Code of Culture
The Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management is a community of innovative, motivated, and supportive people with shared interests in advancing knowledge and improving business practices and impact. An ever-growing educational network, Dyson plays a key role in the mission of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Cornell University. When we invest in this community and work to protect and enhance its reputation, we all benefit. This Code of Culture describes the values that guide us.
What does it mean to live our motto “Our Business is a Better World”? It means, first, that we see business as a broad field with limitless applications for the personal, local and global good. In keeping with our history, our programs bring a quantitative orientation, strong grounding in applied economics, respect for the complex human factor and, finally, alignment with prosperity that is shared and sustainable. Our motto signals our commitments to support our colleagues, build healthy institutions, and protect our planet. These commitments give us confidence that our work and our personal success will be solid, grounded, generous, and long-lasting.
Living our motto means we create communities where students, staff, faculty, and alumni thrive and can contribute their best work. Here fundamental human equality is unquestioned; at the same time individual differences and achievements are celebrated as a source of strength.
Audacious goals, knotty challenges, gaps in knowledge—these motivate our learning. High ethical standards protect us all. Collaborating to beat the status quo drives us forward.
Dyson Code of Culture
Learn Respectfully
We welcome new ideas and diverse perspectives.
Dyson is first an educational community. Students are responsible for meeting specific classroom standards set by individual instructors. Students interact professionally with Class Assistants and Teaching Assistants and in turn, student course assistants treat all students fairly.
Differences of opinion and lively debate are generally expected and encouraged but are always accompanied by active listening, dialogue, and respect for others.
Dyson students know that asking good questions is essential for learning. We seek performance feedback to help us grow. We avoid distractions – electronic or otherwise – which interrupt our focus. Regular, on time, in-person course participation is key to student success at Dyson.
University mandated absences (e.g. for sports teams) should be discussed with faculty in advance; time away for serious illnesses is coordinated through the Office ofStudent Services.
Act Ethically
Our words are accurate and truthful.
Our reputation rests on our integrity. At Dyson, we give credit where credit is due, and we report our own performance or contributions correctly, whether recording hours on a timesheet, pages in a team report or ideas borrowed from others.
Our commitment to excellence means we do not tolerate deception and falsehoods. We do not sell other’s work without permission, and we strictly follow the rules when trusted with confidential or private information – a practice which protects everyone.
Honesty, transparency, and professional respect are the hallmarks of all interactions among Dyson students, staff, and faculty. Academic honesty means we do not misrepresent the origin or authorship of any work, including work assisted by AI technology.
The Dyson School upholds the Cornell Academic Integrity Code and the University Code of Student Conduct.
Collaborate Responsibly
Working together, we accomplish more.
Dyson students believe fair and friendly competition can elevate our performance. We celebrate the success of others as well as ourselves. We ask for help when needed and are skilled at developing shared goals. We solve team and interpersonal problems with tact, respect and support.
Members of the Dyson community agree to treat Warren Hall and all University and New York State resources with appropriate care and consideration.
We meet our commitments to external stakeholders, including employers, alumni and community partners. We represent Dyson well, meeting standards such as dressing appropriately, behaving professionally, attending appointments prepared and on-time, and engaging respectfully with all stakeholders and communities. Examples include: responding to emails with appropriate workplace tone, preparing for meetings or interviews, providing deliverables as agreed, and showing appreciation for outside contributions.
“The Dyson Code of Culture is especially relevant at this moment: learn respectfully, act ethically and collaborate responsibly. These principles call on us to take full advantage of the extraordinary learning opportunities available in Dyson and Cornell, uphold the highest ethical standards in all that we do—including our use of AI—and work with each other with respect and accountability. They are essential to our shared ethos “Our Business is a Better World.”
Jinhua ZhaoDavid J. Nolan DeanProfessor of Applied Economics and Policy
“At Dyson, we believe that how you pursue success matters as much as the success itself. The Code of Culture captures something I try to bring into every classroom: that learning respectfully, acting with integrity, and working together aren’t constraints on ambition—they’re what make your ambitions worth achieving.
I get to watch students grow from their first days at Dyson through graduation. What I’ve seen, time and again, is that the students who thrive—and who go on to do meaningful work— are those who embrace the values in our Code of Culture. Curiosity paired with humility. Ambition paired with ethics. Individual drive paired with a genuine commitment to the team. These aren’t ideals we ask students to aspire to someday. We ask them to practice these values right now, in every class and every collaboration.”
Sarah Wolfolds
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Learn Respectfully
This video highlights the Dyson Code of Culture pillar Learn Respectfully, which focuses on welcoming new ideas and valuing diverse perspectives.
Act Ethically
This video highlights the Dyson Code of Culture pillar Act Ethically, which emphasizes integrity, accountability, and transparency as foundations of trust.
Collaborate Responsibly
This video highlights the Dyson Code of Culture pillar Collaborate Responsibly, which centers on solving problems through teamwork and shared accountability.