USC’s Core Values
Four sets of core values are particularly critical in this context. First is free inquiry, an institutional commitment to the search for truth that must be defended against any external or internal threats.
The second set of core values is usually described as the values of the Trojan Family, standards which have long defined USC’s interactions with its stakeholders and which will continue to guide us in the future. These standards include: caring and respect for one another as individuals; appreciation of diversity; team spirit; strong alumni networks; and a commitment to service.
The third set of core values involves a commitment to informed risk-taking within a culture of targeted experimentation that can help USC prepare for an uncertain future. By crafting experiments related to our vision and strategic capabilities, we will learn what works in a changing world. Such experiments will be most beneficial if we can learn to appreciate the fact that not all attempts at innovation will succeed, and that much can be learned from so-called “useful failures.”
The fourth and final set of core values comprises our commitment to ethical conduct as spelled out in our recently adopted Code of Ethics – http://www.usc.edu/about/core_documents/usc_code_of_ethics.html.
These values define our community, sustain a sense of cohesiveness, and connect us to our past and to our future. They will guide us in making difficult and sometimes risky decisions, and will help us make choices that preserve USC’s integrity, community, and quality.
—from USC’s Plan for Increasing Academic Excellence: Building Strategic Capabilities for the University of the 21st Century