{"id":90,"date":"2026-01-09T01:32:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T06:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/?page_id=90"},"modified":"2026-02-18T09:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:09:17","slug":"feedback-on-mission-statement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/feedback-on-mission-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Feedback on Mission Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-umflint-templates umflint-template-default_no_jumbotron\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"800\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-12 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-1536x1200.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/blogs.dir\/120\/files\/2025\/10\/Blue.UCEN_-2048x1600.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#FFF\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-46c2bd5a53ebd565c28ce84944ab72b4\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-size:clamp(31.152px, 1.947rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 1.863), 55px);font-style:normal;font-weight:600;text-transform:uppercase\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-color\">Feedback on Mission Statement<\/mark><\/h1>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-row row\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-3\">\n\t\t\t\n<button class=\"btn btn-section w-100 px-0 wp-menu-block-toggle mobile-nav-toggle d-none\" data-target=\"wp-menu-block-side-menu\">\n          <span class=\"h-100 mr-3 mt-1 d-block mobile-nav-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t  <\/span>\n          Strategic Planning<\/button><nav id=\"wp-menu-block-side-menu\" class=\"wp-menu-block sidebar-nav wp-block-umflint-menu-block\"><div class=\"nav-sidebar-title-container\">\n                <div class=\"nav-sidebar-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/\">Strategic Planning<\/a><\/div>\n                <a class=\"nav-sidebar-title-close\" href=\"#\" data-target=\"side-menu\" aria-label=\"Close\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"50\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                        <title>close<\/title><path d=\"M19,6.41L17.59,5L12,10.59L6.41,5L5,6.41L10.59,12L5,17.59L6.41,19L12,13.41L17.59,19L19,17.59L13.41,12L19,6.41Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n            <\/div><ul id=\"menu-side-menu\" class=\"menu nav nav-sidebar flex-column\"><li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-59\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-59 nav-item\"><a title=\"Engagement Opportunities\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/engagement-opportunities\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Engagement Opportunities<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-75\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-75 nav-item\"><a title=\"Data and Input\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/data-and-input\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Data and Input<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-151\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-151 nav-item\"><a title=\"Mission, Vision and Values Survey Summary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/data-and-input\/mission-vision\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Mission, Vision and Values Survey Summary<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-194\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-194 nav-item\"><a title=\"Strategic Plan Components\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/components\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Strategic Plan Components<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-40\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-40 nav-item\"><a title=\"Project Charter\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/project-charter\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Project Charter<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-18\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-18 nav-item\"><a title=\"Committee\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/committees\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Committee<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-9\">\n\t\t\t\n<nav aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb mb-3\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\">Strategic Planning<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item active\" aria-current=\"page\">Feedback on Mission Statement<\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-small-font-size\" style=\"color:#666666\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Free Response Feedback on Mission Statement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The following feedback was collected from a survey asking stakeholders to share their thoughts on the University of Michigan-Flint&#8217;s current mission statement. Responses have been organized by theme to highlight common perspectives and suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f5f5f5\"><strong>Current Mission Statement:<\/strong> &#8220;The University of Michigan-Flint is a comprehensive urban university of diverse learners and scholars committed to advancing our local and global communities. In the University of Michigan tradition, we value excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship. Through personal attention and dedicated faculty and staff, our students become leaders and best in their fields, professions and communities.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Length and Memorability --><\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-white-background-color has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Length and Memorability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">Vision or mission statements that are long will not be memorable. Simplicity is better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">It&#8217;s very long and could be shortened.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">It conveys what is needed, but it is a bit long for a mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I dont think the average person can quote the mission statement of any organization. So memorable is less important to me than having a mission that is clear and directs the focus and decision making of the institution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too long to be strongly memorable, but leaders and best is heard so frequently in relation the the University of Michigan system that it is a memorable phrase within the whole.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In terms of memorability, nothing really jumps out and grabs me.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too long.