Learning and the discovery constitute the foundation of the research university. The opportunity for intense intellectual and creative growth and development by faculty, students, and staff make the university an unique, critically important institution in society. Whether faculty members are contributing to knowledge through research, graduate students are exploring new avenues of creativity, or undergraduates are broadening their understanding of the world in their general education, the research university provides a site for societal exploration and understanding of the frontiers of knowledge. The NCA’s new Criterion 4, on the acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge, supports this expansive view of learning by expecting that the institution values a life of learning at all levels of activity. All programs, whether they focus on general education, the undergraduate major, or graduate studies must foster both intellectual inquiry and an understanding of the breadth of knowledge. Moreover, these programs need to be relevant in a rapidly changing world, be effective as demonstrated through thoughtful evaluation, and be undergirded by personal and community responsibility toward the acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge. It is in this context that the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee has undertaken its self-assessment in relation to Criterion 4.
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