About CMU

Founded in 1854, Central Methodist University is a four-year, private, liberal arts university. CMU's main campus, home to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), is located in Fayette, Missouri, enrolling 1,100 students. More than 4,000 students attend CMU's College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES), which offers classes online and at sites across Missouri and the region. CMU is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and welcomes students of all faiths.

Mission

Central Methodist University fosters a diverse and caring community, empowering students to become lifelong learners, committed to academic excellence, prepared to engage in a complex world.

Creed

The Central Methodist University community, consistent with its United Methodist heritage, strives for academic excellence, individual achievement, and social responsibility. As members of that community we believe in:

  • Seeking knowledge, truth, and wisdom;
  • Valuing freedom, honesty, civility, and diversity;
  • Living lives of service and leadership; and
  • Taking responsibility for ourselves and the communities in which we live.

Statement on Civility

Civility is upholding the values of respect, kindness, and diplomacy in our direct and indirect interactions with others. Diversity is recognizing differences between people and perceiving these differences as an asset to the community.

Guiding Vision Statement & the University Learning Principles

SOUL Circle

Central Methodist University will be recognized and valued as an institution delivering distinctive academic programs of excellence, nested within a robust and supportive campus environment, preparing students for making a living and living a life.

To ensure that educational experiences at CMU engender the ideals incorporated in the mission and vision statements, the faculty, administration, and trustees adopted new university wide learning principles and associated outcomes in Spring of 2016. Six of the nine outcomes will be used to assess the general education program.  The remaining higher order outcome will be assessed at the senior, graduating student level. These are:

Communication (Articulate, Multimodal, Professional)

  1. Students are articulate, able to speak and write clearly and effectively.
  2. Students are multimodal, able to interpret and express ideas through multiple modes of communication.
  3. Students are professional, able to adapt to and interact with others in a confident, responsible, and engaged manner.

Curiosity (discover, analyze, create)

  1. Students can discover, explore, and seek solutions based on accumulated knowledge and current research.
  2. Students can analyze, evaluate, interpret, and summarize data.
  3. Students can create and innovate using critical thinking and collaborative skills.

Community (serve, respect, lead)

  1. Students will serve others and be ethical and informed citizens.
  2. Students will understand and respect diversity, including other’s viewpoints, positions, and beliefs.
  3. Students will lead creatively and collaboratively to produce positive changes in the broader world.

Values

Who We Are

Central Methodist University is known for its high quality undergraduate and graduate educational programs, its values-centered learning experiences and longstanding church relationship, its strong liberal arts tradition, its emphasis on character and leadership development, and the success of its graduates through their further educational and professional pursuits. Characterized by academic excellence and proactive, personalized student services, programs are offered in Fayette and statewide via distance learning technologies as well as through partnerships with schools, churches, hospitals, and other institutions of higher education.

Values

Central Methodist University affirms its Wesleyan heritage and its unique place as the only United Methodist-related University in Missouri. The location of its main campus in a small, historic, rural community provides an opportunity for students to live and to learn in a safe setting. The University values its strong liberal arts, providing a foundation for excellent professional programs. CMU and its out-reach activities foster an environment in which a diverse student body can develop intellectually, socially, and spiritually. University life emphasizes honesty, integrity, civility, and a strong sense of personal responsibility as integral elements of character and leadership. Central Methodist University nurtures a spirit of community and caring among students, faculty, and staff.