- Professional Expectations
- Conflict of Interests
- Confidential Material
- Business Gifts
- Telephone Use
- Violence in the Workplace
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and Job Safety
- Cell Phone Use
- Attendance and Punctuality
- Children at Work
- Dress Guidelines
- Non-Retaliation Policy
- Children at Work
- Use of Property
- Consensual Relationships
You shall be considered to have a conflict of interest if you have an existing or potential financial or other interest that impairs or might reasonably appear to impair your independent judgment in the discharge of your responsibilities to the College. Youshall disclose to your supervisor, department head, or appropriate college officer any possible conflict of interest at the earliest practicable time. If you engage in activities that constitute or appear to constitute a violation of this policy you will be subject to a review and evaluation of these activities by the College’s administration. Upon completion of this review, a determination will be made, and, if necessary, a course of remedial action will be outlined in order to secure good faith compliance with this policy. It shall be the policy of the College that any such activity that results in a conflict of interest with employment responsibilities will be prohibited. The judgment or opinion of the College’s administration will prevail should a difference of opinion exist.
If there is any question as to the propriety of a gift it should be rejected or returned with the explanation that accepting it is contrary to College policy.
- Threats of any kind;
- Intimidating, menacing, hostile, physically aggressive, or violent behavior, including stalking and surveillance;
- Behavior that suggests a tendency towards violence, including belligerent speech, excessive arguing or swearing, or a demonstrated pattern of refusal to follow university policies and procedures;
- Defacing or damaging university property;
- Bringing weapons or firearms of any kind, regardless of permit, on College property or while conducting College business (except law enforcement personnel);and
- Any conduct that adversely affects the College's legitimate interests and that could potentially result in violation of any laws relating to threats or violation acts.
All members of the senior staff are expected to dress in formal business attire. • Recommended for men: A suit, tailored sport coat with dress trousers to be worn with a dress shirt and tie. • Recommended for women: Tailored dress or pant suit worn with a blouse, businesslike dresses, and coordinated dressy separates. When wearing separates, tailored jackets are required.
All administrative and staff office personnel are expected to dress in business attire. • Recommended for men: Tailored separates, collared dress shirt, sweaters, and trousers. A blazer or business jacket or tie can optionally be added. • Recommended for women: Tailored separates, such as reasonable length skirts, slacks, dress shirts, blouses, sweaters, sweater sets, cardigans, a dress with appropriate skirt length and jackets.
• Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and others in similar jobs in the Athletics Department are permitted to wear Wagner College athletic clothing, approved by the department. • Office staff should follow the same dress guidelines as the rest of the College.
• Staff who are issued uniforms are required to wear such clothing unless granted a specific exception, by the department’s management. • Special requirements may be necessary for safety, health, sanitation and professional best practice reasons, including the use of protective gloves, goggles, and/or footwear, hard hats, and other specialized clothing or equipment.
• Considered inappropriate are jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, shorts, overalls, leggings, spandex or other form-fitting pants, mini skirts, skorts, pedal pushers, clam diggers, Capri pants, spaghetti strap dresses, halter dresses, informal tank tops, midriff tops, halter tops, sweatshirts, muscle shirts, t-shirts, shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans, underwear as outerwear, sport sandals, beach sandals, slippers, flip-flops, athletic shoes, stiletto heels. • When meeting with clients or other business associates, whether in your office or theirs, you should dress appropriately. If they wear suits, then you should wear one. When in doubt of their dress policy, formal business attire is appropriate. • As a rule of thumb, if you are unsure whether a specific clothing or appearance is appropriate, then it is probably not. Be on the safe side and don’t wear it. If you would wear it to a club, you probably shouldn’t wear it to the work environment. • Clothing should not be torn, dirty, frayed, wrinkled. • Dress your size, avoid tight fitting clothes and tops that reveal too much cleavage. • Make up, jewelry and accessories should not distract you from but rather complete your overall professional look. • You should avoid wearing heavily-scented products, since many individuals have allergies or sensitivities to fragrances. You are expected to limit their use upon request. • At its discretion, the College may allow employees to dress in a more casual fashion for special College events, or as appropriate for special departmental need with permission of their direct supervisor.
When classes are not in session or students are not on campus, the College has approved Friday business casual instead of business attire. Casual dress still requires that the staff maintain an appearance that is appropriate. Shirts, polo shirts and sweaters with the College logo are permitted. Please avoid extremes—shorts, halter tops, inappropriate t-shirts, muscle shirts and dress of a similar nature are not permitted. During inclement weather and at the College’s discretion employees may be permitted to relax standards in a way that is appropriate to the extreme weather condition. However a professional appearance is still expected. Wagner College will accommodate employees who, for religious reasons, must maintain a particular physical appearance or manner of dress in keeping with the tenets of their religion, as long as it does not pose a safety concern.
