The University has a mission statement, formally adopted by the governing board and made public, declaring that it is an institution of higher education. Since its founding, the mission of the University of Chicago, reiterated by each president, has been to sustain at the highest level of excellence the communication of knowledge, the creation of knowledge, and the fostering of a dynamic community of scholars and students. The University's first formal statement of mission appears in its Articles of Incorporation, initially adopted in 1890 and most recently amended in 1944.