Ethical and Professional Standards Policy

 

Policy:                   ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Effective date:        July 1, 2017

Review date:          July 1, 2020

Revised:                  

Responsible Party: Office of the Provost

 

1. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE 

Montana State University is committed to maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards in teaching, research, service, and engagement. This policy establishes the principles of integrity, fairness, respect, and accountability that guide faculty conduct. These standards apply to all faculty members covered by the Faculty Handbook in their work with students, colleagues, staff, and the broader community.

This policy is distinct from the Faculty Responsibilities Policy. Whereas the Faculty Responsibilities Policy defines the duties of faculty members, this Ethical and Professional Standards Policy defines the principles and standards that govern how those duties must be carried out.

2. Ethical and Professional Standards

The following ethical and professional standards define the principles of conduct expected of faculty and serve as the framework for how teaching, scholarship, service and engagement responsibilities shall be carried out.

a.      Integrity and Honesty

·         Faculty shall act with integrity and honesty in all teaching, scholarship, service, and administrative activities, as well as when engaging with external organizations or individuals.

·         Faculty shall ensure academic records, data, credentials, and communications are accurate and not falsified or misrepresented.

·         Faculty shall avoid plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty.

·         Faculty shall use emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, responsibly and transparently, ensuring such tools support academic integrity and do not misrepresent original work.

b.     Respect and Fair Treatment

·         Faculty shall treat students, colleagues, staff, and campus community members with dignity, civility, and fairness; communicate respectfully and appropriately; and model integrity in all professional interactions.

·         Faculty shall foster an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation, or abuse of authority.

·         Faculty shall recognize and responsibly manage the power imbalances inherent in faculty-student and faculty-staff relationships.

c.      Academic freedom and Professional Responsibility

·         Faculty enjoy academic freedom in teaching, research, and service, consistent with the University’s mission and Academic Freedom policy.

·         Faculty shall exercise academic freedom responsibly and with integrity, and not in a way that undermines student learning or the University’s educational mission.

d.     Professional Competence

·         Faculty shall maintain professional competence through continued scholarly, pedagogical, and creative development.

·         Faculty shall fulfill their responsibilities conscientiously, reliably, and within the scope of their expertise.

·         Faculty shall adhere to the ethical standards of their disciplines and applicable professional societies, particularly where such standards safeguard public trust, professional integrity, and student well-being.

e.      Confidentiality and Privacy

·         Faculty shall respect the confidentiality of student records, personnel matters, search committee deliberations, peer review, and other sensitive information. In doing so, faculty shall comply with applicable privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and University policies.

·         Faculty shall handle confidential or privileged information obtained through professional duties with integrity. Such information shall not be used for personal advantage or disclosed inappropriately.

f.        Conflicts of Interest and Stewardship

·         Faculty shall disclose and appropriately manage potential conflicts of interest in compliance with University policy.

·         Faculty shall conduct external activities, consulting, and professional engagements with transparency and in accordance with University policy.

·         Faculty shall exercise responsible stewardship of University resources, grants, contracts, and public funds.

g.      Research and Scholarly Standards

·         Faculty shall uphold ethical standards in research and creative activity, including compliance with federal, state and University requirements.

·         Faculty conducting research involving human participants, animals, biosafety, or hazardous materials shall adhere to established protocols and oversight processes.

·         Faculty shall safeguard the integrity of scholarship and respect intellectual property rights.

h.      Professionalism 

·         Faculty shall demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of their work, including their teaching, research, service, and administrative duties.

·         Faculty shall model professionalism and respect in digital communications and use of electronic platforms, recognizing their impact on students, colleagues and the broader community.

·         Faculty shall maintain appropriate professional boundaries in their relationships with students that support learning, personal growth, and academic achievement. Faculty shall avoid relationships or conduct that exploits students, creates conflicts of interest, compromises objectivity, or undermines the faculty member’s ability to fairly evaluate academic performance.

·         Faculty shall participate responsibly in peer review, mentoring, shared governance, assessments, and evaluation processes, respecting the integrity of those processes.

·         Faculty shall report observed misconduct or violations of University policy in a timely and appropriate manner.

·         Faculty shall respect the rights of others to fulfill their professional and ethical obligations. Faculty shall not retaliate against individuals for participating in peer review, assessments, or evaluation processes, nor for reporting or addressing breaches of ethical and professional standards.

 

3. INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS AND VIOLATIONS OF STANDARDS 

Faculty shall report breaches of ethical and professional standards. Complaints of alleged breaches of these standards shall be addressed in accordance with applicable University and Board of Regents policies, including but not limited to the Reporting Violations Policy and the Research Misconduct Policy. The University may adapt procedures as necessary to consider the circumstances of a specific complaint, provided that the process remains consistent with applicable policies and principles of due process.

Faculty have the right to dispute allegations of violations of ethical or professional standards through established procedures, and the University shall ensure that such disputes are considered fairly and in good faith, consistent with applicable University policies, without retribution.