Finally, Temple has a mission.
After 18 months of planning, the university adopted a 300-word mission statement this week.
In order for the mission statement to be an effective one, trustees, deans, faculty, staff and alumni were all asked their opinions for the statement. The drafts circulated for months, until the final product was able to be presented. Each group was allowed to include their own opinion as to how they felt the mission of the university should read.
University President David Adamany, along with vice presidents and deans, felt that the statement was long overdue, because the majority of universities have already adopted mission statements. The statement will be printed in admissions publications, Web sites and newsletters and will be viewed by alumni and friends. Copies of the statement will also be handed out at dinners.
“The purpose of the mission statement is to reflect on the diversity the university has to offer, as well as reaffirming the administration’s desire to offer the very best education to the current students, and to recruit,” says Stuart Sullivan, vice president of Development and Alumni Affairs.
Temple turned to other sources of inspiration before for the mission statement. According to Sullivan, the university previously looked at Russell Conwell’s ‘Acres of Diamonds’ speech as a mission statement.
This statement defined what the university stood for, but it was not the official mission statement.
Sullivan said, “The mission statement reaffirms who you [the university] are and sets the course to unify.”
Temple’s mission statement is much shorter than mission statements of other universities. Accompanying the mission statement are the aspirations that the university has for the new century.
The vision for the new century addresses the move from a residential campus to a commuter campus. Temple hopes to attract more students than just those from the greater Philadelphia area. Its educators will also be of top quality, and will provide the best education possible for the students.
A part of the vision is to strengthen the Honors program, as well as provide research opportunities to benefit the society. Temple hopes to reconstruct facilities in order to provide better creative environments, and work together with the North Philadelphia community. Another goal is to have more alumni involvement in university affairs and events.
“The statement accurately reflects the sheer size and scope of the institution. It addresses the graduate, professional, undergraduate and community,” said Sullivan.
Rebecca Carroll can be reached at rcarroll@temple.edu.
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