Mission:

With energy and momentum, North Dakota State University addresses the needs and aspirations of people in a changing world by building on our land-grant foundation.
(Approved: State Board of Higher Education Jan. 15, 2004)

Vision:

We envision a vibrant university that will be globally identified as a contemporary metropolitan land-grant institution.
(Approved: Staff Senate, April 14, 2004; Student Senate, April 18, 2004; and University Senate, April 19, 2004)

Core Values:

NDSU is guided by the following key values and principles:

Land-Grant
We reflect and serve geographically and culturally diverse populations.

We share institutional success across the university.

We anticipate and welcome growth and service that will occur in ways yet to be conceived.

We embrace our unique complexities as a land-grant university on the Northern Great Plains.

We remain committed to serving people globally.

People
We derive strength and vitality from each other and from the diverse communities we serve.

We care about the current and future welfare of our students, staff, and faculty.

We promote excellence through individuals participating in decisions, and value cooperation for the common good.

Scholarship
We are an engaged university and acknowledge and pursue scholarship of all forms, including discovery, teaching, integration, and application.

We uphold the rights and responsibilities of academic freedom.

Teaching and Learning
We provide a superior teaching and learning environment within and outside of the traditional classroom.

We promote and value liberal, graduate, and professional education in a collegial environment where divergent ideas can be shared.

We foster an environment that promotes life-long learning with individually defined goals.

Ethics
We maintain our integrity through principled action and ethical decision-making.

Culture
We will be the land-grant university that we want to be by welcoming and respecting differences in people and ideas.

We support the goals of the North Dakota University System and value collaboration with colleges and universities around the world.

We foster accessibility to our programs and services.

Accountability
We have a special relationship with, and are accountable to, the people of North Dakota.

We actively strive to contribute to our regionÍs economic prosperity and to improve the quality of life.
(Approved: Staff Senate, April 14, 2004; Student Senate, April 18, 2004; and University Senate, April 19, 2004)

Major Themes:

It's About People
At NDSU, student learning is facilitated by faculty and staff guidance. Increased investments in people are critical to attracting and retaining quality faculty and staff, thereby increasing NDSU's educational standards. As part of this increased investment, faculty and staff salaries will be increased to the mid-range of professional peers. NDSU can continue its progress toward being at the midpoint of our peer institutions by being creative in funding its salary pools. Sources of new money will be invested in people through graduate and undergraduate enrollment growth and growth in research activities.

Students are Paramount
NDSU will increase student enrollment to 12,000 students, including increasing graduate student enrollment to at least 15 percent of total student enrollment.

While NDSU exists to serve multiple stakeholders, service to students is paramount. This is accomplished by providing a superior learning environment in and out of the classroom.

Leveraging Support
NDSU, as described in the report of The Roundtable for the North Dakota Legislative Council Interim Committee on Higher Education, will take increasing responsibility for securing the financial resources needed to provide service and education for the people of North Dakota. NDSU plans to accomplish this by leveraging its resources through strategic partnerships with North Dakota, national and global businesses.

Programs
NDSU is an investment by the people of North Dakota in individual and collective economic well being and quality of life. For this reason, the university will aggressively engage in statewide collaborative efforts with North Dakota businesses and with member institutions of the North Dakota University System.

NDSU will use emerging technologies to expand capabilities to meet student demand in the university's traditional areas of focus including agriculture, engineering, applied sciences and extension, as well as expansion into new academic areas and professional fields.

NDSU will emphasize increasing the university's international focus to enhance North Dakota's competitiveness in the global economy.

Stature
NDSU will advance to the level of Doctoral and Research University-Extensive in the new Carnegie classification system. Reaching the Extensive classification will require the graduation of 50 or more doctorates in at least 15 academic disciplines per year.

NDSU will build public support for its mission and higher education by increasing public awareness of the many services the university provides.