Personal & Social Responsibility Inventory
In May 2026, Davidson College entered into an agreement with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to serve as the exclusive home and administrator for the Personal and Social Responsibility Inventory (PSRI).
Originally developed in 2006 under AAC&U’s Core Commitments initiative, the PSRI is a widely recognized campus climate survey designed to evaluate how higher education institutions foster ethical reasoning, civic engagement, and social responsibility in students.
Details for the spring 2027 administration of the inventory will go live in October.
The Personal and Social Responsibility Inventory (PSRI) is a campus climate survey developed to assess how institutions foster students’ ethical reasoning, civic engagement, and social responsibility. The PSRI originated as part of Core Commitments: Educating Students for Personal and Social Responsibility, an initiative sponsored by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and supported by the John Templeton Foundation, directed by Caryn McTighe Musil. It was developed in 2006 by L. Lee Knefelkamp at Teachers College, Columbia University, with consultation from Richard Hersh and research support from Lauren Ruff, and later refined in collaboration with Eric D. Dey and associates at the University of Michigan and, later, Robert D. Reason. From 2011 through 2025, the PSRI was housed at Iowa State University (ISU) within the Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE). In May 2026, Davidson College entered into an agreement with AACU to assume sole responsibility to house and administer the PSRI.
The inventory evaluates campus climate across the original five core dimensions. Davidson College added a sixth section to the inventory focused on freedom of expression.
- Striving for Excellence - Developing a strong work ethic and commitment to personal best in all aspects of college life.
- Cultivating Academic Integrity - Recognizing and acting on a sense of honor—ranging from honesty, fairness, and mutual respect to engagement with formal academic honor codes.
- Contributing to a Larger Community - Recognizing responsibility to the educational community and wider society on local, national, and global scales.
- Taking Seriously the Perspectives of Others - Informing one's judgment by actively engaging with diverse and competing perspectives as resources for learning and citizenship.
- Developing Competence in Ethical and Moral Reasoning & Action - Integrating ethical reasoning across learning and daily life to guide responsible action.
- Freedom of Expression (Davidson College Module) - Assessing campus climate around open dialogue, constructive disagreement, and free expression.