The WORD

Welcome to The Word 2009-2010.

In all of our educational endeavors at Carnegie Mellon - in studios, on athletic fields, in residential communities, in labs and classrooms, in organization meetings, and in recital halls - we are striving to create students who are architects of change. This newly developed web based version of our student handbook contains specific information and linked resources designed to provide you with valuable guidance and insight into the life of a student in our community. As an introduction to this academic and metacurricular resource we have selected passages from the Carnegie Mellon University 2008 Strategic Plan that illustrate the university's commitment to and philosophy regarding education and student life.

The distinct strength of Carnegie Mellon's approach to education is the depth and rigor of discipline-specific study, which drives and informs the breadth of its curriculum. Our approach of deep exploration in a field, combined with problem-solving, real-world relevance, encourages students to collaborate across disciplines, to challenge their own perspectives and ideals, and to learn to value the viewpoints and contributions of others.

This combination of depth in learning and breadth in collaboration fosters the development of critical thinking, curiosity, creativity, personal integrity, social responsibility, and professional ethics.

With complementary intensity, students embrace opportunities that occur beyond the classroom. The talent of our student body will continue to be the cornerstone of a campus community rich with opportunity for active involvement outside the classroom, both socially and in service to others.

Our hope is that this resource acts as a foundation as you create your Carnegie Mellon experience.

All the best for the year ahead,

Indira Nair
Vice Provost for Education

Karen D. Boyd
Dean of Student Affairs