Dear Faculty and Staff,

There is no doubt that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years we have faced. While there is still uncertainty ahead, confirmations of how our UWM community works together to ensure we are a caring and welcoming institution are all around. Over the past few months, I’ve watched many of our Guiding Values in action and am increasingly proud that each of our campuses are working to be safe and healthy spaces for our students, employees and visitors.

It is critical that we continue to be proactive and intentional with our actions on campus and in surrounding communities. With the continuation of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming election season, and more, I’d like to share reminders and resources about how all of us can work to be caring, collegial and ethical members of the Panther family.

You will continue to see this theme in future communication from various offices throughout the 2020-21 academic year, which will expand on the topics below.

Code of Conduct 
UWM’s Code of Conduct enacts our Guiding Values by outlining expectations of our behavior at UWM, including:

• Integrity
• Trustworthiness
• Equity
• Respect
• Stewardship
• Compliance
• Confidentiality
• Personal responsibility

Political Activity
As a state agency, it is important for UWM to ensure that employees do not use university resources, including work time and facilities, for political campaign activity. For more information about political activities on campus, please see UW System’s published Guidance on Political Campaign Activities.

Ethics and Fiscal Misconduct
Like other state employees, UWM faculty and staff are subject to ethical rules governing the use of university resources, conflicts of interest and acceptance of gifts. Generally, an employee may not use his or her university position to gain private financial or other benefits for the employee, the employee’s immediate family or an outside organization. Please click here for more details on these rules.

In addition, UWM takes very seriously any employee action or failure to act that results in improper personal gain, such as theft, misappropriation and credit card/travel expense fraud. For the policy on fiscal misconduct, click here.

Discrimination, Sexual Violence and Harassment and Title IX
UWM is committed to a campus environment that protects people’s rights to learn, work, live and participate in activities free from discrimination and harassment based on protected statuses such as sex, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation and others. UWM’s Discriminatory Conduct and Consensual Relationships Policy provides guidance to report potentially violative behavior. For information and resources to identify, report and respond to sexual violence, please see our Interim Sexual Violence and  Sexual Harassment Policyand Interim Policy on Investigation and Resolution of Formal Title IX Complaints. Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination, underlies these policies. To contact UWM Title IX Coordinator Kimberly Anderson, please click here.

IT Usage
Information technology resources and their security are a significant responsibility for UWM. Technology is critical to providing an outstanding learning environment, conducting exceptional research and being a leader in community engagement and the talent pipeline. Using IT resources properly is everyone’s responsibility, whether it is protecting confidential information, being mindful of phishing and spamming attempts or using resources responsibly. Regent Policy Document 25-3, Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources is the governing policy on student, faculty, staff and visitor use of UWM IT resources.

UW System Fraud Hotline
Occurrences of fraud, waste and abuse are rare, but even one instance can harm UWM. UWS provides an easy and anonymous hotline for students, staff, and faculty to report behavior they believe to be wasteful or in violation of our policies. Reporting is possible on a 24/7 basis, either via the website or (855) 827-4950.

Freedom of Expression
Part of UWM’s stance on diversity, equity and inclusivity includes supporting freedom of expression and upholding the First Amendment. In October 2017, the UWS Board of Regents adopted Regent Policy Document (RPD) 4-21, Commitment to Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression, affirming the Board’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression. Employees who interfere with others’ expressive rights on campus and at university events may be subject to discipline under the Code of Conduct and penalties under UWS Chapter 18.

Executive Order 54 for Child Safety and Minors on Campus
UWM strives to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone involved in university activities. In 2011, the Governor signed Executive Order #54, which requires all UWS employees to report incidents of child abuse and neglect. You may encounter children at UWM through various programs, camps and events. To read about our responsibilities in this area, please click here. UWM also provides safeguards for university-sponsored programs and programs occurring at UWM involving minors.

Public Records and Records Retention
As a state agency, UWM is subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law and guidelines providing for the retention of state records. As a UWM employee, it is important to note that the following are all subject to review and potential release under the law

• All email messages to and from your uwm.edu account
• All email messages to and from a personal email account that relate to University busines
• All text messages to and from a personal mobile phone that relate to University business

For more information, please see here.

As always, thank you for your dedication to helping one another and the UW-Milwaukee community. I hope you have a healthy and productive year ahead.

Best regards,

Mark A. Mone
Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee