In order to fulfill its stated purpose, Roanoke College seeks to be an institution of significant distinction by

For Incoming Students

• Attracting students of high quality who have demonstrated potential to succeed
• Recruiting and retaining students who best fit the purposes and goals of the College
• Maintaining a student body of sufficient size to populate programs and to meet budgetary needs

For the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum

• Offering a strong, cohesive general education component that provides each student, regardless of intended specialization, with the foundation and breadth of knowledge appropriate to a liberal arts education
• Offering appropriate disciplinary specialization with study in depth that (a) ensures that the graduate will exhibit mastery of the discipline and (b) furthers the liberal arts goals involving the integration of knowledge
• Providing and supporting individualized learning experiences and co-curricular experiences to enhance the achievement of educational goals of the College
• Providing the necessary resources and processes to achieve curricular goals in the best possible fashion

For Graduating Students

• Assisting students in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes reflective of a sound, broad intellectual foundation in the liberal arts
• Enabling students to gain a comprehensive background in their discipline and proficiency with its distinctive methods of inquiry
• Developing individuals who are well-rounded and who have a capacity for leadership and a commitment to serve the community
• Graduating students who are able to make sound, ethical, and moral choices in the personal, vocational, political, and spiritual dimensions of their lives

For the Faculty

• Recruiting and employing faculty members highly qualified in their disciplines, who are committed to liberal learning and the College's primary mission of undergraduate instruction
• Retaining and supporting faculty members who are exemplary as teachers and whose commitment to intellectual inquiry and creativity serves as a model for their students
• Encouraging and recognizing faculty members who are committed to service, both at the College and in the broader community
• Fostering and encouraging intellectual interaction among faculty, with faculty at other institutions, and between faculty and students

For Academic and Other Support Services

• Recruiting, employing, retaining, and supporting staff members highly qualified in their fields, who are committed to the College's primary mission of undergraduate instruction
• Encouraging and recognizing staff members who are committed to service, both at the College and in the broader community
• Providing excellent library access, services, and holdings to support faculty and student scholarship and research
• Providing high quality, up-to-date equipment, facilities, and support for faculty, students, and administration
• Providing academic support services and campus and residence life environments that enhance the achievement of the educational goals of the College
• Establishing and maintaining sound financial resources and management to support and improve the College's academic and co-curricular programs

For the Institution as a Whole

• Providing diversity in the faculty, staff, and student body and providing learning experiences that reflect the global community and the diversity of American society
• Providing service to the community and the region, including educational and cultural enrichment
• Maintaining partnerships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other external organizations that support our institutional purpose
• Providing means for the continuing involvement of alumni and friends in support of the College
• Promoting a community of learning that reflects high intellectual standards, Judeo-Christian values, the interplay of faith and reason, a deep concern for the welfare of its members, and a commitment to serving others

Approved by the Faculty, 04/18/2000