Mission:

Truman State University is committed to the advancement of knowledge, to freedom of thought and inquiry, and to the personal, social, and intellectual growth of its students. The University strives to identify and maintain a recognized standard of excellence in all of its educational activities.

The mission of Truman State University is to offer an exemplary undergraduate education to well-prepared students, grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, in the context of a public institution of higher education. To that end, the University offers affordable undergraduate studies in the traditional arts and sciences as well as selected pre-professional, professional, and master's level programs that grow naturally out of the philosophy, values, content, and desired outcomes of a liberal arts education.

The highest goals of a liberal arts education are to ignite the individual's curiosity about the natural and social universe and then aid him or her in developing the skills and personal resources to channel knowledge into productive, satisfying activity. In pursuing these goals, the University seeks to cultivate in its students:

Intellectual integrity, celebration of difference and diversity, informed ethical values, and courageous aspiration toward the best for oneself, one's family, one's society, and the world;

A sense of the joys and uses of creative and critical thought, including skills of intellectual problem-solving through effective reading and research, clear writing, and articulate speech; and

The willingness and ability to exercise personal and intellectual leadership in his or her chosen field of endeavor.

The University will achieve its mission through emphasizing and supporting excellence in teaching, in pure and applied research, and in public service consistent with the educational emphasis and goals of the University. In fulfilling this mission, Truman State University recognizes its duty to:

Maintain a student-centered and student learning-centered living and learning environment that will attract, nurture, and challenge diverse, outstanding students;
Prepare its students to succeed in rigorous professional and graduate programs;

Provide a physical environment and support services that will help members of the University achieve their educational goals and enhance their social and physical development, and that will further serve as a source of pride to the University, the alumni, the community, and the state;

Offer services to the community, the region, and the state in the areas of research and public service that are natural outgrowths of the academic mission of the University, and strive to ensure that the University serves as a cultural resource for the broader community of which it is an integral part;

Develop and maintain sources of public and private support, and merit such continued support through public accountability for the quality of its programs and the utilization of its resources; and

Provide appropriate encouragement and recognition of each member of the University community who contributes to the fulfillment of the University's goals.