Mission
To improve lives in our global community by educating diverse groups of highly competent and compassionate health professionals.
Vision
Des Moines University will:
- Emerge as a national leader in health care education with vision and focus on training the health care leaders and workforce of the future.
- Be a cultivator of distinctive faculty and student researchers who discover and disseminate new knowledge.
- Provide high-quality patient care and educational experiences dedicated to improving health and wellness.
- Be a leader in community service and will convene key stakeholders, coalitions and partners on policy issues to support the well-being of our community.
Read Our Vision Statements for the Future
Values
Accountability
Taking responsibility for our actions and outcomes.
Collaboration
Establishing cooperative relationships and innovative practices to enhance health education and care.
Honesty
Demonstrating the highest standard of truthful and ethical behavior.
Inclusiveness
Embracing a culture of diversity that accepts and respects the unique characteristics of each individual.
Wellness
Committing to the well-being of the mind, body and spirit.
Shared Governance
The DMU core values of honesty, inclusiveness, collaboration, and accountability are encompassed by our principles of shared governance at DMU. We live these values in our guiding principles of shared governance.
Principles that guide the practice of shared governance at DMU are as follows:
- A climate of shared governance relies upon consistent, trustworthy and multi-directional communication.
- Shared governance includes the following stakeholders – trustees, alumni board, administration, faculty, staff and students. Stakeholders’ contributions and roles vary based on the charge and party responsible for implementing resolutions.
- Shared doesn’t mean that any constituency exercises complete control over the process. Nor does it mean that every constituency gets to participate at every stage. Different stakeholders may have input at defined stages of a decision-making process. Shared governance gives voice but not necessarily ultimate authority, to appropriate stakeholders.
- Stakeholders should have an opportunity to be heard and included in discussions that directly impact them whenever possible. Stakeholders may share decision making, or provide recommendations, or make endorsements based on their ownership of the situation.
- Rationale behind decisions should be communicated to stakeholders when appropriate.
- Intense environmental demands and external influences may require that recommendations and decisions on proposals need to be made in a manner that is timely and appropriate to the issue. These factors must be considered in the stakeholder recommendations and involvement process and be appropriately communicated.
- All participants in the shared governance process (committees, constituent groups, administrative groups, and administrators) are accountable for the proper execution of their role. True shared governance attempts to balance maximum participation in decision making with clear accountability and appropriately rested authority.