Illinois State University
Code of Ethics
Senate Approved March 29, 2006
3.3.12 Code of Ethics This Code of Ethics establishes standards of
professional conduct for
executive officers, faculty, staff, and
other individuals employed by
Our values are based on those inherent in the Illinois State University Constitution and in Educating Illinois. As additional statements of our responsibilities and values, we further specifically adopt the AAUP Statement of Professional Ethics [http://aaup.org/statements/Redbook/Rbethics.htm] (adopted 1966 and 1987) and the definition and discussion of academic freedom found in the AAUP 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and 1970 Interpretive Comments [http://www.aaup.org/statements/Redbook/1940stat.htm]. The faculty, staff and administration of Illinois State University believe in the values of academic freedom; respect for our students and colleagues; excellence in teaching, scholarship and service; intellectual and personal honesty; fairness, non-discrimination and diversity; respect for our institutions and traditions; and high standards of integrity as role models for our students and our community. In order to maintain these values, we:
2. Respect principles of shared governance and
accept mutual responsibility for the governance of the University.
4. Respect, support and defend our professional
and institutional values.
5. Seek and share knowledge in our discipline
and state the truth as informed by current research.
The University Ethics Officer
is available to any individual confronted with an ethical issue.
Policy 3.3.14 Consensual Relations in
Instructional Settings
(Amendment to Code of Ethics adopted by
the Academic Senate,
In
no event can social, professional, business, romantic, or other relationships be allowed influence the
grading and/or evaluation of either a
student or other member of the university community. When such relationships
that potentially could create conflicts of interest exist, the entire university community may
expect that extra care be given to
assure grading and evaluation is performed in a fair and impartial
manner. Whenever such relationships
exist, faculty have an ethical obligation to maintain documentation to reasonably
demonstrate impartiality and objectivity
in the event that a member of the university community brings a grievance under this Code. A faculty member
may elect to have their
Department Chair or other faculty member review the grading of a
student to preclude any appearance of
impropriety. Faculty members have an ethical obligation not to initiate nor enter
into consensual amorous, romantic,
and/or sexual relationships with students or others during the time
that the faculty member is in a position
to evaluate or supervise the partner in
the relationship. Faculty members should be aware that there can be a perception of
subtle yet powerful elements of coercion even in apparently consensual
relationships, and as a result, such relationships are particularly vulnerable to charges of sexual
harassment. Individuals entering into
consensual relationships when there is a power differential among the parties
must be aware that: A) the reasons for entering, maintaining, or terminating such a
relationship may be perceived as a
function of the power differential; B) where power differentials exist,
even in a seemingly consensual relationship, there are limited after-the-fact defenses against charges of
sexual harassment; and C) it is almost
always the case that the individual with the power or status advantage in the
relationship will bear the burden of accountability. If an allegation of sexual harassment is
made, it will be investigated in accord
with established University procedures for handling sexual harassment
complaints. The policy can be found at
1.1.1 Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy.
Faculty
members are also
reminded that even consensual romantic and/or consensual sexual relationships can lead to uncomfortable
situations for those involved --
especially when one is supervising the other. Even if these uncomfortable situations
do not meet the legal definition of sexual harassment, the University has the legal power and in some
cases the responsibility to mitigate
these situations by removing one party or both parties from the supervisory relationship. When a faculty
member’s supervisor (typically the Department Chair) becomes aware of
such a situation, that person (typically
the Chair) will discuss the situation with the Office for Diversity and Affirmative Action, and may
also discuss with others in the
university administration that may be appropriate, and act accordingly.
Policy 3.3.15
Relationship with Students (Linked to
the Code of Ethics by the Academic Senate, March 29, 2006.)
(RESOLUTION
OF STANDARDS AND ETHICS COMMITTEE: Amendment to Code of Ethics adopted by
Academic Senate, December 16, 1970)
1.
Faculty members in their assigned teaching should adhere to the course content approved by committees
responsible to the University for
determining curricula. Irrelevancy should be avoided.
2.
Faculty members should clearly explain to their students the objectives of the course. Teaching
should be designed to meet those objectives whether through lecture,
demonstration, performance, assignment,
or examination.
3.
