Graduate Community: Bentley Beliefs

The Bentley Beliefs form the cornerstone of our community and guide our actions and efforts as members of that community.

Bentley is a community of faculty, staff and students who are gathered to learn and to support learning. To maintain and nurture our community and to maximize learning, we embrace the Bentley Beliefs, which govern conduct in classrooms, residence halls and places of work. Our learning is a privilege. It is predicated upon our acceptance of the responsibilities described below.

We strive at all times to treat one another with respect.
In language, personal interactions and the treatment of property not our own, we treat others as they would like to be treated. We recognize the inherent dignity and worth of every person in our community. We are responsible to help keep our community safe, without vandalism, hate speech, physical violence and harassment.

We acknowledge and learn from our differences.
We are all different - rural, urban, gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, from somewhere in the United States or from abroad or differing religions, philosophies, physical abilities. We seek to understand one another. We protect and affirm the right of each person to be themselves.

We act with integrity and honesty in our academic, personal and professional affairs.
Within a framework of mutual respect, we are honest in our writing, classroom work, and professional involvement. We are willing at all times to examine our conduct in the light of ethical standards.

We seek to further the growth and learning of each member of our community and ourselves.
We affirm that we are here, first and foremost, to learn. We acknowledge that much of our learning will occur through our interactions with others. Our own conduct will be of key importance in making possible our learning and growth, and that of others.

More detailed information regarding the relationship of the Bentley Beliefs to daily student life can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook.