University Core Values Economic Reasoning
Here at SLU, we have our own university core values that do guide us. Values and ethics are central to guiding us either individually or collectively to ensure that we develop the character, learn skills and assimilate knowledge in our communities respecting the dignity to foster a commitment to excellent work. They also help us in personal development while optimizing and applying our community resources to fulfilling SLU"s mission and goals and deliver on its promise.
Our university core values do not really interfere with the economic reasoning whatsoever. A guide to economic reasoning and its key principles shows us that people choose even if they are not aware of it and will act rationally to seek the best combination of costs and benefits. In making this choice, it will involve costs but not all costs are dollars costs. People will respond to incentives in a predictable way, incentives will prompt people to make decisions. People will create economic systems that will influence individual decisions and "rules of the game" will act as incentives and influence choices people make. People will gain when they trade voluntarily and will exchange for something they value less for something they value more. Lastly, people's choices have consequences that lie in the future; people will give the thought about tomorrow as they make decisions. All these values on economic reasoning correspond to SLU' score values and they do not conflict as such although economic reasoning puts the person first while at SLU the individual, as well as the community, are considered.
It is possible to follow economics" efficiency at the same time respecting one"s moral principles without any violation. At SLU, we are taught about excellence and that we should work individually and collectively to ensure that we learn the skills and acquire knowledge to become responsible. For economics part, we are emphasized on efficiency that will help steer us into economic prosperity. In pursuing one"s economic goal, we want to excel and we will work into that. I feel therefore that we can pursue to be excellent without necessarily violating our moral principles.