Core Values of the University

Why the Academy is Different from all other

Institutions

Compiled by Liberal Arts Students

If the University

had a

constitution...

EIGHT CORE VALUES would be central to its sovereignty.

When you talk

about different

perspectives of

THE UNIVERSITY...

Then you need to know how it sees itself...

Number ONE Academic Freedom

Same as Autonomy BUT conceived by the

standpoint of a Scholar/Researcher.

To pursue the truth “without fear or favour”.

Freedom from outside interferences such as those

interested in research for profit or following a

political/religious view

Freedom also from internal interferences such as the

Scholars/Researchers own bundle of needs and

mental habits.

Freedom from Bureaucracy of the university itself

Number TWO Autonomy

Autonomy: following only the rules we give to

ourselves.

In a democratic society the laws and guiding ideas

that citizens will happily follow will be those that they

freely determined for themselves.

Therefore in a truly free society people will try to

devise laws and follow ways of living that are based

on knowledge that is gained through free-enquiry.

Number THREE Scholastic Rigor

Scholars follow strict rules - enhances rather than constrains academic freedom

Sir Frances Bacon argued “...Following a scientific method affects our thinking and lead us to make errors to stray from the truth

Academics typically place a lot of emphasis of emotional control

Famous scholars are famous for the quality and scope and depth of their work and self-discipline

Number Four Intellectual Curiosity

Intense curiosity to think and assume knowledge

The underlying motivation to obtain knowledge is

intellectual curiosity

Desire to know something for its own sake

Number FIVE Intellectual Honesty

Intellectual honesty is a core value which is ranked

higher than all other values

It is the commitment to getting the truth of the matter

One must give the most truthful account that one can

Regardless of the fact that it may conflict with their

own personal opinions and beliefs

Number SIX Self-examination

Number SEVEN Critical Dialogue

Even when scholars are working alone, they are always engaging with ideas of others

Even in our private thoughts we are always in critical dialogue with significant others

In a scholar’s efforts to work out answers to questions. They will engage in critical dialogue with other scholars who are the most important of these significant others.

Engaging in critical dialogue is one of the more important ways of understanding a question or topic

Number EIGHT Respect for divergent

values

These lecture

notes come for

free...

But it’s the only thing

in your essay that you

do not have to

REFERENCE

The THREE possible roles of the university

To provide people with skills for knowledge

based jobs

To increase the capacity for highly skilled

economic development

To give working class / non traditional

students

To serve as the institution of research for

the benefit of all in society

To allow the individual to express their

intellectual curiosity

To provide those who have gifted intellect

with an outlet and profession

To teach the skills that are required for a

critical citizen in a vibrant democracy

To be an autonomous entity of protest and

dissent in the face of authority

To be a place where morality and the

significance of human life is debated and

disseminated

This is the

question

In the face of

unprecedented

change, the ancient

idea of the university

is changing – where

do we go from here?