As of June 2024, this is in the process of being reviewed and revised.

Interpretation of Mission - the Mission Core Themes

The Core Themes Model defines mission related objectives and achievement indicators and therefore describes how WSU interprets its mission and how success is being measured. The NWCCU accreditation process provides cyclical peer review and outside perspective using this WSU-defined model of objectives and achievement relative to mission.

Mission Core Themes and Planning Objectives

Weber State maintains accreditation by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and, in accordance with accreditation Standard One, the University Planning Council developed a clear definition of the purpose and goals of the university as expressed in its mission (April, 2011).  The Core Themes of the Weber State University Mission, and the objectives inherent in them, were adopted by the Weber State University Board of Trustees (by delegation from the Utah Board of Regents, June, 2011). The University mission Core Themes and objectives, along with performance assessment methods, were filed with NWCCU per accreditation Standard One (September, 2011).

With the purpose of continuously improving the university in pursuit of the mission, the University Planning Council interpreted the mission as having three fundamental themes and ten operating objectives crafted to enable assessment of achievement. 

Core Theme I: ACCESS

The access core theme reflects WSU's commitment to providing an affordable, quality education to communities with significant socioeconomic and cultural differences.

• Weber State will offer programs that address the needs of the community
  WSU offers responsive associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees in liberal arts, sciences, technical and professional fields.
  WSU will foster strong concurrent enrollment and early college matriculation programs.
• Weber State will combine reasonable tuition and fees, and keep other fees low to maintain affordability.
  Full-year tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate students will continue to be reasonable.
  Course and other related feeds will be kept to a minimum.
• Weber State will serve cohorts of interest in the community
   WSU effectively serves the needs of cohorts of interest in the community, which includes ethnicity based and other groups which may be quite small compared to the size of the majority. The institution remains attentive to the success of these students, and they remain an important and growing constituency served by the institution. The focus on cohorts of interest allows for flexible analysis of groups to assess whether the institution is fulfilling its mission of access for all students.

Core Theme II: LEARNING

The learning core theme is central to the WSU’s mission to provide transformative educational experiences and its commitment to support student success at every stage of the student life cycle.

• Students will be prepared for careers or graduate school by achieving proficiency in general education and identified program learning outcomes.
  Academic programs will provide measures of student progress toward and mastery of program outcomes.
  Students will demonstrate proficiency in General Education learning outcomes.
  Students will achieve program learning outcomes
• Students will be successful in their courses and persist in their programs.
  First-year students will be successful in their first-year as reflected by first-term GPA and first-year retention.
  Post first-year - student persistence will show continued improvement for all cohorts-of-interest.
• Students will demonstrate increased efficiencies to graduation
  Weber State will monitor student efficiencies to graduation and identify systemic barriers or challenges that may be impeding efficiency.

Core Theme III: COMMUNITY

The community core theme reflects WSU's role as an educational, cultural, and economic steward for the region.

• WSU will impact citizens with general non-credit-bearing offerings that support their knowledge and skills to meaningfully engage in community life (informed by Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2009)
  This objective uses quantitative feedback in terms of measuring participation as well as qualitative feedback from key stakeholders on the impact of programming supporting various literacies.
• Regional economic workforce development: WSU will impact the regional economy through high-demand workforce development and research.
  WSU contributes to the richness of the regional culture by both inviting the community to attend events at WSU and by going into the community to offer opportunities where people live.
• Cultural/Social Development: WSU will impact the community by supporting community health, education, safety, and well-being through research, volunteering, and coordinated social actions.
  WSU is committed to promoting the community service of its students, faculty, and staff. The value of community service is embedded in the WSU mission statement which highlights public service and community-based learning as a basis for WSU functioning as an educational, cultural and economic leader. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognized WSU’s commitment to community service and community-based learning with the Community Engaged Institution classification.
• WSU provides internal and external sustainability opportunities.
  Weber State provides opportunities to support community members' sustainability practices and also provides faculty, staff, and students opportunities to assist with carbon neutrality efforts with internal practices.
   

Core Theme-Intersection 1: Access & Learning

To meet students where they are, WSU provides all students access to financial, academic, and career assistance to ensure their success no matter their background.

• Multiple forms of financial aid will be available and distributed to first-time and returning students.
  Financial aid dollars and scholarships will be more accessible to more students and that accessibility will have an impact on retention, completion, and satisfaction with the Financial Aid Office.
• Career support, such as resume building, practice interviews, and student employment will be available and used by students.
  Use of career-focused support services will be used by all students, and an increasing number of first-year students will utilize Career Services.
• Academic Support will be leveraged by students.
  Academic support services will see an increase in use. This will be supported by a decrease in the overall advisor to student ratio.

Core Theme-Intersection 2: Access & Community
WSU reflects the socio-economic and cultural diversity of the region by recruiting and retaining faculty, staff, and administrators and recruiting and enrolling students who reflect that diversity.

• WSU will recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, and administrators who increasingly reflect the diversity of the community.
• WSU will recruit students who increasingly reflect the diversity of the community.

Core Theme-Intersection 3: Learning & Community
Student learning occurs in ways that impact the students and community, and enhances the institution's stewardship role.

• WSU offers opportunities for community-based experiential learning for students to gain workforce-related and other skills.
  WSU students will value and be impacted by learning opportunities gained in community settings.

Core Theme-Intersection 4: Access, Learning, & Community
At the intersection of all three themes, WSU offers responsive and quality degree and certificate programs that lead to impactful outcomes for students and the community.

• Student ROI
  Students earning degrees at WSU will experience a significant positive impact.