OM 1.2.0 Mission and Objectives
About This Policy
| Effective Date: July 1987 Last Updated: July 2017 Responsible University Office: President's Office Responsible University Administrator: President |
Policy Contact: Office of the President president@clarkson.edu |
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1.2.1 Mission
Clarkson University is an independent, nationally recognized technological university whose faculty of teacher-scholars aspires to offer superior instruction and engage in high-quality research and scholarship in engineering, business, science, and liberal arts. Our primary mission is to educate talented and motivated men and women to become successful professionals through quality precollegiate, undergraduate, graduate and professional continuing education programs. Our community and campus settings enhance the quality of student life and afford students access to and interaction with their faculty. We value the diversity of our University community, and we strive to attune ourselves and our programs to our global, pluralistic society. We share the belief that humane economic and social development derives from the expansion, diffusion, and application of knowledge.
1.2.2 Objectives
Clarkson objectives were set down in the first Circular of Information. The essence of those early objectives was:
- To aid young men and women who show a desire to aid themselves;
- To train the student for an engineering profession and for special skills in the various branches of arts and applied sciences;
- To give instruction in such subjects as are found to develop the qualities of self-reliance, sound judgment, and logical reasoning; and
- To add to the scientific and technical studies, which tend to make one resolute, exact, and strong, and at least a moderate amount of those cultural studies which tend to make one broad and liberal.
Today, much of the original focus remains, and Clarkson's objectives are clear:
A Vision of a Clarkson Education
The Clarkson University educational experience is designed to provide talented and ambitious students with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve positions of leadership within their chosen profession. The combination of Clarkson's strong technologically rich curricula and state-ofthe-art teaching and research facilities, coupled with an unparalleled commitment to a friendly learning environment and to students' personal development, uniquely prepares Clarkson graduates to excel in their chosen professions and to lead rewarding and creative lives.
In addition to a mastery of the core knowledge within his or her field, a Clarkson education provides each student with the opportunity to:
- solve real-world, open-ended problems that require creativity and risk taking, including participation in state-of-the-art research under the direction of distinguished faculty;
- develop and refine exceptional communication skills with an awareness of potential cultural differences;
- work productively within and lead disciplinary and multidisciplinary teams possibly composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds;
- obtain outstanding capabilities in utilizing computing and other 21st century technologies;
- learn through instruction and guidance by nationally recognized faculty who have a commitment to both teaching and research that has made Clarkson a nationally ranked university.
A Clarkson student's education is greatly enhanced by a personal and friendly learning environment, within a small, residential, nationally recognized University, which:
- places students at the center of the educational process and where all employees have a commitment to creating an environment that contributes positively to students' overall educational experience;
- draws undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff together into a cohesive and stimulating learning community, wherein an atmosphere of scholarship and spirit of research is cultivated;
- supports the acquisition of knowledge through advanced electronic and information technology and innovative instructional approaches;
- provides personal advising and interaction with faculty and staff as well as supportive relationships among students;
- offers many leadership opportunities through co-curricular groups and activities;
- respects, and learns from its community of diverse people, backgrounds and cultures.
Together, these provide a unique educational experience that is directed toward developing the whole person.
1.2.3 Accreditation
Clarkson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680, 215-662-5606. Clarkson’s undergraduate programs in aeronautical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and software engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). The David D. Reh School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The Healthcare Management MBA is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The undergraduate engineering and management program is accredited by both ABET and AACSB. The MAT program in the Education Department currently is pursuing accreditation of its educator preparation programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). Pursuant to §52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, the educator preparation programs offered by Clarkson University are considered to be continuously accredited for purposes of meeting the New York State requirement that all such programs maintain continuous accreditation. The entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The MS in Physician Assistant Studies program has been granted continuing accreditation by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The MS in Occupational Therapy program has been granted Candidacy Status by The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Additionally, the university is accredited by the United States Civil Service Commission, and its curricula are approved by the New York State Board of Regents. All Clarkson degree programs are approved by the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs for the training of veterans and other eligible persons.
History
July 1987
Revised November 1995
Revised December 20
Editorial Revision October 2006
Editorial Revision January 2009
Editorial Revision October 2015
Editorial Revision December 2016
Revised July 2017