About Parent and Family Programs

Inspired by its land-grant heritage, Colorado State University is committed to excellence, setting the standard for public research universities in teaching, research, service and extension for the benefit of the citizens of Colorado, the United States and the world.

The Principles of Community support the Colorado State University mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service and engagement. A collaborative and vibrant community is a foundation for learning, critical inquiry, and discovery. Therefore, each member of the CSU community has a responsibility to uphold these principles when engaging with one another and acting on behalf of the University.

Inclusion: We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value and affirm all members of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents and contributions.

Integrity: We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our interactions.

Respect: We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge.

Service: We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global communities.

Social Justice: We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that promote justice in all respects.

CSU has a unique mission in the State of Colorado. As a land grant university we are committed to a foundational principle of inclusive excellence recognizing that our institutional success depends on how well we welcome, value, and affirm all members of the CSU community. Only through the inclusion of the rich diversity of students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni can we truly be excellent in our pursuits.

Our inclusive excellence efforts hinge on four key ideas:

Broad and inclusive definition of diversity. 

We recognize that to truly be inclusive we must draw attention to the depth and breadth of the diversity represented at CSU. Our definition includes age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. We also recognize that the historical exclusion and marginalization of specific social groups must be addressed to promote equity.

Inclusiveness and excellence are interdependent.

We recognize that to continue to stay current in the global marketplace and stay relevant in an increasingly diverse world, we must embody inclusion. To practice inclusiveness is excellence.

Everyone is responsible for inclusive excellence.

All members of the campus community (administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni) must recognize and assume responsibility for the climate of the university. A unit or person can drive the process, but every individual at CSU assumes responsibility for positive change.

Inclusive excellence goes beyond numbers.

Historically, diversity has been gauged by demographics or numbers; we must move beyond solely numbers toward an inclusive community that embeds diversity throughout the institution in multiple areas including demographics, policies, and communications; curriculum, pedagogy, and student learning; recruitment, hiring and retention, evaluation and supervision.

Achieving inclusive excellence is a long-term commitment and must have a comprehensive broad approach, embedding appreciation of all members and inclusion best practices into the very fabric of CSU’s organizational culture.