News Detail

The Faculty Senate endorsed the College’s recently completed mission statement and vision for 2010-2020 during its regularly scheduled meeting on March 2 in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room.

The document, which appears below, represents the culmination of more than a year’s work by the Presidentially appointed Strategic Planning Committee. Entitled “SUNY Cortland 2010-2020: A Commitment to Excellence,” the report was unveiled to the campus community in January by President Erik J. Bitterbaum during his State of the College address.

Beginning in Fall 2008, the committee focused on its three charges that specifically directed the group to:

1. engage the campus in developing a vision and strategic plan through the next five years;
2. establish parameters for determining priorities for further planning and initiatives; and
3. develop a long-term roadmap of prioritized strategic initiatives that reflects the mission of the College and allows for future relevant initiatives during tight budgetary times

The group completed its work in Fall 2009.

SUNY Cortland 2010-2020: A Commitment to Excellence

Our Mission

SUNY Cortland is an academic community dedicated to diverse learning experiences. Students grow as engaged citizens with a strong social conscience fostered by outstanding teaching, scholarship, and service. 

Our Vision

SUNY Cortland will be a college of opportunity, from which students graduate with the knowledge, integrity, skills, and compassion to excel as leaders, citizens, scholars, teachers, and champions of excellence.  Prospective students and employees will choose the College in response to its nationally recognized academic programs, innovation and experiential learning, and the rich intellectual, social, and athletic life on the campus. SUNY Cortland will be a center for intellectual, cultural, and economic growth, distinguished by successful partnerships with organizations, schools, agencies, and businesses throughout the region, the nation, and the world. 

Our Values

Focus on the Students 

All decisions, plans, and actions revolve around students’ academic, personal, social, and cultural development and wellness.

Integrity

Dedication to honesty, hard work, high personal and professional standards, and respect for people, perspectives, and the environment.

 Intellectual Life   

Commitment to inquiry, academic rigor, creativity, lifelong learning, and contribution to discipline, profession, and the greater good.

Our Priorities

Academic Excellence

Cultivate programs of academic excellence that are recognized for integrity of curriculum, outstanding student learning outcomes, and contributions to the discipline.

• Recognize students, faculty and programs for achievement and contribution to their disciplines and community
• Create a comprehensive model to describe and articulate programmatic excellence and efficiency.
• Expand interdisciplinary work and scholarly collaboration among departments, faculty, student and alumni

Transformational Education

Ensure every student will have engaging and transformational educational experiences.

• Students participate in experiential learning in and beyond the classroom.
• Develop students’ global competence through internationalization initiatives.
• Increase student engagement with faculty, campus life, and community.

Well-being

Become a national leader in the promotion of the physical, emotional, cultural, and social well-being of all community members.

• Implement a comprehensive plan for increasing participation in the life of the campus.
• Appreciate and advocate for diversity, equity and social justice.
• Provide outstanding opportunities and support for healthy living.

Maximize Resources

Maximize resources so that structures, decision-making, and processes all work toward institutional vision, responsiveness, and sustainability.

• Enhance the effectiveness of administrative and governance structures and processes and align assessments with planning.
• Significantly increase the endowment and revenue. 
• More fully integrate alumni into the life of the College.
• Align facilities, curriculum, and campus with commitment to environmental sustainability.