The university acts as a resource to business, industrial, health care and educational organizations, as well as to the agencies of local, state and federal government. The university is committed through applied research, consulting and other activities to playing a major role in advancing the overall development of Hampton Roads. The university provides opportunities for student development outside of the classroom. Programs are offered to enhance personal and social growth of individual students, to provide an exciting and stimulating collegiate environment and to enable students to cope with educational, career, and health needs. Students choosing to live in on-campus housing benefit from programs especially designed to promote student educational and personal development.
Alumni are an important part of the university community.
Through outreach programs, participation on advisory committees, and a variety of professional and social activities, the university maintains a close relationship with its alumni and seeks alumni involvement and support for planning and development purposes. Improvement of the university is a continual process. The foregoing goals provide criteria for the rigorous and regular evaluation of the quality, pertinence and effectiveness of academic and other university programs. These goals also provide criteria for the assessment of student achievement and the performance of members of the faculty, administration, and staff.