PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY

The University of California, Davis, is first and foremost an institution of learning and teaching, committed to serving the needs of society. Our campus community reflects and is a part of a society comprising all races, creeds, and social circumstances. The successful conduct of the University's affairs requires that every member of the University community acknowledge and practice the following basic principles:

• We affirm the dignity inherent in all of us, and we strive to maintain a climate of justice marked by respect for each other. We acknowledge that our society carries within it historical and deep-rooted misunderstandings and biases, and therefore we will endeavor to foster mutual understanding among the many parts of our whole.
• We affirm the right of freedom of expression within our community and also affirm our commitment to the highest standards of civility and decency towards all. We recognize the right of every individual to think and speak as dictated by personal belief, to express any idea, and to disagree with or counter another's point of view, limited only by University regulations governing time, place, and manner. We promote open expression of our individuality and our diversity within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity, and respect.
• We confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination, including those based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, status within or outside the University, or any of the other differences among people which have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension, or hatred. We recognize and cherish the richness contributed to our lives by our diversity. We take pride in our various achievements, and we celebrate our differences.
• We recognize that each of us has an obligation to the community of which we have chosen to be a part. We will strive to build a true community of spirit and purpose based on mutual respect and caring.

The "Principles of Community" were prepared and adopted after extensive discussion within the campus community about the need for a statement that reflects UC Davis' commitment to a learning environment characterized by diversity, understanding, and the acceptance of all people. This statement of common principles was published on April 20, 1990, carrying the endorsement of Chancellor Theodore L. Hullar and the leadership of the Davis Division of the Academic Senate, the Academic Staff Organization, the UCD Staff Assembly, the UCDMC Staff Assembly, the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD), and the Graduate Student Association.

We welcome your comments.