• If a Board Member, employee, volunteer, student, vendor, alumni or applicant believes that he or she has been retaliated against in the form of an adverse employment or other action for disclosing information regarding misconduct under this policy, her or she may file a written complaint requesting an appropriate remedy. • For purposes of this policy, an adverse employment action shall be defined as actions including: discharge, demotion, suspension, being threatened or harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against with respect to compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment. Other adverse actions include: dismissing, suspending or disciplining a student or changing or lowering a grade or evaluation of a student or in any other manner negatively affecting the student’s academic career; terminating or threatening to terminate a customer or vendor relationship; and discriminating against or mistreating an alumni or volunteer. This policy does not prohibit an employment action or any other action that would have been taken regardless of disclosure of information.
• A Board Member, employee, volunteer, student, vendor, alumni or applicant must file a complaint with the President or his/her alternate Chair of the Board within ninety (90) days from the effective date of the adverse employment action or from the date on which the employee, volunteer, student, vendor, alumni or applicant should reasonably have had knowledge of the adverse action. • Complaints shall be filed in writing and shall include: o Name and address of the complainant; o Name and title of individual(s) against whom the complaint is made; o The specific type(s) of adverse actions taken; o The specific date(s) on which the adverse action(s) were taken; o A clear and concise statement of the facts that form the basis of the complaint; o A clear and concise statement of the complainant’s explanation of how his or her previous disclosure of misconduct is related to the adverse employment or other action; and o A clear and concise statement of the remedy sought by the complainant. • Within sixty (60) calendar days of the receipt of the complaint, the President or his/her alternate Chair of the Board shall consider the written complaint, shall conduct or have conducted an investigation which, in his or her judgment, is consistent with the circumstances of the complaint and disclosure, and shall provide the complainant with a determination regarding the complaint. • The determination shall be in writing and shall include the findings of fact, the conclusions of the investigation, and, if applicable, a specific and timely remedy consistent with the findings. The decision of the President or his/her alternate Chair of the Board shall be final.
- Policy on Supervisor-Employee Consensual Relationships
- Policy on Instructor-Student Consensual Relationships
- Employee Fraternization
- For the purposes of this policy:
- a "Supervisor" is any College faculty member, staff member, or appointee who oversees, directs or evaluates the work of others.
- an "Employee" is anyone employed by the College as a faculty member or staff member, including a post-doctoral fellow or student employee, and any holder of a College appointment.
- Wagner College is committed to maintaining a fair and professional work environment in which faculty and staff members carry out their responsibilities in an atmosphere free of conflicts of interest. Where a College Supervisor uses a position of authority to induce an Employee to enter into a non-consensual romantic or sexual relationship, the Supervisor's conduct violates law and College policy and can subject both the Supervisor and the College to legal liability.
- For these reasons, except as provided below, no College Supervisor should participate in the hiring, promotion, supervision, or evaluation, or in the setting of wages or salaries, for any College Employee with whom the Supervisor has or has had a romantic or sexual relationship.
- With specific regard to hiring, situations may arise in which one party to a romantic or sexual relationship seeks a position supervised by the other party. (Because of the College’s small size, this situation is more likely to arise at Wagner than at larger institutions.) In some instances, academic or administrative considerations may make it desirable that one party be allowed to work in a setting supervised by the other, subject to appropriate conflict management procedures.
Accordingly, no Supervisor should hire a person with whom he or she has or has had a romantic or sexual relationship unless:
(a) the hiring has been approved in advance by the responsible Vice President,
(b) the Vice-President has determined that procedures to avoid or reasonably manage conflicts of interest are feasible, and
(c) such procedures have been put into place. Such procedures should ordinarily include arrangements to exclude the Supervisor from decisions concerning promotion, setting of wages or salaries, evaluation, or promotion of the other party to the relationship.
For example, when a Supervisor has responsibility for supervising an Employee with whom he has a romantic relationship, the Vice President may, if feasible, arrange for an administrator senior to the Supervisor to perform these functions.
- In unusual circumstances, responsible superiors, in their discretion, may permit departures from this policy provided that procedures designed to minimize the risk of conflicts of interest are feasible and are put into place. For example, a College Employee may be a candidate for a position that would involve supervision of someone with whom that Employee has or has had a romantic or sexual relationship. In all such cases, the candidate should disclose the relationship to the hiring officer in advance so that the conflict issues can be addressed.
- If, notwithstanding this policy, a relationship prohibited by this policy develops, the Supervisor should immediately disclose it to his or her superior, who should take steps to address any conflict of interest posed by the relationship. Violation or failure to promptly disclose and correct violation of this policy is grounds for disciplinary action.
- This policy should be interpreted in accordance with its objective of avoiding even the appearance of unfairness in the workplace. Even where particular situations are not prohibited by this policy, Supervisors should avoid relationships that would cause observers to question the Supervisor’s ethics or professional judgment. Supervisors are urged, in doubtful cases, to consult with their respective superiors or Vice Presidents. Questions about this policy may also be directed to the Provost and the Office of Human Resources.
- For purposes of this policy:
- an "Instructor" is any member of the instructional staff, including any faculty member (regardless of rank or permanent or visiting status), post-doctoral fellow who supervises or evaluates students. Undergraduate and graduate student teaching assistants also are considered “Instructors” with respect to students over whom they have academic responsibility (see paragraph 5).
