Mission, Ethics and Values

Our Mission

The Washburn University School of Business provides knowledge and personalized experiences to engage students who will enhance the economic vitality of businesses in the region and beyond.

 The School is characterized by these actions:

  • Uses flexible delivery and small interactive classes to prepare students for challenges of a dynamic collaborative environment.
  • Provides students with distinctive opportunities for personal growth through transformative activities and engagement with local and global stakeholders.
  • Produces research that enhances our classroom teaching, assists practitioners, and advances knowledge in business disciplines.
  • Stimulates economic development of the region through our Small Business Development Center and other collaborative partnerships.
  • Fosters integrity, inclusiveness, mutual respect, and ethical behavior as requisites to business practice.

Stakeholders of the Washburn School of Business, be they faculty, students administrators or others, should expect their interactions with other stakeholders and stakeholder groups to be guided by the following principles:

  • Honesty: Honesty is the cornerstone for the other fundamental program values. There can be no trust, fairness, respect, integrity or responsibility without honesty.  Honesty creates the possibility for quality teaching, learning, academic research and communication between individuals.
  • Trust: Trust results from a culture of honesty.  Trust provides the foundation for an environment that nourishes creativity and risk-taking in teaching, learning and scholarship, and is essential to Washburn University's pursuit of quality human development and "learning for a lifetime."
  • Fairness: A sense of fairness emerges when standards, policies and procedures are equitable, clear, and in the best interest of all program stakeholders.  Without fair processes, the learning environment cannot sustain trust and honesty.  Fairness insures that all stakeholders have the opportunity to succeed, and provides a foundation for mutual respect among stakeholders.
  • Respect: A University environment focused on the creation and transmission of knowledge requires interaction and participation by all stakeholders. Quality interaction is facilitated when stakeholders display respect for one another.  When stakeholders are treated fairly and honestly, they are better able to trust one another, which leads to a culture of mutual respect.
  • Integrity: Stakeholders of the Washburn School of Business conduct themselves with integrity when teaching, learning, research, communication and other interactions are conducted in accordance with the principles of honesty, trust, fairness and respect.
  • Responsibility: 
    • Faculty act responsibly when they:
      • Maintain currency in their field
      • Freely share their knowledge with students
      • Develop coursework that is focused, relevant, coherent and adds value to students' career skills and ambitions
      • Critically assess students' work in a constructive and rigorous manner
      • Challenge students to grow intellectually and professionally
      • Create an environment that is conducive to learning
      • Assist students in understanding the requirements and expectations of their degree programs
    • Students act responsibly when they:
      • Properly prioritize their commitments to the program
      • Manage their work and family responsibilities so they may attend class and be fully engaged in other program activities and requirements
      • Understand the requirements and expectations of their degree programs and plan their class schedules consistent with these expectations
      • Accept criticism in a professional manner and with the understanding that such feedback is designed to improve their business skills and critical thinking
      • Arrive to each class session prepared
      • Contribute substantively to the classroom dialogue
      • Approach the course material thoughtfully
Each Student declaring a major or seeking admission to the School of Business will be asked to review and affirm these values.

Racism and violence reduce the ability of individuals to interact to their fullest potential and are antithetical to successful business practice. Each and every day, we work to foster integrity, inclusiveness, mutual respect and ethical behavior - this is part of our mission, and we affirm it in our values statement. We remain dedicated to providing our students and other stakeholders with opportunities that will lead to success, and are committed to open and honest communication on often challenging issues. The faculty, staff and students of the School reflect a rich diversity of individuals with different backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives from across the U.S. and around the globe. We affirm our intention to treat everyone we serve with the same human dignity and respect that we show each other, and to endorse the value of every individual.

- Washburn University School of Business
All students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately and ethically in their academic work. Inappropriate and unethical behavior includes (but is not limited to) giving or receiving unauthorized aid on examinations or in the preparation of papers or other assignments, or knowingly misrepresenting the source of academic work. Washburn University's Academic Impropriety Policy describes academically unethical behavior in greater detail and explains the actions that may be taken when such behavior occurs.

GET IN TOUCH WITH School of Business

School of Business
Henderson Room 114
1700 SW College Ave.
Topeka, KS 66621

Phone & Email
Ph: 785.670.1308
Fax: 785-670-1063
business@washburn.edu

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