One of the most interesting things I learned from UC San Diego’s Ethics Awareness page is how clearly it connects ethical behavior to the university’s overall mission and reputation. The page explains that ethics at UC San Diego are not just about following rules, but about maintaining the public’s trust and demonstrating accountability to everyone the university serves like the students, parents, donors, and taxpayers. It was nice to see that UC San Diego defines ethics through six core values, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship, because these values provide a foundation for decision-making that goes beyond compliance.

What stood out to me most was the idea that unethical actions don’t only lead to disciplinary or legal consequences, they can also harm morale, damage the university’s reputation, and undermine its ability to attract top students and faculty. This made me realize how interconnected personal integrity and institutional success really are.

I also liked the “Character-Based Decision-Making Model” from the Josephson Institute of Ethics, which the page highlights as a framework for resolving ethical dilemmas. It encourages people to pause, gather facts, consider stakeholders, and evaluate possible outcomes before making a choice. That process feels especially valuable in a complex environment like a university, where decisions often involve competing values and limited information. Overall, I came away with a deeper appreciation of how ethics form the backbone of trust and excellence at UC San Diego, shaping not only individual choices but the university’s culture and reputation as a whole.

University of California, San Diego. (2025, October 3). Ethics Awareness. UC San Diego. https://blink.ucsd.edu/finance/accountability/ethics-awareness.html#why-are-business-ethics-important-to-uc-san-diego