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, vision, values, goals, and 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 available to the public, particularly to prospective and enrolled students.

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.

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 the mission.

•  The goals of the administrative and academic subunits of the organization are congruent with its mission.

•  The organization's internal constituencies articulate the mission in a consistent manner.

Core Component - 1D. The organization's governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission.

Examples of Evidence

•  Board policies and practices document the board's focus on the organization's mission.

•  The board enables the organization's chief administrative personnel to exercise effective leadership.

•  The distribution of responsibilities as defines in governance structures, 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.

•  The organization evaluates its structures and processes regularly and strengthens them as needed.

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 bylaws 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 constituents.

•  The organization's structures and processes allow it to ensure the integrity of its cocurricular and auxiliary activities.

•  The organization deals fairly with its external constituents.

•  The organization presents itself accurately and honestly to the public.

•  The organization documents timely response to complaints and grievances, particularly those of students.

02/13/2007