Course Syllabi Statements

Penn State Values Optional Statements for Use on Course Syllabi

Recommended Statements

The University does not require that the Penn State Values be included on course syllabi.

For faculty who wish to include the Penn State Values, the following are statements recommended by the Office of Ethics and Compliance. Faculty members may modify these statements or utilize their own statements.

Option One:

At the core of the University are the Penn State Values. The Values are our shared ideals about how people should act toward one another, the standards to which we hold ourselves, and those beliefs we find important. While aspirational in nature, the Penn State Values articulate our ethical principles and should guide our actions and decisions as members of the Penn State community, including in this course.

Option Two:

The Penn State Values are our shared ideals about how people should act toward one another, the standards to which we hold ourselves, and those beliefs we find important. While aspirational in nature, the Penn State Values articulate our ethical principles and should guide our actions and decisions as members of the Penn State community, including in this course:

  • Integrity: We act with integrity and honesty 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 we are 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 work together for the betterment of our University, the communities we serve, and the world.