The University of Maine at Farmington serves a statewide mission as Maine's public liberal arts college. We offer the educational experiences typically found at selective private colleges to bright and ambitious students from Maine and beyond. We are committed to the belief that a liberal education in a residential setting is the best preparation for careers and for citizenship. Because all our graduates, including those who have studied in pre-professional programs, are liberally educated, they are creative problem solvers who have learned how to learn and how to work on complex challenges with people from a variety of backgrounds and fields.

UMF offers baccalaureate programs of high quality in the arts and sciences, education, and human services. Our approach to education is based on the belief that students must have opportunities to form meaningful relationships with inspiring teachers. They must be challenged to be active citizens in a campus community that helps them find their own voices, teaches them the humility to seek wisdom from others, and prepares them for ongoing explorations of how knowledge can be put to use for the common good.

Specifically, we prepare women and men for a better life by developing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and decision-making, commitments to health and wellness, communication skills, technology skills, aesthetic appreciation, respect for human diversity, environmental stewardship, responsible citizenship in the global community, and an appreciation for the intellectual heritage of humankind.

As Maine's first institution of public higher education, UMF is rooted in tradition but also values innovation. Because scholarship contributes to excellence in teaching and learning, we support faculty, staff, and students in their scholarly and creative endeavors. As a public institution, we value engagement with, and service to, the community. We take pride in being an intellectual and cultural center for western Maine.

In order to achieve this mission, we:

• focus on baccalaureate education;
• foster collaborative, active learning in small classes;
• limit our enrollment through selective admission;
• invest in ongoing efforts to assess and improve teaching and learning;
• provide financial aid and academic support to students who need assistance;
• provide physical and technological accessibility;
• seek out and celebrate human diversity.

The University of Maine at Farmington is committed to environmental stewardship and to graduating responsible global citizens who care about our environment. As an educational institution, we have the opportunity to be a leader in promoting the sustainable use of the Earth's resources. We will learn about, and understand, sustainable environmental practices, making their benefits apparent to students, faculty, staff, and our community. Environmental issues will be studied broadly in courses throughout the curriculum.

In addition to educating our campus and the community, we will demonstrate by our own policies and practices that we are good environmental stewards. Sustainable practices will be an integral part of our campus management and operations in building and renovating, in reducing pollution and waste, in using appropriate energy resources and materials, and in protecting and incorporating the native environment in our campus spaces. Indoor and outdoor environments should be healthful and aesthetically pleasing. Committing to environmental responsibility means that we will also set goals for ourselves and monitor our progress towards them

The University's Primary Goals:

• To foster intellectual inquiry and personal growth.
• To provide an ethical, healthy, safe, and caring campus atmosphere that fosters collaboration and interaction between faculty, students, and staff.
• To foster academic freedom and responsibility.
• To serve as an intellectual and cultural resource for the members of the campus community and the region.

Objectives:

A. Preparing and Educating UMF's Students for Life

• To develop students' abilities to express themselves, think analytically and critically, be creative, work collaboratively, and become lifelong independent learners.
• To increase students' awareness and understanding of our place in the natural world and our responsibility for promoting a healthy global environment.
• To increase students' appreciation of our cultural and social heritage, while also strengthening their understanding of other cultures and our role in the global society; and to provide them with the opportunity to study in another culture.
• To prepare students for their professions by providing opportunities for field experiences with practicing professionals.
• To assess and strengthen the skills of students and to provide appropriate developmental instruction and support.
• To provide students with academic, psychological, social, health, and career support services.

B. Curriculum and Professional Development

• To encourage and support curricular integration and experimentation.
• To provide professional development opportunities and resources for faculty and staff.
• To provide time and resources for scholarly and creative activity.

C. Long-Range Planning and Assessment

• To maintain admissions standards and priorities while attracting a diverse student population.
• To establish specific priorities for the allocation of campus resources and energies.
• To examine the academic programs, general core, and organizational structures in relation to the mission statement; and to develop and implement long-range plans and improved assessment procedures for academic programs, support services, and campus facilities.

UMF is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Accreditation of an institution by NEASC indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

NEASC accreditation is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of the quality of every course or program offered or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.

Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by NEASC should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact the New England Association of Schools and Colleges: 209 Burlington Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730-1433; telephone: 781-271-0022. E-mail: cihe@neasc.org

UMF teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). NCATE is a specialized, nongovernmental, national professional accrediting agency. Through the accreditation process, NCATE provides assurance to the public that professionally accredited units have met national professional standards. NCATE works with other educational organizations to ensure that accreditation, licensing, and advanced certification standards are compatible and that teacher education programs are of the highest quality.