congruent with its mission.
  • The mission documents provide a basis for the organization's basic strategies to address diversity.

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Core Component 1c: Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization.
Examples of Evidence
  • The board, administration, faculty, staff, and students understand and support the organization's mission.
  • The organization's strategic decisions are mission-driven.
  • The organization's planning and budgeting priorities flow from and support its mission.
  • The goals of the administrative and academic subunits of the organization are congruent with the organization's mission.
  • The organization's internal constituencies articulate the mission in a consistent manner.
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Core Component 1d: The organization's governance and administrative structure promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission.
Examples of Evidence
  • Board policies and practices document that the board's focus is on the organization's mission.
  • The board enables the organization's chief administrative personnel to exercise effective leadership.
  • The distribution of responsibilities as defined in governance structure, processes, and activities is understood and is implemented through delegated authority.
  • People within the governance and administrative structures are committed to the mission and appropriately qualified to carry out their defined responsibilities.
  • Faculty and other academic leaders share responsibility for the coherence of the curriculum and the integrity of academic processes.
  • Effective communication facilitates governance processes and activities.
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Core Component 1e: The organization upholds and protects its integrity.
Examples of Evidence
  • The activities of the organization are congruent with its mission.
  • The board exercises its responsibility to the public to ensure that the organization operates legally, responsibly, and with fiscal honesty.
  • The organization understands and abides by local, state, and federal laws and regulations applicable to it (or by laws and regulations established by federally recognized sovereign entities).
  • The organization consistently implements clear and fair policies regarding the rights and responsibilities of each of its internal constituencies.
  • The organization's structures and processes allow it to ensure the integrity of its co-curricular and auxiliary activities.
  • The organization deals fairly with its external constituencies.
  • The organization presents itself accurately and honestly to the public.
  • The organization documents timely response to complaints and grievances, particularly those of students.
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