Values in Action: Values Week 2026

Values aren’t just words on a page – they’re reflected in the people who make up Augusta University. This month, Values Week puts a spotlight on those values, celebrating the students, faculty and staff who embody what it means to be part of the Jaguar community.

“Values Week is about people getting together and talking about what kind of goals we have for the university, as students or as faculty or staff. How do we value each other, and how do we value what our purpose is within the campus?” said Ruby Syed, compliance analyst for Audit, Compliance, Ethics and Risk Management.

Augusta University’s values include:

Collegiality

The cooperative relationship, shared authority, and mutual respect among colleagues working together toward a common goal.

“I think that collegiality is about partnership. It’s about being respectful of everyone in their roles, and just really collaborating and bringing ideas together from all of our different perspectives,” said Angelica Walden, assistant vice president of ACERM.

Excellence

The quality of being outstanding, extremely good, or superior in performance, skill, or character.

“I think excellence involves continuous pursuit of achieving at the highest level we are capable of,” said Maura Copeland, vice president and chief compliance officer of ACERM and interim vice president of Legal Affairs and General Counsel.

Integrity

Having strong moral principles and completely honest actions, or maintaining an undivided, sound, and unimpaired state.

“Integrity is basically doing something, doing it right, doing it good without having to be told, whether somebody’s watching or not, because that’s who you are,” stated Kymyetta Turner, Title IX investigator for ACERM.

Leadership

The process of influencing, inspiring, and guiding people to work together toward a common goal.

“That those of us that are in leadership positions, especially, that we exhibit the kinds of behaviors that we want others to mimic, that we personify the values that we talk about every day and put our best foot forward,” Walden explained.

Compassion

A deep awareness of the suffering of others combined with an active desire to help relieve it.

“Compassion I think that means having some sincerity when you’re talking to people, understanding where they’re coming from and meeting them where they are,” said Chanette Lewis, compliance analyst for ACERM.

Inclusivity

The practice or policy of including all types of people fairly and equally, making sure no one is left out based on their race, gender, religion, ability, or background.

“Inclusivity is nobody gets left behind. Everybody is considered when you are formulating a plan. Everybody’s important. Every job, every role is important, not just in terms of what they can do for you, but also what you can do for them. Not just in terms of the work that they do, but just people as a whole. People want to know that you care about them as a whole, not so much just look at them as an employee or an ID number,” said Turner.  

This year’s theme is Values in Action, which serves to further drive home the purpose of the festivities. Augusta’s University’s principles are meant to guide everyday decisions and shape how members of the campus community conduct themselves. Values Week encourages faculty, staff and students to reflect on how their actions can make a meaningful difference.

“We have to demand these values from ourselves on a day-in, day-out basis. Failure is easy. Mediocrity is easy. Being less than our best is easy. Living up to our core values is hard. To this, I say: good,” said Thomas Warren, project coordinator of ACERM. “We’re better when we do hard things. So, whether we’re staff, students or faculty, regardless of our function or role here on campus, we need to do whatever we do in a way that lives up to our values and the things that we say our university is about.”

From Nov. 2-8, attendees can enjoy several events like the kickoff block party, the Values Olympics or Friendsgiving. For more information on Values Week and how you can participate, click here.