In general, graduate assistants are expected to be professional, respectful of others, as well as helpful and welcoming to all constituencies. Graduate assistants should be aware that they are ambassadors both for their department and for the university. Graduate assistants have significant contact with students and other university stakeholders and the tone and appearance they convey during that contact is important. A combination of professional courtesy and common sense is appropriate and expected.
Graduate assistants are responsible for knowing applicable departmental, college, and institutional policies and for following them consistently. Graduate assistants are obligated to maintain standards of academic and employee honesty and integrity and to follow university academic integrity, processes, and uphold conduct codes and policies.
The mission of Ӱ can only be achieved in a campus environment in which people feel safe, sustained, engaged, challenged, and appreciated. This environment is created by the active contributions of every member of the Marquette community and in turn creates a campus ethos that calls us to act with integrity and compassion; to promote a culture of learning, appreciation, and understanding; to take responsibility to confront difficult issues and solve problems; and to behave in ways that reflect care, respect, and honesty.
The standards of conduct are intended to incorporate other specific university policies by reference. These policies include the Information Technology Services’ policy on acceptable use of university computer, network, telephone and other electronic resources. The educational mission reflects a commitment to the development of the whole person. As a university, love of the truth is at the center of our enterprise: This ideal is lived out through the virtues of truthfulness, honesty and personal honor. While at Ӱ, students are expected to demonstrate the personal characteristics of honesty and integrity in all aspects of their campus life, both inside and outside the classroom.
Any behavior that violates the Student Code of Conduct will result in appropriate discipline.
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on a person’s sex or gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity) or perceived sex or gender. The victim and the harasser can be of the same gender. Sexual harassment can include: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, any verbal or physical harassment of any nature. Other sex-based harassment may include: offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, or offensive objects or pictures.
Gender-based physical or verbal conduct violates Ӱ policy when the conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it has the effect of unreasonably interfering with, denying, or limiting someone’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, the university’s education programs, employment and/or activities. Graduate assistants are subject to Title IX regulations.
Conflicts of Interest
Graduate assistants are expected to be attentive to potential conflicts of interest in which their personal interests or affiliations might compete with their professional responsibilities. For instance, a conflict might arise for a research assistant if their significant other or an immediate family member is working for an organization with interests in the same area as the research project on which they are working. A conflict might arise for a teaching assistant if a family member is in a class for which the assistant has grading responsibilities. Conflicts of interest sometimes happen in the normal course of one’s professional experiences. When they do, it is appropriate to develop processes that mitigate the conflict. If a graduate assistant identifies a potential conflict of interest, they are to report it to their supervisor to develop a mitigation plan.
Ӱ, as a Catholic, Jesuit institution, insists that all human beings possess an inherent dignity and equality because they are made in the image and likeness of God. The university entirely and consistently disowns, as a matter of principle, any unlawful or wrongful discrimination against the rights of others. Ӱ seeks to provide an environment whereby students, faculty, staff, guests and visitors can study, work, and experience the university community without harassment or discrimination.
Ӱ prohibits harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran’s status or national origin, or any other characteristics protected by law, in its programs and activities. In addition to being contrary to the university’s Mission and Guiding Values, harassment and discrimination are prohibited by this policy, the university’s Sexual Harassment, and Sex Discrimination Policy, and state and federal laws. The university is dedicated to providing a prompt and thorough response to conduct that adversely impacts, or has the potential to adversely impact, the educational or work environment of Ӱ faculty, students, staff, guests and visitors.
This Harassment and Discrimination Policy (“Policy”) has been developed to provide recourse for individuals who believe their rights as protected by this Policy have been violated, and serves as a means to determine, after the fact, if specific behaviors constitute violations of this Policy.
Prohibited Conduct under this Policy
Harassment, as defined by this Policy, includes any action, language or visual representation, based on any characteristic protected by law including race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran’s status or national origin, that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, persistent or patently offensive that it has the effect of unreasonably interfering with that individual’s work or academic performance, or that creates a hostile working, educational or living environment. Sexual harassment and harassment based on gender are prohibited at the university and are covered under the Ӱ Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination Policy, as are other forms of Sexual Misconduct defined therein (including sexual assault, dating or relationship violence or stalking).
Non-discriminatory harassment, as defined by this Policy, includes any action, language or visual representation, that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, persistent or patently offensive that it has the effect of unreasonably interfering with that person’s work or academic performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, educational, or living environment.
It is a violation of this Policy for a member of the Marquette community (faculty, staff, student, guest or visitor, or anyone else acting at the instigation of a Marquette community member) to:
- Engage in any form of harassment whether intentional or unintentional on the campus or in the off-campus area.
- Retaliate against a person who has initiated an inquiry or complaint having to do with harassment.