· a supportive campus climate, necessary services, and leadership development opportunities, all to educate the whole person and meet the needs of students, faculty and staff;

· cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in faculty, staff and student body, supported by practices and programs that embody the ideals of an open, democratic and global society;

· technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education;

· collaborative relationships with other System institutions, State agencies, local schools, and technical institutes, and business and industry, sharing physical, human, information and other resources to expand and enhance programs and services available to the citizens of Georgia.

· a commitment to excellence and responsiveness within the scope of influence defined by the needs of an area of the state, and by particularly outstanding programs or distinctive characteristics that have a magnet effect throughout the region or state;

· a commitment to the teaching/learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom, that sustains instructional excellence, serve a diverse and college-prepared student body, promotes high levels of student achievement, offers academic assistance, and provides learning support programs for a limited student cohort;

· a commitment to a high quality general education program supporting a variety of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional programming at the baccalaureate level, with selected masters’ and educational specialists degrees, and selected associate degree programs based on area need and/or institutional collaborations;

· a commitment to public service, continuing education, technical assistance, and economic development activities that address the needs, improve the quality of life, and raise the educational level within the University's scope of influence;

· a commitment to research, scholarship and creative work for the specific purposes of supporting instructional effectiveness and enhancing institutionally relevant faculty qualifications, as well as meeting area needs.

· the tradition of serving the educational needs of African-American students as well as those of all other students, regardless of race, ethnicity, or culture;

· the historical tradition as an African-American institution which defines the University as a unique cultural and educational resource for the interpretation and transmission of the African-American legacy;

· the guiding principle of the faculty and staff which is service to students expressed by quality, student-centered instruction, scholarship, research and effective support services that nurture the intellect and value honesty and human sensitivity;

· a high quality general education offered through the Core Curriculum in humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social and behavioral sciences;

· associate degree offerings in technology; baccalaureate degree offerings with a dynamic mix of liberal arts programs that address the study of the humanities, social sciences and the sciences; professional programs that address the study of commerce, entrepreneurship, communications, social services, technology and environmental sustainability; a master’s degree offerings that address the study of the social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences; and initiatives to provide new programs and levels of service to meet the ever-changing needs of a coastal urban area;

· a commitment to excellence in the area of engineering technology;

· learning support services that provide educational access and opportunity for students, and service programs, offered singly and collaboratively to enhance student satisfaction and academic success; an active community service function carried out through collaborative partnerships with business, private and governmental agencies, public schools and other Universities in the University System;