University Mission, Vision, Goals and Values

Mission
The mission of the University of Western States is to improve the health of society and advance the science and art of integrated health care through leadership and excellence in health sciences education, service, and the enhancement of knowledge through research and scholarship.

Vision
UWS is committed to improving the quality of human life. We will be a leader in education and healthcare, renowned for our programs, facilities and people.  We will achieve excellence through transformative practices in teaching and learning, scholarship, wellness promotion, and by fostering professional and community relationships. 

Core Themes, which focus on essential mission elements:  

Goals
Goal A: To be a vital institution of higher learning distinguished as a caring, rewarding and enjoyable place to learn, work, grow and engage.

Goal B: To develop a health services model that excels in the development and  delivery of integrated care and training.

Goal C: To be an exemplar in teaching, learning, evaluation and scholarship.

Goal D: To ensure institutional stability, sustainability and significance.

Values
At the University of Western States (UWS), we value:

The patient
The highest priority at UWS is the consumer of the health care delivered by the University’s faculty, students and graduates.  From the recipient of a simple health care screening, to a massage therapy client, to a patient receiving care from a physician, there can be no greater importance than the needs and trust of the person receiving that care.

Teaching excellence and lifelong learning
As an institution of higher education, the University is committed to excellence in teaching and the promotion of a supportive and innovative learning environment that guides, enhances and nurtures student learning and understanding.  Faculty and students desire to work collectively to develop habits of self-inquiry, discovery, sharing of knowledge, and self-directed learning that will guide a lifetime of increasing knowledge and skills.

Intellectual freedom

The University vigorously supports the freedom to access, explore and express ideas relevant to the institution’s mission without restriction, and seeks to provide a neutral setting that balances respect, integrity, curiosity, and accountability.

Service
The University accepts and respects its responsibility to serve its constituents, including clinic patients and clients, students, alumni, the health professions, and the community.

Collaboration
Partnerships and collaborations with other institutions, professionals, and the community are vital to the growth and significance of the University.  We also seek to promote collaborative efforts within the University between faculty, staff and students.

Conservative and integrated health care
Inherent in the University’s health care philosophy is an emphasis placed upon conservative care that minimizes risk and cost and that encourages interaction between various health care providers and disciplines to provide the most appropriate care.  The University believes that the health care consumer is best served through the practitioner’s integration of evidence and reason-based knowledge, clinical expertise and judgment, logical thinking, and attention to patient-specific factors and variants.

Tradition
The University cherishes its long and respected history of educating chiropractic physicians.  As new programs are added to the University’s academic portfolio, we will not neglect our heritage, nor will we allow our traditions to lessen the value and importance of new ideas and programs.

Integrity and Ethics
UWS strives to be an exemplar of professionalism, honesty, integrity and ethical conduct.  It believes these traits should characterize and permeate the institution, its employees and its students. The University also values sincere and frank introspection and reflection, and incorporates these values into its accreditation and assessment practices.

Stewardship
As a steward of human, physical, fiscal and environmental resources, the University shall sustain and enhance these resources, and ensure their availability to future generations, through a commitment to trust, ethics, social and fiscal responsibility, and sound financial judgment.

Scholarship
The University values the development and sharing of knowledge, and supports the implementation of scholarship in teaching, research and clinical practice by its faculty, staff and students.  It is a core responsibility of UWS to contribute to the expansion of understanding of the art, practice and sciences related to healthcare and education.

Leadership
UWS has a tradition of promoting and providing leadership and seeks to continue to develop, nurture, and attract leaders in its students and employees.  To this end, the University encourages its students, faculty, staff and graduates to commit to caring, meaningful communication, prudent exercise of authority, acceptance of responsibility, and motivate and provide direction to others.