The University of Central Oklahoma exists to provide excellent undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education to enable students to achieve their intellectual, professional, personal, and creative potential. The University of Central Oklahoma must also contribute to the intellectual, cultural, economic, and social advancement of the communities and individuals it serves.

The University of Central Oklahoma finds that its fundamental responsibility is excellent teaching, which involves instilling and fostering in students the joy of learning, the ability to think critically and a desire to achieve their creative potential. The other major responsibilities of this Oklahoma college includes scholarly activities, research and service to students, to other individuals and to the larger community. A college degree should represent an education, which enables its recipients to become good citizens and responsible, independent adults who embrace learning as a lifelong endeavor. Great universities like this Oklahoma college must require and encourage a free flow of information, ideas and opinions in a community, which fosters social justice, values diversity and demands the highest standards of ethical conduct, mutual respect and civility.