• To improve our national recognition to match the quality of our program and to be a valuable resource to our state and community through service and outreach activities.
• To be one of the finest Graduate and undergraduate teaching and research programs in  the area of chemistry and biochemistry in the nation, and particularly in the southwest.
• To be a leading place for faculty and students to come together and indulge in the passion of learning and discovery in a very supportive and stimulating atmosphere.

Values

Central to the College of Arts and Sciences land-grant mission are our core values as described in the following value statements.

• Accessibility: We value being accessible to the diverse people of New Mexico and beyond. We value education that is inclusive, available, and affordable. We are the gateway to learning for all students, which provide us both an opportunity and responsibility to impact their learning experience in a positive way.
• Learning and Knowledge: We value learning and knowledge for their own sake, and creating broadly educated members of society who can think critically and improve their communities. We strive to model a love of learning and to instill a desire for a lifetime of learning. We value providing advanced education and scholarship through strong graduate and undergraduate programs.
• Rigor & Excellence: We believe the best education is rigorous, challenging, and demands perseverance. We believe that the best creative and scholarly work demands the same efforts. Those who excel in these endeavors should be recognized, cultivated, rewarded, and celebrated.
• Continuity & Stability: We believe continuity and stability are critical for excellence in our programs and activities. Tenured, tenure track, and college faculty who are committed to NMSU and its students are essential for continuity and stability.
• Purpose & Place: We value fitting into our unique purpose and place. We value serving the citizens of New Mexico, achieving a sustainable existence in the environment we occupy, and integrating ourselves into the community and region of the border Southwest.
• Transparency: We value and strive for transparency in the activities of the people and organizations in our college. We believe this produces an environment of cooperation and open dialog that best enables us to fulfill our mission to the university.