Since our founding in 1839, Boston University has been guided by a bold vision: to champion free expression, academic independence, and equal access to education. Our first president, William Fairfield Warren, set the tone when he declared that BU would welcome “all comers without respect to creed or race or sex.” That spirit of openness and courage has been woven into our identity from the beginning—and continues to inspire us today.
A living framework
Building on this proud legacy, we now embrace a set of values to guide our choices, shape our community, and amplify our impact in the world. These ideals are more than words on a page—they are a compass that keeps us true to who we are while pushing us to imagine what we can become. They call on us to create a university that is stronger, more inclusive, and more dynamic, one that honors its roots while shaping a future of limitless possibility.
President Gilliam on BU’s Values
Integrity Saying and doing what we mean
Boston University is committed to remaining true to its mission and values. In our intellectual pursuits and interpersonal interactions, we are honest, integrating the University’s mission and these values in our shared life, work, and governance.
In Action
We seek to act with transparency in both our decisions and our intentions, ensuring that our community understands not only what we do but why we do it. We follow through on our commitments and communicate with clarity, honesty, and care. In all interactions, we engage others with a balance of expertise, humility, and empathy, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives. Above all, we hold ourselves accountable for the impact of our decisions and actions, striving to align what we say with what we do.
Inclusion Finding strength in difference
We are an intentionally urban and international institution with a strong commitment to expanding access to opportunity, ensuring that multiple voices are heard, and engaging positively with our local, national, and global communities. Believing that our diversity makes Boston University a better place to work and learn, we continue to seek ways to be more accessible and inclusive of differences in identity, background, ideas, and abilities.
In Action
We welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds, recognizing that diversity takes many forms and enriches every part of our community. We approach differences with curiosity rather than judgment, fostering understanding and respect in all that we do. We work to meet the unique educational and professional needs of every member of our community and design systems and processes that center the human experience. By valuing and actively including varied perspectives in our decision-making, we ensure that a broad range of voices are heard, supported, and empowered to help shape our shared future.
Community Intentionally building common ground
We are dedicated to nurturing a culture that leads with curiosity, compassion, and connection. With multiple ways for individuals to find belonging, we are stronger because of the variety of our many nested communities. We intentionally build bridges and search for common ground, extending our notion of community to our surrounding neighborhoods and beyond.
In Action
We strive to engage in respectful dialogue across differences, approaching one another with kindness, empathy, and fairness. We create purposeful opportunities for belonging in both formal and informal spaces, fostering connection throughout our community. We honor the common ground we share while seeking to understand and appreciate our differences, recognizing that both strengthen who we are. Above all, we care deeply about the well-being and safety of every member of our community and strive to create an environment where all can thrive.
Collaboration Partnering for progress, building together
We are a community that intentionally fosters connections within, between, and beyond our campuses. We amplify our collective impact through convergent research, cross-campus partnerships, and supportive networks. The richness of our collective creations and interactions is supported by an understanding that leveraging diverse expertise and perspective can lead to more impactful outcomes.
In Action
We seek partnerships across schools, departments, and campuses to take on complex challenges together. We approach our work with collegiality and mutual respect, readily offering help and sharing resources to support one another’s success. We value and intentionally include diverse perspectives in our decision-making, ensuring that a wide range of voices are heard and supported. Extending this collaborative spirit beyond our campus, we build connections that amplify our impact in the broader community and the world.
Excellence Striving to be better tomorrow than today
Members of the Boston University community strive for distinction in our endeavors. Through innovation and discovery, we seek to create new knowledge and make an impact in our city, country, and world. Never resting on our accomplishments, we aspire to be leaders in higher education and beyond, making an impact for the common good.
In Action
We approach our research, scholarship, artistry, teaching, professional practice, and operational support with the highest standards of excellence. We value scholarship and creative work that reflects upon, impacts, and improves the human condition and the world around us. In the classroom, we teach in ways that develop minds and transform lives, fostering both intellectual growth and personal discovery. We harness knowledge and evolving practices to improve outcomes for our students, scholars, and staff, and we engage in critical thinking to pursue continuous improvement—both as individuals and as a community.
Learning Education is our soul
Boston University prioritizes the quality, depth, and excellence of its educational offerings through the relentless creation and pursuit of new knowledge and artistic expression. Our community members respect the connections that can be made and the dialogue that becomes possible through a commitment to lifelong intellectual and professional engagement. We commit to rigorous, innovative, and impactful programs of learning, expanding ourselves through contribution, excellence, and virtuous cycles of influence in all our undertakings.
In Action
We cultivate genuine curiosity and intentionally seek diverse perspectives to deepen our understanding of the world. We actively invite and embrace feedback as an essential part of growth, viewing setbacks and failures as opportunities to learn and improve. Our community engages in interdisciplinary learning that prepares us to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world, while experiential opportunities help connect classroom lessons to real-world contexts. We also foster mentoring relationships and skill-sharing networks that support professional growth across all career stages and roles.
Service In the heart of the city, in the service of the world
Service is an enduring part of Boston University’s legacy. We believe that service has reciprocal benefits as it strengthens institutional, local, and global communities while advancing academic and research excellence, expanding experiential learning for students, and aligning our work with purpose.
In Action
We proactively seek and create meaningful opportunities for students, staff, faculty, and alumni to engage with communities and partners across sectors, both locally and globally. We approach this work with intellectual and cultural humility, recognizing that true collaboration begins with listening and learning. Committed to empowering those we serve, we strive to make a positive impact through teaching and research that strengthen our community and contribute to the greater good.
Global Embracing our global nature
We are proud that, from its earliest days, Boston University has been open to and engaged with the global community. We embrace and leverage the rich diversity of international perspectives within our University community to create a dynamic learning environment mirroring our interconnected world. Through collaborative research and partnerships that extend beyond local boundaries, we address pressing issues that impact communities worldwide.
In Action
We prepare our community members to think and act with a global perspective, understanding that today’s challenges and opportunities extend far beyond borders. We partner with international scholars and institutions to address pressing societal issues and foster relationships that create meaningful experiential learning opportunities for our students and faculty. We actively recruit and welcome international students and scholars as vital contributors to our community, enriching our shared experience. Through these connections, we cultivate cross-cultural understanding and promote mutual learning and adaptability in an increasingly interconnected world.
Built from the ground up
This set of values emerged from a yearlong, community-driven process that combined broad research with deep engagement across the University. Informed by insights from peer institutions and shaped through nearly 100 meetings with BU faculty, staff, students, alumni, and leadership, these values reflect the principles that matter most to our community and the actions that bring them to life.
1
Year of Research, Discussion, and Development
94
Meetings with Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Leadership
23
Students, Staff, and Faculty on the Steering Committee
Moving Forward
While one phase of the Living Our Values Initiative has wrapped up, the work continues. Please check back for events, programming, and testimonials. If you would like additional information or want members of the Initiative to meet with your team, please reach out atlivingourvalues@bu.edu.
