The first university mission statement I decided to explore was that of my Alma Mater, Cornell University. Cornell’s mission statement reads, “Cornell is a private, Ivy League university and the land-grant university for New York State. Cornell's mission is to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge; produce creative work; and promote a culture of broad inquiry throughout and beyond the Cornell community. Cornell also aims, through public service, to enhance the lives and livelihoods of our students, the people of New York, and others around the world”. Cornell’s mission statement strikes me as succinct, broad, and inspirational. However, I was surprised that the terms “science,” “research,” and “inclusion” did not appear directly in the mission statement (though inclusion is discussed in the vision statement). I think the statement alludes to scientific research by referring to the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge, and so on, but as a Research 1 university, I expected it to be more explicitly stated. Perhaps it is refreshing that the mission statement was not consumed by the notion of rigorous research. I was also surprised that the mission statement did not mention cultivating future leaders or contributing to positive social change (although the final sentence alludes to this notion by mentioning “public service”). I really appreciate Cornell’s reference to public service and think that this captures its mission as a land-grant institution.
The second mission statement I explored was that of Haverford College, the school I almost attended before settling on Cornell. Haverford’s mission statement, entitled the Statement of Purpose, reads, “Haverford College is committed to providing a liberal arts education in the broadest sense. This education, based on a rich academic curriculum at its core, is distinguished by a commitment to excellence and a concern for individual growth. Haverford has chosen to remain small and to foster close student/faculty relationships to achieve these objectives”. What struck me about this mission statement was that compared to Cornell’s, which seems to be rather macro level-focused, Haverford’s seems to be much more focused on the micro level—that is, on the individual students and faculty at this intentionally small college. Unlike Cornell, Haverford does not make mention of serving the local or broader community. However, I see much value in the attention Haverford’s statement gives to the individual and the importance of relationships. This exercise reinforced for me the importance of mission statements, as they must concisely convey the institution’s spirit and core objectives.
The second mission statement I explored was that of Haverford College, the school I almost attended before settling on Cornell. Haverford’s mission statement, entitled the Statement of Purpose, reads, “Haverford College is committed to providing a liberal arts education in the broadest sense. This education, based on a rich academic curriculum at its core, is distinguished by a commitment to excellence and a concern for individual growth. Haverford has chosen to remain small and to foster close student/faculty relationships to achieve these objectives”. What struck me about this mission statement was that compared to Cornell’s, which seems to be rather macro level-focused, Haverford’s seems to be much more focused on the micro level—that is, on the individual students and faculty at this intentionally small college. Unlike Cornell, Haverford does not make mention of serving the local or broader community. However, I see much value in the attention Haverford’s statement gives to the individual and the importance of relationships. This exercise reinforced for me the importance of mission statements, as they must concisely convey the institution’s spirit and core objectives.