Contents:
- UW-wide Codes of Conduct
- Department activities promoting a respectful climate
- Support and resources
- Support available from the Climate and Diversity Committee
Return to Values and Code of Conduct Page
UW-wide Codes of Conduct
Members of the UW Physics Department community are governed by the following University-wide Codes of Conduct.
| UW Employees (Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Student Employees) | UW Students (Undergraduate and Graduate Students) | |
| Policy that applies to each group | Executive Order No. 31 | |
| Policy summary | The University of Washington retains the authority to discipline or take appropriate corrective action for any conduct that acts against its goal of providing equality of opportunity and an environment that fosters respect for all members of the University community. In particular, such conduct may include: discrimination, harassment, retaliation against any individual who reports concerns regarding discrimination or harassment, and any conduct that is deemed unacceptable or inappropriate, regardless of whether the conduct rises to the level of unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. | The University of Washington is a public institution responsible for providing instruction in higher education, for advancing knowledge through scholarship and research, and for providing related services to the community. As a center of learning, the University also has the obligation to maintain conditions conducive to the freedom of inquiry and expression to the maximum degree compatible with the orderly conduct of its functions. For these purposes, the University adopts a Student Conduct Code, under which prohibited behavior includes (but is not limited to) discriminatory harassment, bullying, hazing, and sexual harassment. |
| Contact point for initiating investigation and disciplinary process | University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO) |
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| Possible consequences | Any member of the University community who violates any aspect of this policy is subject to corrective or disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, termination of employment or termination from educational programs. | Sanctions are intended to provide educational opportunities and accountability while also reducing the likelihood of future prohibited conduct. Sanctions may include administrative, educational, and restorative components. Some conduct, however, is so egregious in nature or so damaging to the educational environment that it requires more serious sanctions, including suspension or dismissal. |
Department activities promoting a respectful climate
The Climate and Diversity Committee is working to provide opportunities for the Physics Department community to learn about how to actively create a respectful and welcoming environment, how to recognize and avoid harmful behavior, how to intervene when others act inappropriately, and how to support those affected by misconduct.
- Empowering Prevention & Inclusive Communities (EPIC) and SafeCampus training sessions are being made available on a regular basis to all graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff.
- Colloquia, seminars, and presentations about climate, diversity, equity, and inclusion will be included regularly as a standard part of departmental life.
- Department members are encouraged to learn on their own or in groups about these topics. Here are some starting resources:
- What microaggressions are and how to prevent them
- Addressing microaggressions in the classroom
- Listening
- Inclusive teaching
- Bystander intervention (intervening when you see problematic behavior happening): summary: and more detail
- Helpful phrases for calling in and calling out (having a constructive conversation about problematic behavior)
- The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report on Sexual Harassment and Below the Waterline
Support and resources
The Physics Department’s Climate and Diversity Committee can help community members who have experienced or become aware of unacceptable behavior, whether or not it falls under the UW-wide Codes of Conduct. There is an explanation here of what to expect if you contact the Climate and Diversity Committee. We can be contacted at phys-diversity@uw.edu, or by individually contacting any member of the Climate and Diversity Committee.
The Climate and Diversity Committee also maintains a list of resources for people who need help with climate-related issues. You are welcome to access these resources directly, and the Climate and Diversity Committee is also happy to discuss them with you to help you figure out who to contact.
Support available from the Climate and Diversity Committee
The Physics Department’s Climate and Diversity Committee can help community members who have experienced or become aware of unacceptable behavior, whether or not it falls under the UW-wide Codes of Conduct. We can be contacted at phys-diversity@uw.edu, or by individually contacting any member of the Climate and Diversity Committee. For a more extensive list of resources, please see the Resources page.
If you come to the Climate and Diversity Committee with a concern, here is what you can expect:
- Your right to be treated with respect and your status as a valued member of our Physics Department community will be affirmed.
- Your confidentiality will be preserved to the extent permitted by university rules.
- The Physics Climate and Diversity Committee members can preserve your confidentiality in many cases. No one on the committee is a mandatory reporter of general Title IX offenses. However, some committee members are mandatory reporters of alleged offenses involving child abuse or neglect, hazing, certain crimes, or violence.
- If you contact a committee member individually, they will not share information with other members of the committee without your explicit permission. Committee members will also not share information outside the committee without your explicit permission.
- If a member of the Climate and Diversity Committee is personally involved in your complaint, they will be excluded from any related discussions and actions.
- The committee will work with you to help you determine next steps.
- You will be offered assistance in connecting with resources at UW. These can include safety planning, legal assistance, conflict resolution support, mentoring, and connections with affinity groups.
- If you are working on putting a safety plan in place, you will be offered help in implementing it (e.g., connections to the right people to arrange modifications to work, teaching, or research schedule/duties/location in order to reduce contact with a person displaying inappropriate behavior.)
- You will be offered help in understanding the process of filing official complaints with UCIRO , the Title IX office, or the CSSC Committee about violations of the University-wide Codes of Conduct.
- If you choose, the committee can bring your concern to the department leadership.
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