Standards of Conduct

Applies to:	Original Policy Date:	Date of Last Review:	Approved by:
All Florida Tech Employees	October 2021	February 2022 October 2025	Dr. John Nicklow, President

Policy Owner: Human Resources

Policy Purpose

This policy has been implemented to communicate Florida Tech’s expectations of proper conduct and what professional conduct at the University values. It is an expectation that this Standards of Conduct Policy serves as the basis on which faculty and staff should make decisions related to the best interests of themselves, their co-workers, and the University. These standards are designed to promote ethical behavior, maintain professionalism, and ensure compliance with legal and organizational policies.

Policy Scope

All Florida Tech employees are expected to adhere to the standards identified within this policy. When necessary, employees should proactively seek clarification from the appropriate authority to understand common interpretations.

Policy Statement

Florida Tech assumes the responsibility of providing a safe and collaborative workplace where all employees are treated with fairness and respect. Overall, the University aims to provide a workplace that operates following a very high standard of morality, collaboration, and integrity. All employees are expected to maintain a professional environment for our students, customers, partners, and each other. Employees are expected to demonstrate trustworthiness by acting in a reliable and dependable manner, fostering a culture of honesty and accountability, and acting with integrity. This includes using good judgment and behaving appropriately in all situations.

Procedures/Guidelines

The following examples represent behaviors that violate Florida Tech’s Standards of Conduct and may result in corrective action, up to immediate dismissal. This list is not exhaustive; other actions inconsistent with the University’s values of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct may also be subject to disciplinary review. These standards of conduct apply to all university-affiliated activities- regardless of location – including on-campus, off-campus, virtual environments, and university-sponsored events.

• Theft of physical or intellectual property.
• Destruction of university property or that of faculty, staff, or students.
• Behavior that could result in injury to oneself or to others.
• Drug and alcohol use and/or possession on university property, with or without intent to sell or distribute. Consuming alcohol at a university-sponsored event may be permitted; however, even at such events, employees must behave professionally and avoid driving if impaired.
• Working under the influence of drugs, where side effects pose a risk to oneself and/or others. Prescription medications included.
• Fighting or verbally threatening violence
• Harassment and/or bullying of any kind
• Use of obscene or offensive language and gestures.
• Insubordination
• Engaging in conduct outside of university-affiliated activities that, if publicized, could reasonably be expected to harm the reputation of Florida Tech or undermine public trust in the university. This includes but is not limited to criminal charges, arrests, or other behavior that conflicts with the university’s values of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
• Public disclosure of private/confidential information, such as protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), student education records, and specific personal circumstances.
• Possession of dangerous objects or weapons, such as explosives, firearms, and specialized weapons, on University property and/or at any university-affiliated activity/event.
• Disclosure of business trade secrets or confidential organizational information that would not otherwise be public knowledge.
• Falsifications of documents or records.
• Discrimination of any kind.
• Fraud or misrepresentation of the University.
• Accepting monetary or other gifts in exchange for preferential treatment or privileges that may not otherwise be offered.
• Viewing or sharing sexually explicit material in the workplace, on the university’s owned equipment, or in any university-affiliated setting is prohibited unless deemed academically appropriate, as outlined in the University’s Academic Freedom Policy and Faculty Guidelines for Instructional Content.
• Refusal to perform duties, as assigned, unless doing so is illegal or poses a health/safety concern.
• Use of Florida Tech’s time and/or resources for personal political activity.
• Failure to disclose a familial relationship with another member of the staff or faculty, specifically in the same department or when a supervisor/subordinate relationship exists.
• International breach of confidentiality, including unauthorized sharing or misuse of sensitive information.
• Failure to disclose or intentional concealment of conflicts of interest

Compliance Reference

This policy aligns with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Prohibits employment discrimination.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Prohibits discrimination based on disability.
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) – Protects student education records.
• Florida law (Chapter 435.06)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) – Protects personal health information.
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations – Establishes standards for effective compliance programs.
• Florida Whistleblower Act – Protects employees who report misconduct.

These laws support the university’s commitment to ethical behavior, privacy, non-discrimination, and accountability

Responsibilities

All employees are responsible for maintaining professional conduct and reporting violations of this policy. Supervisors are expected to model appropriate behavior and address misconduct promptly. The Office of Human Resources will oversee investigations and ensure consistent enforcement.

This policy is subject to amendment.

Enforcement

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The severity of the action will depend on the nature of the violation and will be determined by Human Resources in consultation with relevant departments.