Faculty members should clearly explain to their students methods of evaluation for the
final grade. Since the evaluation process exists to enhance the student’s intellectual
development, grades and criticisms of
papers, projects, and examinations should be returned to the student
for inspection and discussion as soon as
possible considering the faculty
member’s other professional obligations. Final exams, if administered, should be returned
to the student or retained for one term, permitting the opportunity for student
review with the instructor if the student desires. It is expected that faculty members will
collect sufficient data on the performance of students to justify the
final grade. Evaluation of students and award of credit must be based on
professionally judged academic
performance and not on matters irrelevant to that performance, such
as personality, race, religion, sex,
degree of political activism or personal
beliefs.
5.
Faculty members should regularly meet their assigned classes as scheduled. Faculty members who are
absent from their duties because of illness should report the fact
immediately to their department chairperson. Faculty members who are absent for
any reason other than illness, as for
attending a professional meeting, should complete a Notice of Absence from Regular Duties form and file
it with their department chairperson for
prior approval.
6.
Faculty members are responsible for communications to their classes policy regarding attendance and
consequences of student non-compliance
with this policy.
7.
Faculty members are expected to post and observe a reasonable number of regular
office hours, during which time they are available for student conferences. Faculty should announce office
location and hours to their
classes. Additional appointment time should be made available when mutually
convenient to faculty and students in instances where student schedules conflict with regular office hours.
8.
While faculty members’ obligations to the community, like rights within the community, cannot be less
that those of any citizen, they should
not utilize the services of the University in pursuing non-academic concerns.
9.
Membership in the academic community imposes on faculty members an obligation to
respect the dignity of others, to acknowledge their right to express differing opinions, and to foster and
defend intellectual honesty, freedom of
inquiry and instruction, and free expression on and off the campus. The expression of dissent and the
attempt to produce change,
therefore, may not be carried out in ways which injure
individuals, damage institutional
facilities or disrupt the classes on one’s colleagues. Nor should faculty members incite acts of
violence to individuals, acts of
destruction of property, or acts which interfere with academic freedom.
10.
Faculty members should encourage the free pursuit of learning by all of their
students. They should strive to hold before their students the scholarly standards of their
discipline. They should prepare adequately for each class and strive to develop
within students the motivation to work
up to their potentials. Faculty members should keep regular office hours during which students may meet
with them, and they should try in other
ways to have out of class contacts with students which will serve to augment the formal classroom learning
experience.
11.
Faculty members should make every reasonable effort to create a climate which
fosters honest academic conduct. To this end they should carefully scrutinize their methods of
teaching, their assignments, and their
system of evaluation in order to ensure that they do encourage honesty in students. Should faculty members
detect signs of plagiarism or
cheating, it is their obligation to investigate thoroughly and
take appropriate measures.
11.
Evaluation of students is an important part of the learning process and it should add to the students’
understanding of themselves, as well as
the content of the course. The course and the evaluation process exist to enhance
students’ intellectual development. Faculty members should grade students on the basis of their
course performance.
12.
Faculty members should respect the confidential nature of their relationship with students. All
information about student views, beliefs, activities, and political association
which is acquired through the
teacher-student relationship, should be kept confidential. Written records are to be
kept only to the extent that they are necessary in assisting students in achieving their educational
goals. When records are no longer relevant to this purpose, they should
be destroyed. However, judgments of an individual student’s abilities and
character which are requested by the
student should be provided.
13.
The faculty member should avoid an exploitation of students for his or her private
advantage both in and outside the classroom. It is expected that the student’s assistance in writing
of a book, article, paper, etc., be properly acknowledged.
14.
Faculty members should be as diligent in protecting the academic freedom of their students as they are
their own.
Policy 3.3.16
Involvement in Political Activities (Linked
to the Code of Ethics by the Academic Senate, March 29, 2006.)
A.
Outside the classroom the faculty member has the same right as any other citizen to
participate in political activities. Partisan political activity is defined as running for political
office with a party label; service on a party committee; or actively supporting
a partisan candidate for public office
through public speaking, serving on a committee, circulating nominating petitions, canvassing,
and other similar activities. Faculty members have a special obligation to
refrain from political
partisanship in their instructional duties.
B.
A faculty member who becomes a candidate for a political office should notify the President in writing
of this decision. If the office sought is local, no other action is
necessary except assurance to the President that the contemplated activity will
not interfere with the faculty member’s
academic responsibilities. When the office sought is state or national, then the President
may request the faculty member to apply
for a leave of absence without pay during the period of the campaign or later, when such activity would be
expected to take a substantial amount of
the faculty member’s time.