Mission and Vision

The University of Mississippi is fueled by a commitment to serve the people of Mississippi and the world through education, research, healthcare, and outreach.

The Lyceum logo is blurred above a UM graduate’s cap during the School of Education Commencement Ceremony at The Pavilion.

Our Vision

The University of Mississippi is a preeminent public research university and a leading force for innovation, creative expression and opportunity.

New Ole Miss graduates fill the Grove during Graduation Convocation.

Our Mission

As Mississippi's first comprehensive, public university and its only academic medical center, the University of Mississippi transforms lives, communities, and the world by providing opportunities for the people of Mississippi and beyond through excellence in learning, discovery, healthcare, and engagement.

The mission of the University of Mississippi is to create, evaluate, share, and apply knowledge in a free, open, and inclusive environment of intellectual inquiry. Building upon a distinguished foundation in the liberal arts, the state’s first comprehensive university serves the people of Mississippi and the world through a breadth of academic, research, professional, and service programs. The University of Mississippi provides an academic experience that emphasizes critical thinking; promotes research and creative achievement to advance society; uses its expertise to engage and transform communities; challenges and inspires a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students; offers enriching opportunities outside the classroom; supports lifelong learning; and develops a sense of global responsibility.

The James Meredith statue is shown in front of the Lyceum.

Our Creed

The University of Mississippi is a community of learning dedicated to nurturing excellence in intellectual inquiry and personal character in an open and diverse environment. As a voluntary member of this community:

  • I believe in respect for the dignity of each person.
  • I believe in fairness and civility.
  • I believe in personal and professional integrity.
  • I believe in academic honesty.
  • I believe in academic freedom.
  • I believe in good stewardship of our resources.
  • I pledge to uphold these values and encourage others to follow my example.

The university seal sits in the floor at the center of Martindale Student Services Center.

Our Statement of Institutional Philosophy

In pursuing its mission, the University of Mississippi community:

  • Reaffirms its identity and purpose as fundamentally academic,
  • Nurtures excellence in teaching, learning, creativity, and research,
  • Provides the best, accessible undergraduate education in the state of Mississippi,
  • Offers high quality undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, and
  • Devotes its knowledge and abilities to serve the state and the world.

 

 

Our Strategic Plan

The blue cover to Empower Now, the Strategic Plan of the University of Mississippi 2022-2027.In the Fall of 2022, the University of Mississippi launched its new strategic plan, Empower Now: Accelerating Discovery, Growth, and Success.

Empower Now represents our key institutional priorities and provides a unifying framework built on a foundational commitment to equity.

Office of Institutional Research,
Effectiveness, and Planning

We are a preeminent public international research university. We aspire to be drivers of innovation and opportunity in Mississippi, the United States, and the world.