Ethics

Donnelly College Code of Conduct

The success of the college is dependent on the trust and confidence earned from employees, students, alumni, and donors. We gain credibility by adhering to our commitments, displaying honesty and integrity, and reaching college goals through honorable conduct. It is easy to say what we must do, but the proof is in our words and actions. Ultimately, we will be judged on what we do and the impressions we make on each other.
As part of its mission, Donnelly College promotes an environment conducive to academic, social, spiritual, personal, and physical growth for persons from a variety of economic, social, religious, racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds. An individual who enters this college community as an employee voluntarily assumes obligations to accept the code of conduct of the institution and to promote its purposes and functions. The College may take disciplinary actions whenever employee conduct interferes with its responsibility of providing an opportunity to accomplish workplace goals of other employees or educational achievement of students.

The college adheres to the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy that incorporates the value of a diverse workplace and the expectation of a healthy, safe, and secure workplace free from reprisal. The principle of equal education and employment opportunity without regard to age, race, sex, disability, or national origin. All members of the community are expected to exhibit integrity and personal honesty in the office, the classroom, and in all campus affairs. Further, the College is committed to the maintenance of an atmosphere of civility and respect for all faculty and staff. Through enforcing this policy, the college seeks to prevent, correct and, where it exists, eliminate unacceptable behavior inconsistent with this policy and protect the rights and greater good of the college community.  
 
All Donnelly College employees are also expected to support an inclusive workplace by adhering to the following conduct standards:
1. Treat others with civility and respect.
2. Foster teamwork and employee participation, encouraging the representation of different employee perspectives.
3. Seek insights from other employees with different experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds.
4. Give priority to each other’s safety and well-being in all our behavior and decision making.
5. Avoid communication in person, via the phone or electronically that includes derogatory written words, pictures, graffiti, or objects. Also avoid the use of slang or idioms that might not translate across cultures.
6. Address and report inappropriate behavior, physical conduct and comments that are unwelcome, disrespectful, bullying, offensive, intimidating, discriminatory, harassing, or abusive.
7. Treat another employee’s personal information with discretion.
8. Avoid using a position to further external interests; financial, political, or otherwise. 
9. Be open-minded and listen when given constructive feedback regarding others' perceptions of your conduct.

Note: Diverse cultures may define civility and respect differently. Part of each employee’s job is to strive to communicate, learn, and understand how to support each other’s sense of value.

Workplace practices:
* Managers responsible for evaluating staff performance will do so in a reasonable, respectful, and equitable fashion. 
* All personal behavior of community members, while at work, must conform to federal and state regulations and to the standards of respect aligned with the College's heritage and mission.

 

 

Lodging a Complaint

The action of Lodging a complaint will not be used against the complainant and will not impact the individual’s employment status. Management cannot guarantee confidentiality or anonymity when investigating workplace harassment complaints. Special workplace accommodations can be requested.

Management will take appropriate action by engaging with any employee who has violated this policy. Appropriate action includes investigation, verbal and written counseling, training, reprimands, suspension, demotion or removal from one’s position and termination from employment. 

Employee Prohibited Work Related Misconduct

All employees share responsibility for keeping Donnelly College operating in a professional, safe, productive, efficient, and orderly manner. Accordingly, employee misconduct will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action, including immediate discharge, with or without a warning. 
 
While it is not possible to list all the forms of conduct and behavior that are considered unacceptable in the workplace or work-related settings, the following are examples of gross misconduct or infractions which jeopardize good working relationships, interfere with professional, safe, productive, efficient, and orderly operations, and will not be tolerated: 
• Harassment including sexual harassment or any other unlawful harassment of any persons in or around the workplace or work event including students, parents, visitors, and contract workers. 
• Discourteous treatment of other Donnelly College employees, students, and suppliers. 
• Refusal or failure to perform assigned duties. 
• Insubordination or lying to a member of the administration, or other disrespectful or dishonest conduct. 
• Incompetence or failure to achieve and maintain reasonable levels of productivity and accuracy in performing duties. 
• Engaging in horseplay, or unsafe or negligent conduct that could or does result in personal injury or property damage. 
• Failure to immediately report a workplace or work-related accident. 
• Fighting, intimidation, disrespect, or threatening violence to any persons in or around the workplace or work event including students, parents, visitors, and contract workers.
• Intoxication or other violations of Donnelly College’s Drug and Alcohol policy. 
• Sleeping on the job. 
• Removing Donnelly College property without permission, or waste or neglect of Donnelly College property. 
• Possession on Donnelly College’s premises or at a Donnelly College event (except to the extent that may be specifically permitted by applicable law), of firearms, weapons, explosives, or any other articles of a nature which may be hazardous to the health and safety of other employees or customers. 
• Unexcused absences or tardiness. 
• Theft or any other illegal activity. 
• Any other violations of any of the policies set forth in this Manual or established from time to time by the administration. 
 
Please remember that the foregoing list merely contains examples of misconduct or infractions which are deemed unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge. There may be other situations in which the administration believes disciplinary action is appropriate considering an employee’s conduct or behavior. 

Conflicts of Interest

In connection with federal regulation 24 CFR 84 (Institutions of Higher Education, non-profit organizations), Donnelly College has developed the following addendum to the Code of Conduct that prohibits real and apparent conflicts of interest. These may arise among officers, employees, or agents. This policy prohibits the solicitation and acceptance of gifts or gratuities for personal benefit more than minimal value. 
 
A conflict of interest exists when an employee takes work-related action because it benefits him/her personally. Biased decision-making may constitute corrupt conduct. 
 
As an example, no employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by Federal funds if a real or apparent conflict of interest is involved. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for an award. 
The officers, employees, and agents of Donnelly College shall neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors, or parties to sub- agreements. However, the College may set standards for situations in which the financial interest is not substantial, or the gift is an unsolicited item of nominal value. The standards of conduct shall provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violations of such standards by officers, employees, or agents of the College. 
 
An individual employee may often be the only person aware of the potential for conflict. It is therefore his/her responsibility to avoid any financial or other interest that could compromise the impartial performance of their duties and disclose any potential or actual conflicts of interest to their supervisor or other senior staff member. If employees are uncertain whether a conflict exists, they should discuss the related matter with their supervisor and attempt to resolve any conflicts of interest that may exist. 
 
To resolve any conflicts of interest that occur, or could occur, a range of options is available depending on the conflict's significance. These options include: 
 
a) Documenting the details of the disclosure while taking no further action because the potential for conflict is minimal or can be eliminated by disclosure, or effective supervision. 
b) Relinquishing personal interest. 
c) Being removed from the task/activity/situation where conflict could occur.  
d) Disputes over alleged conflicts of interest may be resolved through an appeal through the President’s Office. 
 
Acceptance of gifts or benefits 
 
a) Employees should not accept a gift or benefit that is intended to, or is likely to, cause them to give preferential consideration in the course of their duties. 
b) Employees should report to their immediate supervisor if they believe they have received or been offered a favor or benefit. 
c) Employees dealing with, or having access to, sensitive investigations, or sensitive commercial information, should be particularly alert to inappropriate attempts to influence them. 
 
The above limitations on gifts do not apply to wedding gifts and gifts exchanged between individuals on birthdays, holidays, and other similar occasions, provided that the gifts exchanged are not disproportionate in value.