Vision, Mission and Values Statement
At its quarterly meeting on September 11, 2001, the University of San Francisco Board of Trustees approved a new Vision, Mission, Values Statement for the University. Articulating a shared vision and mission for the University has been a priority for USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J., since he took office on Sept. 15, 2000. "It is important for the University to agree on who it is and where it wants to go before determining a strategic direction," Fr. Privett said.
The statement, more than a year in the making, had been passed before the University community for review and comment before the trustee action.
VISION
The University of San Francisco will be internationally recognized as a premier Jesuit Catholic, urban University with a global perspective that educates leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world.
MISSION
The core mission of the University is to promote learning in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. The University offers undergraduate, graduate and professional students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as persons and professionals, and the values and sensitivity necessary to be men and women for others.
The University will distinguish itself as a diverse, socially responsible learning community of high quality scholarship and academic rigor sustained by a faith that does justice. The University will draw from the cultural, intellectual and economic resources of the San Francisco Bay Area and its location on the Pacific Rim to enrich and strengthen its educational programs.
CORE VALUES
The University’s core values include a belief in and a commitment to advancing:
- the Jesuit Catholic tradition that views faith and reason as complementary resources in the search for truth and authentic human development, and that welcomes persons of all faiths or no religious beliefs as fully contributing partners to the University;
- the freedom and the responsibility to pursue truth and follow evidence to its conclusion;
- learning as a humanizing, social activity rather than a competitive exercise;
- a common good that transcends the interests of particular individuals or groups; and reasoned discourse rather than coercion as the norm for decision making;
- diversity of perspectives, experiences and traditions as essential components of a quality education in our global context;
- excellence as the standard for teaching, scholarship, creative expression and service to the University community;
- social responsibility in fulfilling the University’s mission to create, communicate and apply knowledge to a world shared by all people and held in trust for future generations;
- the moral dimension of every significant human choice: taking seriously how and who we choose to be in the world;
- the full, integral development of each person and all persons, with the belief that no individual or group may rightfully prosper at the expense of others;
- a culture of service that respects and promotes the dignity of every person.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
The following initiatives are key to the University’s achieving the recognition as a premier Jesuit Catholic, urban university:
1.Recruit and retain a diverse faculty of outstanding teacher-scholars and a diverse, highly qualified, service-oriented staff, all committed to advancing the University’s Vision, Mission and Values;
2. Enroll, support and graduate a diverse student body, which demonstrates high academic achievement, strong leadership capability, concern for others and a sense of responsibility for the weak and the vulnerable.
3. Provide an attractive campus environment and the resources to promote learning throughout the University:
- Learning resources that enhance curriculum and support scholarship
- Technology solutions to enhance learning and improve service
- Facilities to support outstanding educational programs
4.Continue to strengthen the University's financial resources to support its educational mission.