Astronomy Department Code of Conduct

The Ohio State University Department of Astronomy strives for a work environment that meets the highest standards of professionalism and is one in which everyone (faculty, staff, students, and visitors) feel welcome and respected. We commit to the following Code of Conduct:

Foster a welcoming and respectful environment

• Be courteous in your interactions.
• Do not use vulgar language.
• Respect professional, physical, and personal boundaries.
• Allow others the opportunity to voice their thoughts.
• Work to ensure that all members have equal access to opportunities, including networking that happens in a social context.
• Any criticism should be constructive, professional, and aim for a positive outcome
• Do not judge, discriminate, make unwelcome jokes or disparaging remarks.
• Respect the pronouns that individuals use to identify themselves.
• Support those who report violations of departmental or university policy. 
• Be aware of power differentials between academic stages (undergraduate, graduate, postdoc, staff, faculty) and act to protect and empower academically younger individuals.
• Conduct research and collaboration in an ethical manner.

Commit to openness

• Be receptive to ways to improve the work environment and work relationships.
• Challenge your assumptions about people and the sources of those assumptions.
• Take the initiative to eliminate the particular challenges or barriers that may be faced by members of underrepresented groups.

Take initiative

• Intervene when you witness behavior that is inconsistent with this Code of Conduct.
• Speak up if you witness such behavior, even if it is directed toward people who are not present.
• Seek opportunities for education/training on diversity, inclusivity, reporting, and bystander intervention techniques, and encourage others to do so.
• Acquaint yourself with OSU policy on sexual misconduct.
• Faculty and all department members with supervisory roles must report instances of sexual misconduct within five days of becoming aware of such information.
• All employees, except those exempted by legal privilege, have an obligation to immediately report incidents of sexual assault. Only those employees expressly identified as a confidential reporter are exempt from the duty to report.

Further Resources and Reporting Links

• Violations of this Code may be confidentially discussed with the department chair, vice-chair, and members of the diversity committee, with the caveat that all faculty and supervisors are obligated to report instances of sexual misconduct within five days.
• The Office of Institutional Equity will help with all forms of harassment and discrimination.
• Report any sexual misconduct: Office of University Compliance and Integrity, Title IX coordinator.
• The Ohio State Sexual Misconduct Policy.
• Additional resources for sexual misconduct involving students.

Contacts

• Department Chair: Prof. Todd Thompson
• Diversity Committee:
  • Chairperson: Prof. Laura Lopez
  • Prof. Annika Peter
  • Prof. Donald Terndrup
  • Graduate Student Representative: Caprice Phillips

These principles were adapted from the principles of The Ohio State University Department of Physics and the Department of Physics at Princeton University.