Preamble

The School of Planning and Public Affairs is a learning, teaching, and research community. These principles of community spell out our values, intentions, as well as best practices guiding our behaviors and interactions. 

These principles, initially developed by students, faculty and staff on February 12, 2021, will be revisited annually. It is our intention that SPPA students, faculty and staff will commit to these principles. Implementing these principles requires honing our collective skills over time. Thus, we will regularly make time for open discussions, training, and skill-building as we seek mutual and life-long learning. 

Principles

• Honesty and integrity are core values in our teaching, learning, research and administration.
• We respect the dignity and humanity of all persons. We oppose violence and advocating violence and seek nonviolent solutions to interpersonal and social issues.
• We strive to uphold a just community free of discrimination in our interactions, teaching, research, administration, and outreach practices.
• We recognize the intrinsic connections between different perspectives and experiences, and excellence in learning, teaching, research and administration.
• We are committed to freedom of expression and open dialogue that respect all perspectives, differences and commonalities, and to creating conditions where everyone feels safe to express their views.
• We show leadership in addressing the most pressing issues facing our local and global communities are central to our educational mission, and guide our curriculum, research, and outreach activities.
• We promote open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development for students, staff and faculty.