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>its a bit long<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement is extremely long. Its Flesch-Kincaid reading level is grade 13.9 (i.e., suitable for a college freshman or sophomore). The vast majority of employees will never remember this mission statement, and the majority of local residents might never comprehend it. I recommend that you strive for one succinct sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It encompasses many big ideals, all good, but when that many are listed it quickly becomes white noise.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s too long to be memorable. It should be concise so every student, alum and faculty member can recite it!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement is a little too long to be memorable, however I do think it is a good reflection of the purpose of U of M &#8211; Flint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kinda long<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s very long<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is too long, difficult to remember. Too broad in an attempt to cover too much.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you can not say your mission in one short sentence, it is not relevant or memorable. The current statement is just garblegook.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s not smooth when reading it. I read it twice. I shouldn&#8217;t have to do that. Ratchet up the vocabulary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>too long<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The statement is too long to remember<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement isn&#8217;t have pazazz, motivation, charm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its to convoluted and difficult to read.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s a bit of a mouthful \/ kind of a nothing-burger.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I don&#8217;t think I have heard this statement in the past. I do not recall the words.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s too long to be memorable. There are too many words. Parts seem redundant, for example, what&#8217;s the difference between a scholar and a learner? what does student centeredness mean?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A memorable mission statement isn&#8217;t usually a paragraph long with multiple semi-colons. Further, it seems the focus these days is strictly inward. I am no longer seeing UM-Flint in the community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It contains too much jargon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The statement fails to capture attention or inspire employees, making it unlikely that they will remember it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too long to be memorable. Needs to be very succinct. And frankly, the community is NOT interested in global advancement. Now, more than ever before our country needs to be the focus.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Well, it&#8217;s a lovely sentiment, but it is long.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement is too long. The message is getting lost in all the text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is too long to be memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It feels like a jumble of words. Being more concise would help get the purpose across and be more memorable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too many words.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s too wordy. If it&#8217;s to be memorable it can&#8217;t be more than one sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is really too long to be memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It takes too long to say too little.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s just way too long to be memorable. It&#8217;s so wordy I had to read it a few times to understand what all it was trying to say.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mission statement should be clear and concise. This is filled with Human Resources jargon and meaningless, pandering nonsense.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Just nothing to memorable, long Mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alittle long; wordy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s too long, very wordy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A bit too long. Try to focus on our core strengths and mission.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too wordy, could be more focussed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most mission statements, in my opinion, are not very memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Very wordy and difficult to remember.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sorry, but it&#8217;s too long to be easily memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each time i want to address Mission in a conversation i have to review it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I feel that the statement is too long for it to be memorable. There are parts that will be remembered, but not the statement as a whole.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I hardly know it \ud83d\ude02<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I don&#8217;t think many mission statements are memorable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is too long. I would focus on community engagement to provide students applied learning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think it is too long. I like the first sentence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long and difficult to remember<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>l have no issues with this at all. Length of statement can be difficult to fully remember without reading from script<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are a lot of words here. Simple is memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s quite long to be &#8220;memorable&#8221; and also includes aspects are traditionally expected of any university. I would shorten the statement and try to make it &#8220;punchier&#8221; and more closely aligned to what UM Flint actually stands out for (eg, community engagement, small classes, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s long for a mission statement (though most are, which is a problem).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mission statement should be concise, clear, and compelling. Ours is none of these. It seems to me to try to say &#8220;we are all things to all people&#8221; when we cannot be. The UM mission statement is much better (https:\/\/president.umich.edu\/about\/mission\/) &#8211; an exponentially larger institution is able to distill its mission into a single sentence while we need 3 sentences and multiple semi-colons?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s rather long to be &#8220;memorable&#8221;, but it captures some of our unique strengths well.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Way too wordy! People should not struggle to share it on a moment&#8217;s notice. Content is good, though\u2014<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too wordy. Message gets lost. Need to simplify.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simplify the statement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can the mission be modified to relay mission more succinctly and accessible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Should be less wordy and more straightforward.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Lack of Distinctiveness --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Lack of Distinctiveness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The general concepts are still good but the wording is not very catchy and makes it feel meh and dated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I don&#8217;t think an outside observer would notice anything about our activities that differ from other institutions without our mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In general I feel like there are a lot of buzz words &#8211; but also I&#8217;m not sure how to get around that. Buzz words include: comprehensive, diverse, excellence in teaching, student centeredness, engaged citizenship, personal attention, leaders. Again, buzz words matter, but they are also the same words every where else uses &#8211; I don&#8217;t know how to get around that.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While the University of Michigan-Flint&#8217;s mission statement contains important values, I find it difficult to remember and unclear about the university&#8217;s fundamental purpose for several reasons: 1) Lack of Memorability: The statement is too long and complex to retain. At 67 words, it includes multiple clauses and concepts that blend together rather than creating a distinctive, memorable impression. There&#8217;s no compelling phrase or unique idea that sticks in my mind after reading it. Compare this to truly memorable mission statements that can be recalled and repeated easily\u2014this one requires me to reference the text multiple times to understand what it&#8217;s trying to convey. 2) Unclear Purpose: The statement describes *what* UM-Flint values (excellence, student-centeredness, engagement) and *how* it operates (personal attention, dedicated faculty), but it doesn&#8217;t clearly articulate *why* the university exists or what specific problem it solves for students and the community. &#8211; What makes UM-Flint distinctly different from dozens of other &#8220;comprehensive urban universities&#8221;? &#8211; What concrete outcomes should students and the community expect? &#8211; What is the university&#8217;s unique contribution to Flint specifically, beyond generic commitments to &#8220;advancing communities&#8221;? The phrase &#8220;diverse learners and scholars committed to advancing our local and global communities&#8221; could apply to virtually any public university. The purpose feels diluted by trying to encompass everything rather than focusing on what truly defines UM-Flint&#8217;s essential reason for being. A stronger mission statement would be concise, distinctive, and clearly answer: &#8220;Why does this university exist, and what transformation does it promise?&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It seems that all mission statements at colleges or universities end up being a kind of compromise that results in bloated verbiage and limp phrasing dotted with catch-phrases: &#8220;diverse learners and scholars&#8221;; &#8220;local and global communities&#8221;; &#8220;leaders and best&#8221;. The statement gets at what UMF does, but I wonder if it could do so more succinctly and vibrantly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our mission as it is written defines our purpose well in terms of educating students to enable them to be leaders and lift up the communities they serve. I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s very memorable because I&#8217;m sure every regional &#8216;teaching&#8217; university has a similar mission. Also, it&#8217;s a bit long. Like, we could probably drop this entirely since it&#8217;s already implied our faculty and staff do this: &#8220;Through personal attention and dedicated faculty and staff&#8221;. (Feels like it&#8217;s a bit of marketing fluff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seems like any other statement so it&#8217;s just not memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some words and phrases are memorable, but overall, it is not memorable. I&#8217;m still thinking on the idea of purpose. It&#8217;s in there, but not as clearly as it could be.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It seems like someone put a bunch of words together they thought would sound good. It has no energy to it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many\/most universities will also claim to value excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship. We need language that sets us apart from others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lacks specificity &#8211; what makes UMF unique<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our current mission statement, while wordy, does not make an emotional connection with the stakeholder and uses generic language that most institutions of higher education use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is exceedingly difficult to put together a mission statement that is clear &amp; cogent and reads as if spoken by one voice that somehow includes all voices. I don&#8217;t think the current mission statement is bad. I know it can be better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other than the word Urban this type of generic statement could be used by ANY university and is basically meaningless.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most mission statements are broad platitudes and feel good generalizations. This one is no different.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bland, not distinctive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This overall statement is very generic. I do like the connection to the broader brand in the last sentence, &#8220;our students become leaders and best\u2026&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To me, it is too vague. Sounds like most other mission statements I have read.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement seems as if I&#8217;ve read it before with some synonyms switched out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Except for perhaps the designation as &#8220;comprehensive urban&#8221;, everything else feels like it could apply to 90% of the Universities in the country.