Statement of Values
These are the core values held by the William and Mary Physics Department. All members of the Department1 are colleagues in the pursuit of excellence, and are contributors to the promotion of a healthy, inclusive, safe, and supportive work environment.
Respect
We strive for a climate of mutual respect that values all members of our community both inside and outside the classroom.
Academic Freedom
Free inquiry and discourse are essential for the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore we affirm our commitment to academic freedom - as well as its associated balance between rights and responsibilities - as described fully in the Faculty and Student Handbooks.
Scientific Excellence
We strive for an environment which produces world class science through dedication, individual effort, collaboration, teamwork, and mutual support.
Educational Excellence
We value the dissemination of knowledge through the education of the next generation of students, teaching excellence, mentorship of colleagues, and public outreach.
Understanding
We encourage department members to be understanding and sensitive to challenges other members may encounter inside and outside the department and to be accommodating when reasonable.
Professionalism
The Physics Department is a professional endeavor, with high intellectual and ethical standards and a commitment to the pursuit of excellence and the promotion of creativity and innovation.
Transparency
We strive for a culture of honesty and transparency by keeping members of the department apprised of important departmental issues, seeking the widest possible input, while respecting the need for confidentiality in certain matters.
Diversity
Attracting the best students and faculty keeps us on an upward arc of improvement by including the widest possible range of experiences and viewpoints. Therefore, we are committed to sustaining an inclusive environment and to increasing the diversity of our department so it better reflects our society.
This statement of values and a code of conduct were approved by the faculty, staff, research staff, graduate students, undergraduate students in October, 2016 after a year-long Department-wide conversation organized by the Diversity Advisory Committee.