Vision, Mission and Values

Our Vision

The Division of Student Affairs will be known for its active partnership with faculty, the academic divisions, students, and community members in the creation of a fully integrated student educational experience. This fully integrated educational experience will enable students to identify and maximize the connections between their academic and co-curricular learning.

We will seek to have a particular focus on student attainment of our university motto “strength through truth.” ¹

Through supporting students’ active engagement in university courses, student-centered programs and activities on campus in the St Louis and global community, the Division of Student Affairs will lay a foundation such that Washington University graduates will:

Understand their values and strengths as a means of translating their academic, intellectual, and individual passions into purposeful careers and lives.
Seek to be servant and compassionate leaders in their chosen profession and their volunteer activities.
Be civically engaged and committed to strengthening their communities.
Develop their skills of resiliency to be individuals capable of managing failure and success.
Embrace difference, and open and honest dialogue about differences, even with others who do not agree with a particular viewpoint.
Be active and engaged alumni of the University.

Our Division will be organizationally positioned, and optimize our deployment of our human, fiscal, physical, leadership and other resources toward the realization of this vision.

Our Mission

By fostering and engaging students in a holistic, inclusive, and supportive educational environment, The Division of Student Affairs at Washington University facilitates and supports high impact learning ² and exceptional co-curricular experiences, to prepare students to successfully pursue their chosen vocation and profession; be compassionate and influential citizens of their local and the global community; and live lives of meaning and purpose.

Our Values

Student Centered

We endeavor to know each student by name and story. We are committed to the success of each and every student. In determining organizational priorities, we are focused on the impact of our work on students.

Integrity

We have a commitment to honesty, transparency, and high standards in our work and in our interactions with our colleagues, students and other partners.

Inclusion

We foster an environment in which all aspects of individual identities can thrive.

Innovation

To enhance the effectiveness of our work and our ability to meet current and emerging student needs, we will regularly seek and apply new ideas, processes, services, and technology, and think openly and creatively about ways to respond to issues, challenges and opportunities.

Professional Development

The success of our division depends upon having a talented, dedicated, and enthusiastic team of employees. We actively create an environment of coaching and support for professionals at all levels of our organization. We understand that our future work depends on the development of our team, and strive for our staff feeling both challenged and fulfilled in their work.

Collaboration

We encourage shared leadership in departmental and Divisional decision-making. We believe our work and ability to serve students is enhanced when we (individuals and departments) work together toward a shared vision of student development, engagement and success.

[1] The university’s motto, which appears inside an open book in the middle of the university seal, is Per Veritatem Vis, “Strength through Truth”. The motto was adopted in 1915. See: http://wustl.edu/about/history

[2] The following have been identified as High-Impact Educational practices: First-Year Seminars and Experiences; Common Intellectual Experiences; Learning Communities; Writing-Intensive Courses; Collaborative Assignments and Projects; Undergraduate Research; Diversity/Global Learning; Service Learning, Community Based Learning; Internships; Capstone Courses and Projects. See: http://aacu.org/leap/hips