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is too generic to be meaningful<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It sounds like a mission statement that could work for any school. I believe it would have more impact and significance if it mentioned our state and our country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Concerns About Specific Words --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Concerns About Specific Words and Phrases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">&#8220;Urban&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We are located in an urban space but serve a predominately white, first gen, Pell eligible, rural\/semi-rural Michigan population. Advancing our global communities means what exactly? How are we doing that?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The university impacts regional economies, society, and culture. We are far greater than an urban university. What percentage of our student body, and community partners can actually be categorized as urban? While we exist in a recovering urban geography, our impact reaches suburban and rural communities as well. The university should own that impact, and make it part of our greater identity. We are more than just &#8220;the Flint college&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This mission statement is not memorable at all. The focus on the &#8216;urban&#8217; environment is inaccurate as we aren&#8217;t urban, we&#8217;re urban in recovery. This mission statement reads like it was written by a marketing student who Google&#8217;d our campus and tried to tie us to the Ann Arbor campus without highlighting the qualities of our community. We don&#8217;t need to highlight &#8220;with University of Michigan tradition&#8217;. It&#8217;s fluff and doesn&#8217;t really mean much. &#8220;We value excellence in teaching, learning and academic scholarship&#8221; says much more in a stronger tone than it did previously. Speak more about what OUR community values instead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I would remove the word urban, the university may be located in Flint but many of those who attend and work at the university do not. The university also offers online courses. I do not know that that word is necessary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Urban is a stigmatizing word. Local and global is not specific, it doesn&#8217;t reflect a continuum of local, state, national, and global. University of Michigan tradition is not defined, what does this mean? I do not see how we live this, it reads like fluff &#8220;excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship. Through personal attention and dedicated faculty and staff, our students become leaders and best in their fields, professions and communities.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think using the word &#8220;urban&#8221; makes it sound like an HBC. I&#8217;m not sure if people understand what &#8220;engaged citizenship&#8221; means, or what you want it to mean, anyway. The thing that sets UM-Flint apart from other small universities is obviously the personal attention, but that along with the tie to U-M as a whole, and the access it creates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Urban seems off putting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why does it state its a &#8220;urban university&#8221; of &#8220;diverse scholars&#8221;. Lose the woke code speak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not sure if the word &#8220;urban&#8221; has a negative connotation for the readers. It is not easy to remember.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why urban? Flint is a smaller market, not NYC, Chicago, or even Grand Rapids. Where does it talk to the value to the student, costs increase, and more jobs are not looking for degrees. What is student focused? UM-F is not a research university like Ann Arbor, and this statement sounds more like a much larger university. Go Blue!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;comprehensive urban university&#8221; sounds more like AA. No mention of workforce development, which is a focus of UM-Flint. The community of online learners might object to &#8220;personal attention&#8221; as most of them are on their own. We have little support for them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">&#8220;Comprehensive&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Last sentence is good. I do not think &#8220;citizenship&#8221; and &#8220;comprehensive&#8221; accurate describes us.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;Comprehensive&#8221; doesn&#8217;t explain in any meaningful way what is meant by the word in this usage in my opinion. A &#8220;fluff&#8221; word.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The word &#8220;comprehensive&#8221; meaning &#8220;complete; including all&#8221; makes me feel like we may be over committing to what may not be financial viable for our small regional campus. It makes more sense for a large, research intensive flagship university. Recently CIT has brought more global engagement, but I think &#8220;global communities&#8221; is a bit of a stretch for UM-Flint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t use the term &#8220;comprehensive&#8221; in the opening statement. It&#8217;s a common cliche. As are the values noted in the second sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think our mission as &#8220;comprehensive&#8221; has changed. There is much greater emphasis on STEM, Health Sciences, and in some ways SOM. CASE has changed a lot, with many programs pared down, condensed into umbrella departments. So, I think even though we may be able to &#8220;check&#8221; those boxes, how deeply we check them is another story. The Mission Statement to me feel like a lot of words. I&#8217;m not a fan of how it&#8217;s introduced. I like the second sentence better. It&#8217;s more engaging and active &#8220;In the University of Michigan tradition, we value excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship.&#8221; As a future student, I would feel more compelled by the description if I read that first. Just one opinion though.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">&#8220;Leaders and Best&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;advancing&#8221; is a nondescript word don&#8217;t use &#8220;leaders and best&#8221; in a mission statement. It is the lyric of a sports song, not a mission.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are not &#8216;leaders and best&#8217; unless specifically talking about the Ann Arbor Health System itself<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The last sentence mentioning &#8220;leaders and best&#8221; is most memorable part.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I like urban university, student centeredness these statements stand out, but I do not enjoy &#8220;and best in their fields, professions&#8230;&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">&#8220;Engaged Citizenship&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;engaged citizenship&#8221; is a little vague and the Flesch\u2013Kincaid readability score is way too high for the communities we serve<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What does it mean by engaged citizenship? I understand what it might mean, but is an exclusive term for people who are not the US citizens. Not inclusive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">&#8220;Local and Global Communities&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>are we really advancing local and global communitites?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;commitment to advancing our local and global communities.&#8221; is a meaningless phrase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;local and global communities.&#8221; feels a little stretched &#8212; our focus seems to be more local &amp; regional than global<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-medium-font-size\" style=\"color:#00274c;font-style:normal;font-weight:700\">Other Word\/Phrase Concerns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use Oxford commas: and,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;m not sure what student centeredness means. Student formation seems more active and more about what the University and the student can accomplish through a symbiotic relationship. Teaching enables student formation which in turn enables engaged citizenship. I believe this helps the Mission statement become more purpose-driven.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I am not sure what the first sentence actually means?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too much fluff. Valuing student centeredness is a good thing, but the other things you value are more window dressing than operational realities. Advancing local and global communities sounds good but lack operational substance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;m not sure if it&#8217;s just me, but the semicolons don&#8217;t make sense where they are currently placed. From what I understand, you don&#8217;t use semicolons to make lists; you use them as part of a sentence continuation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8216;Diverse&#8217; can be deleted for better clarity and directness (of course it&#8217;s diverse). &#8216;Comprehensive&#8217; muddles the point, I suggest deleting that word too. A rewrite of the statement, leading with the idea that you provide USEFUL EDUCATION is suggested. I really like the &#8220;In the University of Michigan tradition&#8221; point. \ud83d\ude42 [Thank you for asking].<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not sure why interest in &#8220;diversity&#8221; over &#8220;qualified&#8221; learners and scholars?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Purpose and Focus --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Purpose and Focus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mission should align with vision. What is the vision? And remember&#8230;it&#8217;s not so much what the vision says as it is what the vision does.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement seems clear in what our core values are as a regional university.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This mission statement centers student learning, scholarship, and community engagement. It also notes the role of students as citizens in the world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The current mission statement reflects strong values. It shows commitment to teaching, learning, scholarship, and community. What it does not do is clearly explain UM-Flint&#8217;s purpose. It feels broad and idealistic rather than grounded in what the campus actually does. It connects us to the larger University of Michigan, but it does not show how UM-Flint serves its region, its students, or local employers. What is missing is a focus on results. Students come here to learn, to build careers, and to contribute to their communities. The mission should say that directly. It should show that UM-Flint helps graduates find good jobs, meet workforce needs, and apply their education in practical ways. Right now the statement captures ideals but not the everyday purpose of UM-Flint. The heart of the mission is accessible, applied education that prepares students for meaningful work and active citizenship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I suggest the mission statement be composed of items that the University does. For example, an institution of the University of Michigan system, engaged in providing exemplary higher education through engaged student, faculty, and staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>what happened to teaching excellence. the institution is supposed to be about preparing students for careers not political indoctrination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Should help students get education and jobs for the future<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too long and generic to be memorable or actionable. Current mission sounds like every other university; needs to align more closely with UofM&#8217;s mission since connection to main institution is where the name recognition and significant brand value are derived. mention &#8220;mid-Michigan and the world&#8221; and something like: &#8220;infuse knowledge and values into developing leaders and difference-makers to think, care, and lead in a way solves and advances our world\/society\/etc.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mission statement needs to move\/inspire one on how your organization\/university can transform those that are a part of it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The mission statement is institution-centric instead of student-centric. We have an opportunity to differentiate ourselves as an opportunity college with market-driven STEM programs and to showcase our community partnerships, K-12 outreach, and regional revitalization efforts, which are important parts of our identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mission ought to include diversity and inclusion of both staff and students, as well as the dedication of student in actualizing the mission, not just faculty and staff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think you need to express more acknowledgement regarding individual needs of students in your Mission Statement. Aren&#8217;t your students the prime responsibility of the institution? Nothing else matters without your students and their needs. Also, what about the fact that once I graduate does the support from U of M Flint totally end? What about technology and it&#8217;s interface with the University and Students?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>more emphasis should be placed on scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sounds like you have switched to teaching students &#8220;What to Think&#8221; &#8230; NOT &#8230; &#8220;How to Think and How to develop Critical Thinking Skills.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I believe our focus on career readiness and preparing students for careers resonates with many stakeholders. A more concise statement could be more memorable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think the mission is to provide a first-class education with the goal that graduates will be well positioned to support themselves and their families. That will have the side effect of benefiting the community, but your focus should be on the students, not the community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think the states mision centers a bit too heavily on the roleplayed in the community and not enough on what feel #1 purpose is: preparing the student (the true customer). I think it gets to that but not as the first priority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>My opinion, the Mission statement is a bit long to be easily memorable. It seems like some elements of the Mission statement are actually describing the Vision and Values statements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put student centered passages first. Its an important aspect of our success.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It says that it&#8217;s student-centered but the voice and tone is speaking in a way that it&#8217;s is simply something potential students would gloss over and not feel is important to care about.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purpose is defined and true to why many of us came to work here but new and somewhat unwelcome directions in being a polytechnic or an R2 are not fully aligned with this mission<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I would like to see research added to the mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No stated ambitions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include some script stressing the pursuit of excellence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our core business is serving the employment market with useful talent. Our only unit of concern is the student. Speak to what we do&#8211;uniquely do&#8211;to make a student successful. Community engagement is not a reason for our actions, but a tool to shape successful students. You could pretty much substitute any regional public&#8217;s name in this mission statement, sans the reference to UMAA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>speaks less to the development (intellectual, economic, etc.) of MI and the local area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Need to add community based education<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>it is quite broad but somehow didn&#8217;t include personal development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Regional Identity --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Regional Identity and Community Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I am familar with several regional universities, and I find that U of M-Flint is the least oriented to the local community. It is more focused on the central campus in Ann Arbor. I loved my experience at U of M-Flint, and I believe it is an excellent teaching institution. However, it is not locally focused. Events surrounding the Rec Center is just one example. Additionally, I am very active in the regional community, and U of M-Flint is hardly visible with a couple of minor exceptions&#8211; one being use of the theater by the Flint Institute of Music.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There needs to be a commitment to diversity in the mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I really like that UM-Flint&#8217;s mission focuses on supporting our local community, but I feel like we could do a bit more to actually connect with the City of Flint itself. There&#8217;s a lot of potential for us to be more involved and visible in the community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>clearer about engagement with the communities not just as students\/faculty but as a university be actively engaged with the greater east central MI area<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>definition of the regional role is limited to the words &#8220;Flint&#8221; and &#8220;local.&#8221; It&#8217;s difficult to have a memorable mission statement. What struck me most was &#8220;personal attention,&#8221; which is informative and distinctive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>U of M Flint is heavily imbedded in the community &#8211; current statement is not reflective of that reality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There&#8217;s nothing in the current mission statement that connects the university in a unique way to Flint and the surrounding area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too much of the verbiage reflects Ann Arbor and does not highlight our purpose in the region nor the unique elements of our students.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I suppose urban and diverse conveys the point but make sure people understand that UM-F students may be first generation students, Native students, or come from working or poorer backgrounds. Also that one purpose of UM-F is to believe in each and every student and to not just to become best in their fields, professions, and communities (love including communities) but to believe in themselves and become the best person they can be.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Relationship to U-M --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Relationship to University of Michigan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is the first I have seen the current mission statement and read it thoroughly. I like it but would encourage you to review the line, &#8220;In the tradition of the University of Michigan&#8230;: to something stronger. UM-Flint is a part of of UM, it needs to be stated clearly and strongly as this help others understand the unique role and opportunity UM Flint provides in this area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This sounds like a tired, even old, rendition of a marketing tagline. I&#8217;d focus on how UMFlint is different from UMDearborn and Ann Arbor. I&#8217;d point to the qualities that make UMFlint a unique academic community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sorry, folks, not a huge fan of mission and vision statements. In my estimation and professional experience, an inordinate amount of time and effort are devoted to crafting such statements. Meanwhile, good faculty