Mission Statement
Mission
We serve to prevent harm, protect life, and preserve sacred resources by identifying, analyzing, and managing the university's uncertainties.
Vision
To become a valued and trusted partner in assisting the BYU community in the fullfillment of its mission, goals, and objectives. We aim to shield the university from undue risk by providing high-level expertise and creative solutions.
Values
Competency
BYU personnel are expected to be competent in executing their responsibilities. Depending on the position, responsibilities may include technical skills, interpersonal skills, specialized industry knowledge, or an understanding of applicable regulations, among other things. The depth and breadth of required competency will vary from department to department and position to position.
Nevertheless, all employees should strive to improve their competency and master the skills necessary to achieve the objectives of their organizations. In so doing, we will ensure that the services we provide reflect the highest standards of quality.
Respect for Sacred Resources
The resources used at BYU come from the tithing funds of the Church, student tuition, contributions from donors, purchases by customers, and funded research. Regardless of source, all resources given to BYU are considered sacred. This means that we are careful with the resources we have been given. It means that funds allocated for one purpose are not to be diverted to another purpose. It also means that we strive to find the most effective way to accomplish a task. Finally, it means we will evaluate what we do on a regular basis and fund only those activities that make a real contribution to the mission of the university.
Integrity
Integrity at BYU means dealing openly and honestly with patrons, fellow employees, regulators, students, and other stakeholders; meeting or exceeding our commitments; and acting in a manner consistent with our values. It means keeping the promises that we make to others, respecting the interests of those with whom we interact, and meeting the highest standards of ethical behavior.
In our working relationships with supervisors and subordinates, integrity means communicating candidly and openly in meetings andone-on-one to share ideas, to disagree and to offer or receive constructive criticism, where appropriate.
Teamwork
BYU personnel are required to function as teams within their departments and in teams involving multiple departments. True "team" behavior requires alignment with the objectives of the team. We should express honest opinions and strive to contribute to the desired outcome. Employees who cannot support a team's objectives should ask to be excused from the team. There is no place at BYU for "passive-aggressive" behaviors which pay lip service to team objectives and then seek to undermine the team through inaction or active disruption. Personnel who understand team dynamics recognize that together everyone accomplishes more.
Evaluating and Satisfying Customer Expectations
We strive to exceed customer expectations, in the products and services we provide. What customers need and expect is the denominator of the service equation. The customer's experience with the product or service is the numerator of that equation. Anything less than a ratio of 1:1 means that the customer's expectations have not been fully met.
It is important to note that expectations can vary dramatically, depending on the circumstances. We will not seek to exceed customer expectations at any cost. In some cases, it may be more important to help change expectations.
Respect for All Individuals
We strive to show respect for all individuals with whom we interact. This includes students, prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, customers, donors, suppliers, representatives of our Church sponsor, and others. Respect involves treating each person as we would like to be treated. It includes behaviors like courtesy, honesty, listening, and promptness.
Respect also involves encouraging people to express their ideas and opinions, including disagreements and complaints. It involves valuing the differences that arise from unique ideas, experiences, and backgrounds. Managers should set the tone and create an environment of respect in their work areas; an environment in which we respect each other personally as well as professionally, and that contributes to individual growth, job satisfaction, and our effectiveness as an organization.
Innovation
We strive to move forward, always looking for a better way to serve patrons, eliminate unwanted material, become more effective, and make BYU a stronger organization. Innovation and continuous improvement should be seen as the responsibility of every employee at BYU. Each of us is responsible to improve the products and services we provide as well as the way work is accomplished. Innovation is fostered by focusing on long term solutions, rather than the quick fixes, and on improving processes rather than simply responding to problems. Our success in the future will require continual learning through formal training, on-the-job education, challenging work assignments, and mentoring.
Accountability
Excellence in performance is expected of every BYU employee. Achieving high performance on a consistent basis involves a results orientation with a focus on accountability in all that we do. This means setting clear expectations and goals, defining responsibility and authority, monitoring progress through appropriate performance measures, and reporting results, including following through to ensure completion of what we set out to do and acknowledging mistakes when they are made. This value applies equally to team assignments as it does to individual responsibilities.