The Guiding Values come to life through the actions of UWM faculty, staff and students. And, through these actions we address our priority of making UWM campuses welcoming, safe and healthy for our students, employees and visitors. Below are reminders and resources about how all of us can do our part through actions, behavior, communication and more.
Code of Conduct
UWM’s Code of Conduct puts our Guiding Values into action by outlining expectations of our behavior at UWM, including:
• Integrity
• Trustworthiness
• Equity
• Respect
• Stewardship
• Compliance
• Confidentiality
• Personal Responsibility
Ethics
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 actions 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 status 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 Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy. Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination, underlies the two policies linked above. To contact UWM Title IX Coordinator Kimberly Anderson, please click here.
Executive Order 54
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 UW System 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.
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 talent pipeline. Using IT resources properly is everyone’s responsibility – whether it’s 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.
Public Records
As a state agency, UWM is subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law and laws 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 business
- All text messages to and from a personal mobile phone that relate to University business
UW System Hotline
Occurrences of fraud, waste and abuse are rare, but even one instance can harm UWM. UW System 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 focus on inclusivity includes supporting free speech and upholding the First Amendment. As a public university, we are a forum for the free exchange of ideas, even if some of those ideas are offensive or challenging. 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 violate that policy may be subject to employee discipline.
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 publishedGuidance on Political Campaign Activities.
Whether you are located in Milwaukee, Washington County or Waukesha, your actions affect the UWM environment. Thank you for your contributions and your role in UWM being a safe, ethical and healthy place to learn and work.
Best regards,
Mark A. Mone
Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee