Dear Faculty and Staff,

Walking across campus this past week has been energizing. Scenes of students hurrying to classes, meeting with friends for coffee, and finding their favorite study spots are welcome signs that UWM is alive and brimming with all of the possibilities of a new semester.

These scenes of renewal are valuable reminders of how we must continue to exemplify UWM’s Guiding Values while on the job, and in our everyday lives, to ensure UWM is a best place to learn and work for not only our students, but for all of us. Concepts within these values – innovation, collaboration, positively transforming students, care and compassion, diversity, ethics, transparency and more – come to life through our actions and are paramount to each of our campuses being supportive, fruitful environments that enrich our respective communities.

Below are important reminders and resources about UWM’s policies and procedures, as well as policies governed by UW System (UWS) and the state of Wisconsin, by which we abide. I extend my thanks for your continued commitment to promoting safe, equitable and professional spaces for all to learn and grow as part of our Panther family.

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

Fraud Reporting
Occurrences of fraud, waste and abuse are rare, but even one instance can harm UWM. If you suspect someone is engaging in theft, fraud, or other fiscal misconduct, you can report it using the UWM fraud reporting form. A designee of UWM’s senior vice chancellor for Finance and Administrative Affairs will follow up with you.

UWS also 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 via the EthicsPoint website or by calling (855) 827-4950 at any time. Additional information on reporting concerns can be found here.

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 their 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 via the Office of Legal Affairs.

Discrimination, Sexual Violence and Harassment and Title IX
UWM is committed to campus environments that protect 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. For questions, please contact UWM’s Title IX Coordinator Jamie Cimpl-Wiemer.

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 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 for the Executive Order #54 Toolkit.

IT Usage
Information technology resources and their security continue to be a significant responsibility for UWM. 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 (RPD) 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

For more information, please see the Public Records Reminders for UWM Employees page.

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.

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. Employees should also consult Marketing and Communications’ Guidance on Statements on Current Events and Issues before speaking publicly in their university roles on current events.

Sincere thanks, again, for taking time to review these important guidelines as they keep UWM’s mission to discover, disseminate and extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of our campuses, and more. They are at the core of all we do to support our students, and one another.

My very best for a healthy and inspired semester ahead.

Best regards,

Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor