2.4:  The institution has a clearly defined and published mission statement specific to the institution and appropriate to an institution of higher education, addressing teaching and learning and, where appropriate, research and public service.    Narrative:  The University of Texas (UT) at Arlington has a clearly defined and published mission statement that is specific to the institution and appropriate to an institution of higher education, addressing teaching and learning and, where appropriate, research and public service. The institution’s comprehensive board-approved mission statement is clearly defined, published and appropriate for an urban, doctoral, research extensive institution whose goals are the advancement of knowledge and the pursuit of excellence in research, teaching, and public service.  UT Arlington’s current mission statement was as approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on January 29, 2004. [1] The University’s mission is as follows:   The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research, teaching and public service institution whose mission is the advancement of knowledge and the pursuit of excellence. The University is committed to the promotion of lifelong learning through its academic and continuing education programs and to the formation of good citizenship through its community service learning programs. The diverse student body shares a wide range of cultural values and the University community fosters unity of purpose and cultivates mutual respect. UT Arlington is committed to the following objectives as expanded statements of mission:   The University is committed to comprehensive programs of academic research. This research effort requires attracting and retaining scholars who promote a culture of intellectual curiosity, rigorous inquiry, and high academic standards among their fellow faculty and the students they teach. The mission statement supports comprehensive academic research; attracting and retaining high quality faculty scholars who actively engage students; a well-rounded academic experience promoting student involvement, service learning, and free discourse; alternative access venues to meet students’ needs; and the development of public and private partnerships.  The University prepares students for full, productive lives and informed and active citizenship. To that end, we have developed undergraduate and graduate curricula and classroom practices that engage students actively in the learning process. Outside the classroom, a wide range of student organizations and activities contribute to the learning environment. Our service learning program offers students the opportunity to supplement their academic study with internships in a variety of community settings, testing their skills and aptitudes and challenging their values. State-of-the-art teaching technologies, distance education, and off-site instruction afford access to off-campus as well as traditional students. Non-degree certificate and continuing education programs offer practical, aesthetic, and intellectually stimulating opportunities for community learners, for individual courses or a sustained program of study. The mission of a university can be achieved only when its students, faculty, staff, and administrators value and promote free expression in an atmosphere of tolerance, responsibility, and trust. The University regards these attributes as prerequisites for any community of learners and vigilantly strives to maintain them. Mindful of its role as a resource to the community, locally, nationally, and internationally, the University continually seeks partnerships with public and private concerns in order to advance the economic, social, and cultural welfare of its constituencies. We serve the needs of the North Texas community by sponsoring public lectures and academic symposia, as well as artistic, musical, and dramatic productions. [2] Mission Articulation:  Articulation of the research and service components of the University is evidence that the mission is appropriate to an institution of higher education (and to a research extensive institution). In addition, the rigors of approval through the THECB as well as the University of Texas System Board of Regents ensures that the mission statement is clear and inclusive. Texas Education Code, Section 61.0511, states that every higher education institution is required to write a mission statement that reflects three missions: teaching, research and service. [3] Rule 5.24 of the Rules and Regulations of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) states that university mission statements are to be reviewed by the THECB a minimum of every four years and that the THECB must approve all mission statement changes. [4] Furthermore, Texas Education Code, Section 51.352, states that it is the responsibility of the Board to insist on clarity of focus and mission of every institution under its governance. [5]  Mission Reflection:  The mission statement and the expanded objective statements reflect the distinctiveness of the University and the uniqueness of its student body. The student body is non-traditional in many ways. Most students enter UT Arlington as transfers, many with 60 or more hours already completed. The average age of students in fall 2005 was 26, and 35% attended the University on a part-time basis. According to the most recent student survey, 73% of UT Arlington students hold jobs, with 43% working more than 20 hours per week.   Ethnic enrollment illustrates the diversity of the UT Arlington population. In fall 2005, the overall student body was 13.1% African American, 12.7% Hispanic, 9.7% Asian, 0.6% Native American, and 10.2% International. More than one-fourth of the graduate student population is from outside the United States. [6] It is projected that the Hispanic student population will be UT Arlington’s fastest growing student segment in the coming decades. The University welcomes diversity in the academic community and makes its commitment public through the mission statement.  Constituent Communication:  UT Arlington communicates it mission statement in a variety of locations, including the: (a) paper and online versions of the Undergraduate [7] and Graduate [8] Catalogs, (b) Campus Master Plan, [9] (c) Faculty Guide, [10] (d) Handbook of Operating Procedures, [11] (e) Fact Book [12] and (f) multiple locations on the University website. [2]