- a “Staff member” is any person who is not an Instructor but who has authority over students, including deans of any rank, athletic coaches, advisers and directors of student organizations, and others who advise, mentor or evaluate students.
- The integrity of the educational process depends upon the maintenance of a professional relationship between Instructors and Staff members, on the one hand, and the students whom they supervise or advise, on the other. Where an Instructor or Staff member uses a position of authority to induce a student to enter into a non-consensual romantic or sexual relationship, the Instructor’s or Staff member’s conduct violates law and College policy and can subject both the individual and the College to legal liability. Even where the relationship is consensual, however, the conduct of a romantic or sexual relationship between an Instructor or Staff member and a student he or she supervises or advises may raise issues of conflict of interest or abuse of authority, with potential to adversely impact not only the student involved in the relationship but other students as well. Such situations may diminish confidence in the College and place it in a legally vulnerable position. For these reasons, the College strongly discourages such relationships and has adopted this policy concerning Instructor-student and Staff-student consensual relationships.
- This policy should be interpreted in accordance with its objective of preserving the integrity of the educational process. Even where particular situations are not prohibited by this policy, Instructors and Staff members should avoid relationships that would cause observers to question the Instructor’s or Staff member’s professional judgment. Instructors and Staff members are urged, in doubtful cases, to consult with their respective department chairs, deans (or their designees), or supervisors. Students are urged to consult with the Dean of Campus Life. Questions about this policy may also be directed to the Provost and the Office of Human Resources.
- If, notwithstanding this policy, a relationship prohibited by this policy develops, the Instructor or Staff member should immediately disclose it to his or her chair or supervisor, who should take steps to address any conflict of interest posed by the relationship. Violation or failure to promptly disclose and correct violation of this policy is grounds for disciplinary action.
- The pedagogical relationship between Instructor and student must be protected from influences or activities that can interfere with learning and objective evaluation. Accordingly, no Instructor shall enter into a romantic or sexual relationship with a student over whom that Instructor has academic responsibility or is likely to have academic responsibility in the future (for example, because of that student’s intended major), regardless of whether the relationship would be consensual. Conversely, no Instructor shall exercise academic responsibility over a student with whom the Instructor has or has had a romantic or sexual relationship, regardless of whether the relationship is or was consensual. For purposes of this paragraph 5, “Instructor” includes an undergraduate or graduate student who is serving as a teaching assistant.
- In addition, because of the heightened risk of a real or perceived power imbalance where undergraduate students are involved, no Instructor shall have a romantic or sexual relationship with a Wagner undergraduate, regardless of whether the Instructor has or is likely to have academic responsibility over the student.
- Staff members working in the student life area and other areas are often called upon to work closely with and advise students with respect to student’s personal lives. Objectivity and trust are essential. Staff members in such positions cannot perform their duties effectively if they become romantically or sexually involved with students who they are responsible for advising or mentoring. Accordingly, no Staff member shall have a romantic or sexual relationship, regardless of whether the relationship is consensual, with a student for whom that Staff member has advising, mentoring, evaluation, or student organization management responsibility.
Similarly, no Staff member shall exercise such responsibility with respect to a student with whom that Staff member has had a romantic or sexual relationship in the past, regardless of whether the relationship was consensual.
- Even where a Staff member does not have direct responsibility for a student as described above, romantic or sexual relationships between Staff members and students at the College are discouraged.
- In unusual circumstances, Senior Staff, in their discretion, may permit departures from this policy provided that appropriate conflict management procedures, such as transfer of evaluation responsibility, are feasible and are put into place. For example, where a student’s academic program requires a course that is taught only by the student’s spouse or partner, the Provost may, in his or her discretion, allow the student to take the course so long as the conflict has been disclosed and arrangements have been made for a person other than the spouse/partner Instructor to evaluate and grade the student’s work, provided such arrangements are feasible for the particular course involved.
- A “personal relationship” is defined as a relationship between individuals who have or have had a continuing relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.
- An employee who is involved in a personal relationship with another employee may not occupy a position in the same department as, work directly for or supervise the employee with whom he or she is involved.
- Wagner College reserves the right to take prompt action if an actual or potential conflict of interest arises concerning individuals who engage in a personal relationship that may affect terms and conditions of employment. Supervisors and managers are prohibited from dating subordinates and may be disciplined for such actions, up to and including termination.
- When a conflict or the potential for conflict arises because of a personal relationship between employees, even if there is no line of authority or reporting involved, the employees may be separated by reassignment, or terminated from employment. If such a personal relationship between employees develops, it is the responsibility and obligation of the employees involved to disclose the existence of the relationship to the department director or manager.
- When a conflict or a potential for conflict affecting terms or conditions of employment arises because of the relationship, the individuals concerned will be given the opportunity to decide who is to be transferred to another position, or terminated, if no position is available. If no decision is made within 30 calendar days of the offer to resolve the situation, Wagner College will determine who is to be transferred or, if necessary, terminated from employment.