The following principles are designed to ensure that the environment in the department meets the highest standard of professionalism and is one in which all members feel welcome and respected.
Respect and support department members:
- Be courteous in your interactions in person as well as in messages and social media
- Respect the professional, physical, and personal boundaries of department members
- Give members a chance to voice their thoughts
- Work to ensure that all members have equal access to opportunities, including networking that happens in a social context
- Ensure that, when offered, criticism is constructive and aims to create positive discussion
- Avoid judging, discriminating, or making unwelcome jokes or disparaging remarks based on stereotypes
- Support those who report violations of departmental or university policy
Commit to openness:
- Be receptive to discussions of ways to improve the work environment and work relationships
- Challenge your own assumptions about people and the sources of those assumptions
- Take it upon yourself to eliminate particular challenges or barriers to success that department members may face as members of under-represented groups
Take initiative:
- Intervene when others are exhibiting conduct unbecoming of a community member
- Speak up when department members are disrespectful of a group or class of people (even when members of that group are not present)
- Seek and pursue opportunities for education/training on diversity, inclusivity, reporting, and bystander intervention techniques, and encourage others to do the same
- Acquaint yourself with university policy as set forth in the university's Principles of Employee Conduct, Student Code of Conduct, and related documents posted at http://www.umass.edu/gateway/policies-and-procedures
This Code should apply to all professional interactions within, as well as outside of, the department.