Research and creative activity enrich our instruction and student learning. Research and creative activity are the continuing education and practice of the faculty, as they continue to learn and contribute to the world around them. The vitality of the environment produced by research and creative activity is essential to a university.

Increasingly universities are evaluated in terms of their contributions to quality of life and economic development; funded research and the often high costs of its support are an important part of this consideration. Our goal is to recognize and support the research and creative activity of our faculty, and to act strategically to prioritize those areas of activity in which we can make the greatest contributions to the world around us.