Positive Core of Saint Louis University's Vitality
The positive core is a shared view of Saint Louis University that must be carried into the future. It is this core that gives the University health and vitality and sustains an environment where creativity is fostered. Saint Louis University's core factors are: sense of community; student-centered focus; physically welcoming; Jesuit, Catholic mission-driven; shared vision; and spirit for change: strive for excellence.

Sense of Community
Faculty and staff are committed to the University's mission, to collaborative work, and to student achievement. There is a deep commitment to learning and to the intellectual development of persons at all levels of the University. The appreciation of the wholeness of the person is apparent at SLU. Collegiality is valued, and there exists a sense of community. Faculty are perceived as congenial, forgiving, tolerant, and respectful. The SLU culture expresses a valuing of people in an environment of freedom of intellectual, social, and religious expression. The environment is inclusive, civil, positive, interpersonal, and dynamic. The spirit of SLU is that of a community valuing individuality and diversity.

Student-Centered Focus
The people who comprise SLU share a commitment to student intellectual and personal growth. Students are seen as great assets to the University; student formation is at the heart of the community's work.

Physically Welcoming
Resources directed to improving the physical environment in which people work and learn have created an atmosphere that is welcoming and conducive to the achievement of excellence.

Jesuit, Catholic Mission-Driven
Members of the SLU community come together around its founding as an institution of higher education in the Jesuit tradition. The focus on academic quality, service to others, a historical and continuing commitment to diversity, and the creation of mentoring relationships that affirm diversity and support collaboration are all ways in which the Jesuit mission and identity are made explicit. Excellence in teaching, research, and service expresses this tradition. Attention to formation of the whole person at all levels and in relationship to society is paramount in the learning environment. Commitment to justice, to the marginalized, and to men and women in service to others is lived in an environment where spiritual and educational values are integrated at a deep level.

Shared Vision
SLU is a university on the move - committed to its vision. The vision of being the finest Catholic university in the United States is becoming a collective vision with the recognition that varied paths are valued in its pursuit. This vision rests on a broad commitment across SLU to seeking and sharing new knowledge.

Spirit for Change: Strive for Excellence
SLU is a supportive environment for achieving excellence in teaching, research, and service. Ambition, energy, spirit, and determination to achieve are key components of the environment. It is a place where people are trusted and expected to do a good job; to do their best. Innovation, change, and discovery are respected and encouraged in an environment that promotes risk-taking and supports willingness to change in order to pursue excellence.