Campus Community Development

Diversity, Intercultural and Community Engagement at Stony Brook University operates under a set of six principles to foster the development of community on college campuses. These principles are proposed by the Carnegie Foundation and Ernest Boyer in the publication Campus Life: In Search of Community (1990). The authors define community as an environment that creates a sense of belonging and purpose, incorporating the following six elements:

• Purposeful: To create an ideal sense of community, there must be a clear sense of purpose. Academics and development of character, a commitment to self and community, are the primary reasons for the existence of a university.
• Open: A true community welcomes a variety of viewpoints and beliefs.
• Just: A just community is a place where the value of each individual is recognized and where diversity is championed.
• Disciplined: A university community is disciplined, in that individuals accept their responsibility to the larger group and where clear guidelines govern behavior.
• Caring: To feel as if one is accepted by the community, one must feel that others truly care. This is particularly vital at a large institution like Stony Brook.
• Celebrative: A campus community is celebrative, full of tradition and recognition of the university's heritage and ongoing accomplishments.