Mission Statement Analysis of CCCU Member Institutions

Abstract

Assessed were the mission statements of 107 member institutions of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The analysis was conducted on a microlevel via appraising the frequency of words used in the statements as well as the general constructs expressed. The respective mission statements were coded for content and common themes were analyzed and compared for similarities among the institutions. Results showed the following themes: education (70%), Christian (68%), service (61%), society (55%), life (45%), and academics (44%). Overall, surprisingly little relative attention was given to the distinctive nature of Christianity relative to constructs such as Christ (43%), faith (31%), church-related concepts such as kingdom (27%), God (26%), Bible (23%), Christ-centered (16%), or truth (10%). The results are discussed in light of higher education's overall objectives and how mission statements set the tone for institutional milieu.