• Objective #1: To engage the system in an open, inclusive discussion of the underlying values and ideals that people from diverse backgrounds have in common.

• Objective #2: To explore strategies for enabling colleges to create a culture and climate characterized by agreed upon core values and infuse these values into the curriculum, as appropriate, and promote Phi Theta Kappa.

• Objective #3: To recognize community colleges for oustanding initatives to promote leadership and core values.

The following is a synopsis of Sauk Valley Community College's involvement in this Goal to date.
 

I. Leadership & Core Values Institute
The President, Vice President of Instruction, Vice President of Student Services, Vice President of Administration and a Professor of Sociology attended the Leadership and Core Values Institute on May 4, 1998

II. Shared Values Team Formed
At the College’s August 21, 1998 Fall In-Service, the President of the College shared with the entire campus the concept of core values and how it was possible to use values as a springboard to our new planning phase at the College.  

Following several discussions on Core Values, it was decided that a Sauk team would be formed to move the College forward in a process of Institutional Renewal, which had as its base the Shared Values.  The team organized a planning process to include discovery of shared values, review of the College mission statement, development of a shared vision statement, new strategic plan and operational plan, and finally preparation for the North Central Association  Accreditation Visit.

III. Formation of a Community College Consortium
A grant proposal was submitted to ICCB, which was the collaborative work of five community colleges: Kaskaskia, Kishwaukee, Illinois Valley, McHenry, and Sauk Valley.  The proposal included a four-day training session on Core Values and an invitation to Rush Kidder to work in various capacities with each College.

IV. Ethical Fitness Training
On October 26-29, 1998 Sauk Valley sent a shared values team to Crystal Lake for an Ethical Fitness Seminar and a Train-The-Trainer session on values conducted by the Global Institute of Ethics.  The team, consisting of faculty, administration and support staff, identified core values and planned for the next steps for College implementation. 

V. College-Wide In-service
January 1999, Rushworth Kidder was invited to explain the concepts of Core Values to the entire College and lead them through a discovery of Sauk Valley Community College’s shared values.  Five values were solidified upon:  Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Integrity, and Caring .

VI. Brown Bag Discussions 
To facilitate continued discussion on shared values, weekly brown bag meetings were established. A key component to the discussions was application of the values, how does the college community live the values that have been identified, and how can values facilitate institutional renewal.
  
VII. Shared Values Statement Exercise
During the March spring workshop, the entire college was divided up into 10 different teams to work on College-wide value statements.  All information was presented, discussed and the shared values team combined the information into the following shared values statement:

 Recognizing that education is the single best means of improving the quality of people’s lives, we the people of the SVCC learning Community commit to living these shared values.

Respect  We respect the worth and dignity of all persons
 
Responsibility We value and advocate that all take responsibility for     themselves, learning, and the environment 
 
Fairness  We advocate fairness and just treatment of all people

Integrity We expect and constantly stand for integrity, honesty, and ethical treatment of all people

Caring We value the creation of opportunity in a caring environment
 
VIII. Dream/Vision
The shared values team went to the Leadership Colloquium I in Springfield, IL on March 28-30, 1999.  Through this experience it was decided that a historical project would be started in conjunction with the values.  A historical video would be made to rediscover the original dream of SVCC 35 years ago.  Memorabilia will be collected and brought to a community room where individuals can gather to discuss vision, values, etc. and to renew the sense of community within the college.  Also, a WEB page on ethics was developed for the College.

IX. Continued Process
During the summer semester, the shared values team agreed to meet on a weekly basis to move the process forward.  They have rewritten the mission statement and plan on discussing ways of incorporating the shared values/ethics into the daily lives of the college community.