Core Values

It's five core values – Learning, Equity, Affinity, Discovery and Service – form the pillars of the plan and will be UND's foundation for years to come.

Message from the President

I’ve seen the talent, creativity, and passion from the UND community - our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners from Grand Forks and across the state.

It only made sense that, as we created our vision for the future, it should arise from this collective group. The elements of this strategic plan are rooted in the aspirations of many from the UND community rather than being directed centrally by the UND administration.

The result of 11 months of hard work by thousands of people across the campus and the community is this incredible plan called UND LEADS - today, tomorrow and forever. I hope that everyone at UND envisions themselves taking part in this plan and working to develop their own goals to move UND forward. We all share in UND’s success and are all responsible for carrying out UND’s mission to provide exceptional educational experiences that enrich the lives of North Dakotans and the global community through excellence in teaching, innovative research, and meaningful engagement.

Leaders are not defined by their titles, but by the characteristics they embody and the unique perspectives they share. We each have the capacity to lead, and it will take all of us leading in unique ways to get the work done. As the planning process unfolded, the key strategic themes coalesced into five pillars that fit nicely into the acronym LEADS.

UND LEADS is a reflection of who we want to be as an institution. President Andrew Armacost

UND LEADS does not have an end point. Its five pillars, Learning, Equity, Affinity, Discovery, and Service, will be UND’s foundation for years to come; the strategies and priorities for each pillar may change, but our commitment to these underlying principles will not. This plan focuses on the ultimate outcome of an exemplary public research University fulfilled by UND’s collective vision to inspire a sense of wonder, a love of discovery and a commitment to serve.

UND LEADS is a reflection of who we want to be as an institution. Its strategic pillars highlight achievements for meeting our mission while moving forward to realize our vision and accomplish our objectives. As such, it focuses on the sense of aspiration from which strategic initiatives can arise.

UND LEADS provides no formula for specific work to be done. Every college and division should see its work as a way to form detailed initiatives aligning with the aspirational vision for UND, helping to move the institution forward.

Let me offer my deepest gratitude for our strategic planning committee chairs, Lynette Krenelka and Jim Mochoruk, as well as the tremendous administrative support provided over these eleven months by Anna Clark and Rob Carolin. The full list of team members is on the final page of the plan. They, too, deserve our appreciation for their commitment to the future of the university. May this plan set a standard for excellence—today, tomorrow, and forever!