Values in Action
At UCLA, our values guide how we — faculty, students and staff — show up for ourselves, for one another and for UCLA’s mission of education, research, healthcare and public service in Los Angeles, in California and beyond. Read the stories of Bruins living these values, and help us recognize others who bring them to life.
Integrity, Excellence and Belonging are demonstrated through the choices Bruins make every day.
Our values surface in how we approach our work, respond to challenges and treat the people around us. These actions may not always draw attention, but together they shape the culture of UCLA.
More than 2,500 Bruins helped define these values through surveys, campus conversations, Academic Senate input and two years of feedback.
Integrity
Lead with character.
- We communicate with honesty and transparency
- We make ethical decisions grounded in evidence and a commitment to truth
- We engage with openness and humility, especially when it is most difficult
- We take responsibility for our actions and their impact, individually and collectively
Excellence
Strive for greatness.
- We set the highest standards in teaching, research, and service
- We ask questions and challenge assumptions in pursuit of knowledge
- We collaborate to elevate quality and impact
- We direct our efforts toward the public good in Los Angeles, in California and beyond
Belonging
Build community.
- We treat each other with mutual respect across differences
- We create inclusive environments for learning and collaboration through our daily actions
- We address bias or harm with accountability, care, and a commitment to repair
- We build bridges across differences in identity, role, and viewpoint
This is how we Bruin.
Across UCLA, Bruins demonstrate our shared values through their work, their relationships and their commitment to something greater.
The True Bruin Values come to life through the choices Bruins make every day—from how we collaborate and care for one another to how we meet challenges and create change. Together, these actions shape UCLA’s culture and extend its impact beyond campus.
The stories below show these values in action.
Know a bruin who brings our values to life? Tell us how their actions demonstrate Integrity, Excellence and Belonging.
Timeline
Fall 2026
Formal launch of refreshed True Bruin Values following input period.
2025–26
Throughout the 2025–26 academic year, the new True Bruin Values are refined iteratively with UCLA community input. UCLA hosts Campus Community Conversations on Nov. 3, 2025, Feb. 3, 2026, and May 13, 2026.
In spring 2026, UCLA launches a second draft of the values for campuswide feedback: Integrity, Excellence, Belonging.
By the end of spring 2026, following a final push for feedback, Chancellor Frenk unveils the final, refreshed values during his State of the Campus address on May 26, 2026.
Fall 2025
The Bruin community is invited to engage in a yearlong process to provide feedback on the draft set of refreshed True Bruin Values.
2024–25
In partnership with thousands of Bruin voices, via campuswide surveys and dialogue, the committee develops a draft set of refreshed values:
Integrity & Accountability, Service with Purpose, Belonging Through Action, Curiosity & Growth, and Collaboration with Humility
2024
True Bruin Values Refresh Steering Committee is formed and begins the work of designing a process to refresh the values.
Early 2000s
UCLA’s True Bruin Values of Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service and Excellence are created based on values from the UC Office of the President.