Cardinal Principles
The university follows a set of guiding principles that shape our community and our actions. Every member of the University of Louisville family is expected to follow these Cardinal Principles:
Community of Care
Let us be a University that is a Community of Care. Care for self, care for one another as the Cardinal Family and care for the community beyond. We are a community—not just a collection of individuals. We are a community—not just buildings connected by an HVAC system.
Accountability
Accountability. We keep our promises. We own mistakes. We are accountable to the team.
Respect
Respect, irrespective of position. We respect each other’s humanity and dignity, no matter what our positions in the organization are. We also respect our right to differing and conflicting positions on issues. We will be a place that prepares students for ideas, not protects students from ideas.
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion. We celebrate diversity of thought, perspectives and life experiences. As our state motto declares: United We Stand, Divided We Fall. We want everyone, in the richness of all of their many unique and intersecting identities to feel included in the Cardinal fold.
Integrity and Transparency
Integrity and Transparency. We will be true to our mission of an urban research university to create, disseminate and apply knowledge. Integrity is our collective commitment to make decisions with the best interests of our university in mind and to share the decision making rationale and the outcomes.
Noble Purpose
Noble Purpose. Each of us will identify for ourselves the way in which we make a difference. We know we must solve the problems of access and affordability to give everyone the opportunity to find and pursue their own noble purpose.
Agility
Agility. We will recognize that things change and when they do, we must change things. We know that when adaptation in an organization does not keep pace with adaptation in the environment, the organization will not survive.
Leadership
Leadership. We recognize that management is a position but leadership is an activity. We will all behave as owners of the University of Louisville because we are. “We are UofL” is not just a hashtag or a slogan. It is our declaration of leadership and ownership.