UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Among the major outcomes of the Penn State Values and Culture Survey released last September is the creation of a draft statement of core values for the University. Called the Penn State Values, the list directly represents the feedback of students, faculty and staff at all Penn State locations.
Beginning this month, University Ethics Officer Tim Balliett will be visiting each campus, academic college, and several administrative units to further introduce the proposed Penn State Values and encourage discussion regarding their definition and application within the Penn State community. The meetings will be open to all students, faculty and staff, and will include breakout groups to discuss refinements to the definitions, ways in which the values can be personally applied to daily life on campus and areas in which the University could further develop its commitment to the values.
Meetings are in the process of being scheduled, and campuses and colleges will notify students, faculty and staff about when they will take place in each area. Schedules and a website to offer feedback will be available at http://www.values.psu.edu.
Information gathered from the meetings will shape the final definition, publication and socialization of the Penn State Values, which will begin with New Student Orientation and the summer 2015 semester.
The proposed Penn State Values are:
INTEGRITY: We act with integrity in accordance with the highest academic, professional, and ethical standards.
RESPECT: We respect and honor the dignity of each person, embrace civil discourse, and foster a diverse and inclusive community.
RESPONSIBILITY: We act responsibly and hold ourselves accountable for our decisions, actions, and their consequences.
DISCOVERY: We seek and create new knowledge and understanding, and foster creativity and innovation, for the benefit of our communities, society, and the environment.
EXCELLENCE: We strive for excellence in all our endeavors as individuals, an institution, and a leader in higher education.
COMMUNITY: We are Penn State, one University geographically dispersed, committed to our common values and mission, working together for the betterment of the University and the communities we serve and to which we belong.