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.
- All university employees, except those exempted by legal privilege of confidentiality (see Policy Details III.G) or expressly identified as a confidential reporter, must report incidents of sexual assault. Any employee who receives a disclosure of a sexual assault or becomes aware of information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a sexual assault may have occurred involving anyone covered under this policy must report all known information immediately.
- In addition to the requirement of reporting incidents of sexual assault, the following university community members must also report all other incidents of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and prohibited relationships when they receive a disclosure or become aware of information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, or prohibited relationships may have occurred involving anyone covered under this policy. These individuals must report all known information as soon as practicable but at most within five workdays of becoming aware of such information:
- Any human resource professional;
- Anyone who supervises faculty, staff, students, or volunteers;
- Chair/director; and
- Faculty member.
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.
Department Contacts
- Department Chair: Prof. Todd Thompson
- Department Vice Chair for Administration: Prof. Jennifer Johnson
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
These principles were adapted from the principles of The Ohio State University Department of Physics and the Department of Physics at Princeton University.
Resources
Office of Institutional Equity
To report sexual misconduct, violence, discrimination, or harassment. Any complaint is worth reporting, whether you think it is major or minor. This can be on- or off-campus as well. Their first role is to get you resources and support you.
614-247-5838 | equity.osu.edu | equity@osu.edu
In addition, anonymous reports of concerns can be submitted via Ethics Point: https://compliance.osu.edu/concern-reporting.html
It is not your responsibility to figure out what is worth reporting, the Office of Institutional Equity will do that. If it is bothering you, you should report it. If it affects another student, staff, or faculty member, and you think it is not okay you should report it.
Student Life Counseling and Consultation Service (students)
CCS provides individual and group mental health services, psychoeducational prevention, and outreach programming to currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
614-292-5766 | ccs.osu.edu
Student Life Student Advocacy Center
Advocacy is committed to helping students navigate Ohio State's structure and to resolving issues that they encounter at the university. Their purpose is to empower students to overcome obstacles to their growth both inside and outside the classroom.
614-292-1111 | advocacy.osu.edu | advocacy@osu.edu