Below are the descriptions of each of the Penn State Values and examples of how implicit bias relates to each of them.
INTEGRITY: We act with integrity and honesty in accordance with the highest academic, professional, and ethical standards.
- It takes honesty to acknowledge that implicit bias lives within us, but doing so allows us to act with greater integrity in our social interactions.
RESPECT: We respect and honor the dignity of each person, embrace civil discourse, and foster a diverse and inclusive community.
- Recognizing the existence of implicit bias is one of the first steps we can take towards creating a more inclusive and respectful University and community.
RESPONSIBILITY: We act responsibly, and we are accountable for our decisions, actions, and their consequences.
- By holding ourselves accountable for our implicit biases and committing to unlearning them, we demonstrate a greater responsibility for our own actions.
DISCOVERY: We seek and create new knowledge and understanding, and foster creativity and innovation, for the benefit of our communities, society, and the environment.
- Seeking out and identifying our individual biases leads us to greater self-awareness and understanding.
EXCELLENCE: We strive for excellence in all our endeavors as individuals, an institution, and a leader in higher education.
- Learning how to combat our own implicit biases is an act of self-improvement, enabling us to strive for greatness when interacting with others.
COMMUNITY: We work together for the betterment of our University, the communities we serve, and the world.
- As the number of people within the Penn State community who are aware of their biases grows, we will be better equipped to serve and support each other.