and staff continue to do what they have always done \u2013 a good job. Mission and vision statements are then filed away or posted on office walls\/websites never to be looked again unless resurrected for an annual report. As to our current Mission Statement, urban and comprehensive are good descriptors. Yet, &#8220;leaders and best&#8221; has little value\/meaning other than to reflect Ann Arbor&#8217;s mantra and arrogance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Disconnect from Practice --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Disconnect Between Statement and Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I wonder if the local students are suffering due to lack of face to face course offerings due to our focus on the global community and online offerings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The university does not provide adequate resources for faculty to provide &#8220;personal attention&#8221; to students. High minimum enrollments in class, incredibly poor tech support, and lack of research time that cuts into teaching all hamper faculty ability to spend time with students. There is also next to no financial or administrative support for engaged citizenship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With faculty not willing to offer class times that are convenient to our culture of students it&#8217;s difficult to agree with the &#8220;student centeredness&#8221; portion of the Mission statement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I dont believe the university&#8217;s admin has made any progress to actually embody some of these values such as &#8220;student centeredness; and engaged citizenship&#8221; The current and previous administration have not shown a focus on student centeredness having defunded many student activities over the past decade and leaving the campus with little to no student life. Also despite efforts from staff and some faculty, students are rarely actively participating in the Flint community with partner organizations, or exposed to the wider community besides one or two days a year (MLK Service day).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think the mission statement is very good, but I&#8217;m not sure that the values in the mission statement are being carried out at the level that they could and should be.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;Student centeredness?&#8221; &#8220;Personal attention?&#8221; I&#8217;m relatively new as a faculty member and am amazed at what a ghost town campus is. Most courses are offered online. Faculty live an hour away and rarely come into the building. It&#8217;s difficult to mentor and inspire students without forming close personal relationships with them. This is not happening online. Students are checking the boxes of completing their degree requirements rather than forming relationships that can transform their lives and the surrounding community. Does UM-Flint want to be like the University of Phoenix? We&#8217;re at a cross-roads for re-imagining the university identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The demographics of the university are at odds with the surrounding population, such that clearly we are excluding a certain large segment of the actual people of Flint. We cannot claim to be engaged with global communities as we cut our language programs. Lastly, we can&#8217;t claim to value scholarship as we destroy programs and replace them with mega-departments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think it is a bit aspirational as we&#8217;re not as connected to the community right now as we should be. The actual language feels like boilerplate and not very meaningful; it could probably be found at institutions across the country &#8212; or something similar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The real question should be how are we staff and faculty at the um flint meeting our mission statement. I gave it a slightly because some of the decisions made affecting the students have no significant input from them. On paper it looks like they have input but when querying students randomly their response is that they know little or nothing about it. We were told the pool is closed so that the students can have it converted to a games room. The walking track is broken and under repair. The pool still has water in It but it cannot be used &#8211; there is a lost opportunity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Positive Feedback --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Positive Feedback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I believe the &#8220;three pillars&#8221; are as relevant today as ever: &#8220;excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I do not agree in changing the university mission statement. It is perfect and reflects what we do so well here. This is one of the huge reasons student enrollment is up and they stay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t change a word. It is awesome. I can see faculty word-smithing it but don&#8217;t!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think the current mission statement accurately reflects who we are and does a great job being inclusive. Let&#8217;s keep it!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I really like the first sentence. I believe deeply in our mission as a regional comprehensive that strives to make in an impact in the local (and global) community. I also really like the emphasis on teaching and learning first, before scholarship. What attracted me to UM-Flint, and has kept me here, is the fact that we have been a teaching-focused institution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Well Done!!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I don&#8217;t know that I&#8217;ve ever heard our mission statement before.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Suggested Revisions --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Suggested Revisions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Note the suggested revisions: The University of Michigan-Flint is a comprehensive urban university of diverse learners and scholars committed to advancing our local, &#8220;state, national&#8221; and global communities. In the University of Michigan tradition, we value excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship. Through personal attention and dedicated faculty and staff (add &#8220;alumni&#8221;), our students become leaders and best in their fields, professions and communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The University of Michigan\u2013Flint empowers a diverse community of learners and scholars to create meaningful change in their lives, their city, and the world. Rooted in the heart of Flint, we unite the University of Michigan&#8217;s tradition of excellence with a deep commitment to learning and scholarship. Through personal attention and close collaboration, our faculty and staff inspire students to think critically, engage deeply, and apply their knowledge to address real-world challenges \u2014 becoming thoughtful leaders in their professions and communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Here is a simpler version: The University of Michigan\u2013Flint is a comprehensive urban university serving a diverse community of learners and scholars. Guided by the University of Michigan tradition, we emphasize excellence in teaching and scholarship, along with a strong student-centered focus. Through personalized support from dedicated faculty and staff, our students become leaders in their professions and communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I think that the second sentence could be reworked for clarity and conciseness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maybe less words and more meaning&#8230; it gets a bit convoluted, though it does mean well.