North Carolina State University
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

The Pathway to the Future: NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan, adopted in 2011, states the university's mission, vision, goals, and values. The economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability are embedded within the plan. Environmental sustainability is included in the mention of stewardship in the university values stated below. NC State Values Consonant with our history, mission, and vision, North Carolina State University affirms these core values: Integrity—in the pursuit, creation, application, and dissemination of knowledge Freedom—of thought and expression Respect—for cultural and intellectual diversity Responsibility—for individual actions and service to society Stewardship—in sustaining economic and natural resources Excellence—in all endeavors

In addition to referencing social dimensions of sustainability in the university's values, NC State's mission intersects the transformation of lives (social dimensions) with economic strength of the state (economic dimensions). NC State University Mission As a research-extensive land-grant university, North Carolina State University is dedicated to excellent teaching, the creation and application of knowledge, and engagement with public and private partners. By uniting our strength in science and technology with a commitment to excellence in a comprehensive range of disciplines, NC State promotes an integrated approach to problem solving that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, economic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world. Additionally, several of the following NC State goals tie directly to the social dimensions of sustainability highlighting the prominence of culture, society, and people: NC State's Goals 1. Enhance the success of our students through educational innovation. 2. Enhance scholarship and research by investing in faculty and infrastructure. 3. Enhance interdisciplinary scholarship to address the grand challenges of society. 4. Enhance organizational excellence by creating a culture of constant improvement. 5. Enhance local and global engagement through focused strategic partnerships.

As stated above, the university's strategic plan includes social and economic sustainability. Another example is the excerpts below regarding NC State's dedication to enhancing the economic, intellectual, and cultural life of North Carolinians. Excerpt from The Pathway to the Future: NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan: North Carolina State University’s sense of mission is as solid as the brick that serves as the symbol of our campus. As a comprehensive research university in the land-grant tradition, we are dedicated to excellent teaching, the creation and application of knowledge, and engagement with public and private partners. Enhancing the economic, intellectual, and cultural life of North Carolinians is the basis of our quest for excellence and our aspiration to preeminence. In launching our 2011 strategic plan, we stand on this solid foundation as we lay a pathway to the future. NC State was founded in 1887 to meet the needs of the people of North Carolina for a “liberal and practical education in the several pursuits and professions in life” and to make contributions to the economic development of the state of North Carolina. As the people’s needs have changed, NC State has changed, continuously evolving over 125 years to keep pace with the challenges and opportunities faced by an increasingly diverse citizenry in an increasingly interconnected world. By building on our roots in “agriculture and the mechanic arts” and embracing excellence in a comprehensive range of disciplines, we have created an academic powerhouse devoted to discovering and applying innovative solutions to societal problems at the local, state, national, and global levels.