UW-River Falls adopts Vision Statement and Core Values, foundations for university planning

March 21, 2022 - After two years of campus strategic planning, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls has updated its Vision Statement and Core Values.

Chancellor Maria Gallo said the Vision Statement and Core Values are foundational for university planning.

The Vision Statement and Core Values were consolidated in a consensus workshop held in January and reviewed in the context of a Listening and Learning Report developed from a listening tour Gallo held from July to December.

“The Vision Statement addresses our deep commitment to student success, a culture of caring and belonging, and exceptional education for all learners,” Gallo said. “It speaks of our practice of preparing students for successful careers to lead their best lives as productive and engaged citizens, as well as our dedication to serving the needs of our region, the state and beyond. Holistic sustainability is built into both our Vision Statement and Core Values.”

The Vision Statement and Core Values have been adopted by all four shared governance groups on campus including Faculty Senate, Academic Staff Council, University Staff Senate and the Student Government Association, Gallo added.

In the Vision Statement, UWRF recommits to being a student-centered institution that provides programs to serve the region, state and beyond as well as to expanding access to opportunities for all learners.

“We strive to partner with the communities we impact to bring about positive change locally, regionally and globally,” the vision statement notes.

The seven Core Values include:

• Student Success, including offering an affordable, outstanding education ensuring that all students are supported and have the opportunity to succeed and social mobility
• Excellent Teaching and Learning
• Community of Inclusion and Caring
• Local/Global Service and Engagement, embodying the Wisconsin Idea of servant leaders who work to bring positive transformations to the community, region and state and fostering a global perspective.
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Sustainability

David Travis, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said the new Vision Statement and Core Values align with UWRF’s first Academic Plan completed in spring 2021.

“This has given us greater clarity as we complete the new strategic plan and develop specific goals and metrics to track our progress,” Travis said. “This is a crucial time in the history of UW-River Falls following a two-year pandemic. Higher education will never be the same. Thus, it is appropriate that we’ve revisited our Vision and Core Values and are now using this as a baseline for completing the new strategic plan.”

Mathematics Professor Alex Tupan chaired the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, a group that gathered nearly two years of input as part of the campus strategic planning process.

“The vision and core values represent what the school stands for,” Tupan said. “Updating them helps UWRF keep its values at the center of its decision-making. Many nice things can be said about the document. For example, I was impressed with its attention to inclusivity and its many aspects. Likewise, I’m happy that the statement has a focus on sustainability. It was a much-needed update. It will be very useful in our effort to put together our school’s strategic plan.”

To see the UWRF’s Vision Statement and Core Values, visit https://www.uwrf.edu/about/mission-vision-values.