The Nature of the Academy

First, a college is an educationally purposeful community — a place where faculty and students share academic goals and work together to strengthen teaching and learning on campus.

Second, a college is an open community — a place where freedom of expression is uncompromisingly protected and where civility is powerfully affirmed.

Third, a college is a just community — a place where the worth of the person is honored and where diversity is aggressively pursued.

Fourth, a college is a disciplined community — a place where individuals accept their obligations to the group and where well-defined governance procedures guide behavior for the common good.

Fifth, a college is a caring community — one in which the well-being of each member is sensitively supported and where service to others is encouraged.

Sixth, a college is a celebrative community — one in which the heritage of the institution is remembered and where rituals affirming both tradition and change are widely shared.

--adapted from Ernest L. Boyer, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching