** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

HU VISION 2020

On behalf of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, I am pleased to invite your participation in the selection of our new HU Mission Statement. We wish to thank all three HU senates for soliciting input and suggestions from each respective constituency group. We received very valuable feedback which the Steering Committee considered in developing four options for a new mission statement. We also integrated proposed language which was offered by President Minner.

Selecting a broadly supported mission statement is a very critical step in moving the institution forward. As some of you may know, the recent Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit review and report was not very favorable and there are several serious implications based on that review. One major concern is related to our mission statement. We MUST provide evidence prior to their next focused visit (in 2017-18) that we have established a broadly endorsed and approved mission statement. Further, they will be seeking evidence to demonstrate “accomplishments attained for Strategic Plan–HU Vision 2020.” We cannot proceed with defining initiatives and unit action plans until we have a mission statement. So this is a very critical first step!

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee, in response to both the urgency and our commitment to gaining broad community endorsement prior to BOR approval, has established the following timeline and protocol:

  1. The Steering Committee has developed four (4) options for our new mission statement that are provided on the following link:
    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/nmhuvision2020mission
  2. Surveys should be completed by Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 at 5 p.m.
  3. On Friday, Dec. 11, the Steering Committee will meet to review and discuss the results of the survey and to recommend a new Mission Statement which will serve as a foundation for the Strategic Plan (HU Vision 2020).
  4. Presentation of selected Mission Statement to the Board of Regents for their approval.

If there is broad support for a single statement, this is the statement the Steering Committee will submit for approval to the Board of Regents at the next scheduled meeting. If this is not the case, the committee will consider the survey input and communicate our recommendation back to our constituencies. We will also be making a public announcement (local newspapers/social media) and make a link to the survey available on our website to accommodate input from our external constituencies.
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Following the selection of a Mission Statement, we will proceed to refine the new Vision Statement (using the same protocol for developing and selecting the mission statement). This process will begin immediately upon our return in the Spring term.