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Mission Statement
The Department of Biology holds as its primary
core values providing a
superlative educational experience for students; actively involving
faculty and students in scholarly pursuits as the ultimate expression
of teaching and learning; and serving the department, college,
university, and greater academic and non-academic communities in
support of our teaching and scholarship missions.
We value an environment for learning that includes
opportunities for
undergraduate research; a broadly-based academic program; a supportive,
diverse, and collaborative faculty; an understanding of the process of
science; and a recognition of the importance of community outreach and
involvement.
Departmental Goals
1. To provide a superlative educational experience, we
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Offer undergraduate and graduate curricula
that engage students in
both the process of science and the discipline of biology. (Our
4-course undergraduate core curriculum is a distinctive feature of the
Department.)
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Build foundations for future activities
including graduate
studies, careers in biological sciences, professional fields (such as
medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science), and teaching at the
secondary and post-secondary levels.
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Increase participation of under-represented
groups in science and the workforce.
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Foster development of scholarship and
communication skills.
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Serve as mentors, role models, and sources of
knowledge.
2. To actively involve faculty and students in scholarly pursuits as
the ultimate expression of teaching and learning, we
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Encourage and provide ample opportunities for
undergraduate and
graduate students to pursue a variety of scholarly activities and to
conduct original research directly with faculty mentors in their areas
of expertise. (An emphasis on undergraduate research is a distinctive
feature of the Department.)
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Support opportunities for faculty and students
to
disseminate the results of their scholarly activities and to interact
with professionals at meetings and conferences.
3. To serve the Department, College, University, and greater academic
and non-academic communities in support of our teaching and scholarship
missions, we
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Encourage service as a valued component of
fostering academic and professional development.
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Provide effective academic and career advising
for students interested in biology.
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Recognize and reward student excellence.
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Strive to instill a service ethic in our
students through service learning.
revised 9/20/09
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