Mission and Core Themes

The  University of Nevada, Las Vegas , located in the vibrant and dynamic city of Las Vegas and surrounded by the Mojave Desert, embraces the traditional values of higher education adapted for the global community of the twenty-first century. UNLV assists students in meeting the intellectual and ethical challenges of responsible citizenship and a full and productive life through opportunities to acquire the knowledge and common experiences that enhance critical  thinking, leadership skills, aesthetic sensitivity, and social integrity.

The university provides traditional and professional academic programs for a diverse student body and encourages innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching, learning, and scholarship. UNLV simultaneously engenders collegial relationships and a sense of community among its members. UNLV embraces the interdependence of quality instruction, scholarly pursuits, and substantive involvements in campus  and community life. The university offers artistic, cultural, and technical resources and opportunities to the broadest  possible community. It promotes research programs and creative activities by students and faculty that respond to the needs of an urban community in a desert environment. UNLV is committed to developing a synergy between professional and liberal studies, between undergraduate education and graduate programs, and between superior teaching and meaningful research. UNLV increasingly is a dynamic resource for, and partner with, the community that it serves.

In its 50-year history, UNLV has undergone an amazing transformation from a small branch college into a thriving urban research institution of 28,000 students and 3,300 faculty and staff.

Along the way, the urban land-grant university has become a dynamic resource for one of the country’s fastest-growing and most enterprising cities. UNLV’s 332-acre main campus, located on the southern tip of Nevada in a desert valley surrounded by mountains, is home to more than 220 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, all accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. 

UNLV Mission Statement
Core Themes and Objectives
Core Theme 1
Core Theme 2
Core Theme 3

 UNLV Mission Statement   

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a research institution committed to rigorous educational programs and the highest standards of a liberal education. We produce accomplished graduates who are well prepared to enter the work force or to continue their education in graduate and professional programs. Our faculty, students, and staff enthusiastically confront the challenges of economic and cultural diversification, urban growth, social justice, and sustainability. Our commitment to our dynamic region and State centrally influences our research and educational programs, which improves our local communities. Our commitment to the national and international communities ensures that our research and educational programs engage both traditional and innovative areas of study and global concerns. UNLV’s distinctive identity and values permeate a unique institution that brings the best of the world to our region and, in turn, produces knowledge to improve the region and world around us.

UNLV is committed to and driven by these shared values that will guide our decision making:

• High expectations for student learning and success;
• Discovery through research, scholarship, and creative activity;
• Nurturing equity, diversity, and inclusiveness that promotes respect, support, and empowerment;
• Social, environmental, and economic sustainability;
• Strong, reciprocal, and interdependent relationships between UNLV and the region around us;
• An entrepreneurial, innovative, and unconventional spirit. 

Core Themes and Objectives  

UNLV is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Each institution accredited by NWCCU established core themes as part of the revisions to the accreditation standards.

The core themes of UNLV, the objectives, and their indicators of achievement express the mission of the university. The core themes describe in broad statements what UNLV plans to accomplish and reflect the values that are shared by faculty, students and staff. Evaluation of the metrics associated with the indicators of achievement will demonstrate how effectively UNLV is carrying out its mission. 

Core Theme 1: Promote Student Learning and Success

Objective 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate an engaged and diverse student body.
Indicators of Achievement:      

1.  Academic preparation
2. Recruitment and enrollment
3. Alignment of campus resources to support retention/persistence and graduation
4. Post-graduation education and employment 

Objective 2: Provide a high quality teaching and learning experience.
Indicators of Achievement:   

1.  Student academic performance
2. Student satisfaction with major academic areas, quality of instruction, academic support, and institutional resources
3. Faculty involvement and satisfaction with the teaching and learning environment
4. Student involvement in research, creative activities, and co-curricular activities 

Objective 3: Advance graduate education to promote student learning and achievement.
Indicators of Achievement:   

1. Academic and professional success of graduate students
2. Levels of graduate student support 

Core Theme 2: Advance and Support Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity   

Objective 1: Cultivate quality and productivity of research, scholarship, and creative activity.
Indicators of Achievement:  

1. Quality and quantity of publications and creative activities
2. Quality and quantity of grants, contracts, patents, and licenses
3. Levels of support for faculty and staff 

Objective 2: Encourage student research, creative, and professional practice activities.
Indicators of Achievement:

1. Support research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students
2. Multidisciplinary, integrative collaborations in graduate education
3. Mentoring and professional development of graduate students

Objective 3: Enhance the infrastructure and business practices that support research, scholarship, and creative activity in all pertinent units of the institution.
Indicators of Achievement:

1. Availability and access to support staff and facilities
2. Quality and quantity of space and equipment
3. Technology, electronic initiatives, and information resources 

Core Theme 3: Foster Inclusion and Community Engagement  

Objective 1: Foster an inclusive environment that values and encourages tolerance and respect.
Indicators of Achievement:

1. Efforts that ensure a civil and respectful learning and working environment
2. Support for learning about inclusion through both curricular and co-curricular activities

Objective 2: Promote scholarship that advances community partnerships and economic diversification.
Indicators of Achievement:

1. Community collaborations that address regional economic vitality, environmental stewardship, social well-being, and cultural understanding
2. Institutional support of and participation in partnerships with industry, government, and other entities

Objective 3: Cultivate a university community that promotes awareness of a diverse and changing world.
Indicators of Achievement:

1. Global partnerships
2. Campus and community engagement on evolving local, national, and global issues