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is the mission mean?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is this what you are worried about? I&#8217;m not really sure anyone ever reads these statements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Commitment to enhancing student&#8217;s career path and personal growth. We value, communicate and support excellence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The statement is too long and should be shortened and reworded to focus on what is identified in the last sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The first sentence should be restructured to be the last sentence or stated differently. It makes the mission statement too top heavy which can to a turn off to the general population beyond those looking for a collage an employment opportunity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Identity and Direction --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Identity and Direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I believe this institutions struggles with knowing who it is and who it serves. Across my 20+ year affiliation with the university, I believe we&#8217;ve never know who we are. We choose instead to try to be all things to all people, and that rarely works out. I love this place. I think we need to decide who we are, who we serve, and own it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too woke of a mission statement for my taste with the need to mention urban and diversity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We have mission statements where I work in the corporate world. To be brutally honest, they are a colossal waste of time. They&#8217;re just words that really don&#8217;t hold any value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><!-- Section: Other Comments --><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#00274c\">Other Comments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As a graduate of the class of 1969, who moved from Flint 1971, I can only guess at the answers to the current tone at the schools. I will answer the questions I can .<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I did not remember the mission statement but I could make an educated guess.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>My wife and I are 1966 graduates with high distinction. I went on to earn a law degree from UofM Law and Nancy earned a Masters of Library Science. Our graduate degrees enabled us to achieve financial security. In terms of affecting our lives and those of our children the undergraduate degree from Flint U of M was more important. The most important thing the college can do is graduate educated people. Please worry less about financial returns for graduates than enriching their lives with a real education.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clarification\/Input for Mission Statement Response: As a dedicated educator and advocate with deep ties to UM-Flint, I resonate with the mission&#8217;s emphasis on diversity, excellence, and student-centeredness. These ideals reflect the heart of my work in inclusive instruction and culturally responsive leadership. However, my journey\u2014marked by resilience, chronic health challenges, and navigating institutional barriers\u2014has shown me that mission statements must be lived, not just stated. While I&#8217;ve experienced moments of genuine support from faculty and staff, I&#8217;ve also encountered systemic gaps that complicate access, equity, and wellness for nontraditional students and educators. The phrase &#8220;leaders and best&#8221; should encompass those who rise through adversity, who lead with compassion, and who challenge systems to be more inclusive. UM-Flint has the potential to fully embody its mission\u2014but doing so requires intentional listening, healing-centered practices, and a commitment to equity that reaches beyond tradition. I offer this reflection not as critique, but as a call to deepen the mission&#8217;s impact for all who walk these halls with courage and purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I would actually prefer a No Response choice given that my interaction with the University was 5-6 years ago and involved only its Parkinson&#8217;s program. I&#8217;m not qualified to answer these 2 questions,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I like it, but it reads like a lot of other mission statements. I don&#8217;t know how to put it into words, but a college education transcends the actial course material. I&#8217;m retired now, but I still think in a way that I absorbed via the &#8220;college experience&#8221;. For example, I was completing an assignment and It came to me: A lot of times knowing the question is more harder (and more productive) than immediately knowing the answer. I wish that I could put it in mission statement form. However, it is perhaps something or the commitee to consider.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>n\/a<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note: Responses have been organized thematically and appear exactly as submitted.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/18PXKzUi52vEjtkTd7CjPYyCCNiO5-caC\/edit?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=115735487152947909083&amp;rtpof=true&amp;sd=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Print only Free Response Feedback on Mission Statement<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/feedback-on-mission-statement\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-90","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/90","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/90\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":195,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/90\/revisions\/195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/strategic-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}