Texas State University-San Marcos is a public, student-centered, doctoral-granting institution dedicated to excellence in serving the educational needs of the diverse population of Texas and the world beyond.

In pursuing our mission as a premier institution, we, the faculty, staff, and students of Texas State University-San Marcos, are guided by a shared collection of values. Specifically, we value:

• An exceptional undergraduate experience as the heart of what we do;
• Graduate education as a means of intellectual growth and professional development;
• A diversity of people and ideas, a spirit of inclusiveness, a global perspective, and a sense of community as essential conditions for campus life;
• The cultivation of character and the modeling of honesty, integrity, compassion, fairness, respect, and ethical behavior, both in the classroom and beyond;
• Engaged teaching and learning based in dialogue, student involvement, and the free exchange of ideas;
• Research, scholarship, and creative activity as fundamental sources of new knowledge and as expressions of the human spirit;
• A commitment to public service as a resource for personal, educational, cultural, and economic development;
• Thoughtful reflection, collaboration, planning, and evaluation as essential for meeting the changing needs of those we serve.

The mission statement was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Jan. 27, 2005.