All Lander University graduates are broadly educated, well-informed, equipped for responsible participation in the civic lives of their communities, and prepared to continue their education or launch their careers.
Mission
Lander University offers high-demand and market-driven programs to ambitious and talented students in South Carolina and beyond. These programs are delivered in a rich liberal arts environment to produce highly qualified and marketable graduates.
Strategic Plan Pillars
Iterative input from members of the Lander community including faculty and staff, students, alumni, donors, legislators, and university boards yielded a total of 22 potential strategic pillars. Further evaluation and deliberation resulted in the following six key pillars:
1. Academic Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service
Provide a supportive environment that fosters academic excellence through a teacher-scholar model. This model ensures effective teaching, explorative and creative activities, research, and service to our community. These areas of focus ensure that Lander will always remain distinctive and relevant.
2. Student Success
Create an educational environment that fosters forward progress of all Lander students, designed to achieve a measurable increase in retention and graduation rates. Develop graduates who are broadly educated and prepared to continue their education or launch their careers as valuable, influential members of the workforce.
3. Share The Lander Story
Successfully articulate the value of Lander University to faculty and staff, current students, future students, parents, alumni, donors, K-12 educators, and elected officials.
4. Create a University Culture and Environment of Continuous Improvement
Utilize the talent and resources of the university to maximize the efficient use of facilities, financial resources, and human capital to achieve Lander University’s mission.
5. Develop the SCIPSC Institute
Establish the South Carolina Institute on the Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses to reduce the prevalence of interpersonal violence on college campuses in South Carolina through a collaborative, unified approach.
6. Data Readiness Framework
Develop a comprehensive data readiness framework that ensures high-quality, readily accessible data to support decision-making and comply with all external reporting requirements. Data will be well-governed, interoperable, and traceable, enabling advanced analytics, reliable reporting, and operational efficiency.
Mission approved by the Faculty on March 16, 2016.
Mission approved by the Board of Trustees on March 22, 2016.
Mission approved by the CHE on June 2, 2016.
Vision revised and approved by Board of Trustees on September 14, 2021.
Pillars approved by the Board of Trustees on December 12, 2024.