The Kelley Graduate Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct

Purpose of the Kelley Graduate Code of Graduate Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct

The offices of the Kelley School of Business (Bloomington) Graduate Programs are committed to educating students and maintaining our tradition of professional behavior. All Kelley graduate students are expected to commit to and uphold this tradition as articulated in the Kelley Graduate Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (hereafter, “Kelley Graduate Code”). The Kelley Graduate Code aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Promote ethical conduct—in all academic, professional, and personal activities—amongst all Kelley School of Business Bloomington (hereafter, “Kelley School”) students;
• Effectively communicate the academic, professional, and personal standards to which the Kelley School holds all graduate students; and
• Describe the procedures and general consequences Kelley School graduate students will face if they commit academic, professional, or personal misconduct.

Kelley School Graduate Student Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a Kelley School graduate student are as follows:

1. To understand and abide by the Kelley Graduate Code;
2. To abide by the Kelley Pledge;
3. To abide by the deliverable affirmation (in writing, as required by the faculty member) for deliverables produced as part of the Graduate Program; and
4. To provide to the appropriate staff or faculty member information relevant to acts of academic, professional, and personal misconduct in which students might participate or witness.

The following sections describe each of the above four types of responsibilities in more detail.

Kelley Graduate Code

It is the responsibility of each and every Kelley School graduate student to understand and abide by the Kelley Graduate Code. This responsibility encompasses behaving professionally and ethically in accord with the Kelley Pledge (below), as well as meeting Kelley School standards for appropriate academic, professional, and personal behavior (please see Appendices A, B, and C). To meet the responsibility of understanding the Kelley Graduate Code, each student must attend mandatory trainings administered at relevant orientation programs conducted by the student’s respective program office or at other times as deemed necessary by the program offices. Additionally, this responsibility includes proactively seeking guidance from the faculty director of the student’s program, the director of Graduate Career Services (GCS), and/or faculty members if a student is uncertain about the appropriateness of their actions.

The Kelley Pledge

All Kelley School graduate students will pledge as follows:

“As a Kelley student, I will act professionally with civility and respect toward others and with honor and integrity in all my work.”

This pledge will be the ethical compass by which all Kelley School graduate students are expected to conduct themselves. In a situation involving circumstances that the Kelley Graduate Code does not directly address, this pledge will become the guiding principle and default standard of conduct. Each Kelley School graduate student will be required to acknowledge this pledge and the Kelley Graduate Code, in writing, as a condition of matriculation to and continued participation in any Kelley Graduate Program.

Application of the Kelley Graduate Code of Conduct

The faculty and administration of the Kelley School have jurisdiction over cases of academic, professional, and personal misconduct of students enrolled in Kelley Graduate Programs, except in cases of sexual misconduct as defined in the University Sexual Misconduct Policy, UA-03. The reporting and resolution of any sexual misconduct claim must follow the procedures set forth in Policy UA-03. All reports of sexual misconduct will be shared with the Deputy Title IX Coordinator(s), as well as the University Title IX Coordinator, in a timely manner.

The Kelley Graduate Code applies to all Kelley graduate program students and courses.^[4] This group is composed of the following individuals:

• Each Kelley School graduate student for any course in which the student is enrolled, whether that course is part of the Kelley Graduate Program, part of another program within the Kelley School, part of another Indiana University school, department, or program, or part of an external program for which the Kelley Graduate Program accepts academic credit.
• Any student enrolled in any Indiana University department, school, or program other than the Kelley Graduate Program who is enrolled in a course that is designated to be part of the Kelley Graduate Program.
• Any student who is an exchange or temporary student from another country, university, college, school, etc., and who is enrolled in a course designated to be part of the Kelley Graduate Program.

Interaction of the Kelley Graduate Code of Conduct with the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct

As stated in the IU Code, “every Indiana University student is responsible for reading and understanding the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, as well as other expectations identified by individual schools or organizations relevant to an academic major, professional field, or on-campus residence.” Accordingly, all Kelley graduate students are responsible for reading and understanding the Kelley Graduate Code, in addition to the IU Code.

Students who believe their rights under the IU Code, including their right to due process, have been violated by a faculty member, administrator, or staff member in the Kelley School have the right to pursue complaints according to the procedures outlined in the IU Code.

Kelley Integrity Councils (KIC)

At the discretion of the faculty chair, each Graduate Program Office may choose to create a Kelley Integrity Council (KIC), formerly referred to as a Conduct Review Committee, organized and managed by the program’s faculty chair or director. The responsibilities of the KIC may include the following:

1. Identifying and communicating standards for appropriate academic, professional, or personal conduct;
2. Identifying and communicating the process by which Kelley School graduate students may exercise their rights and responsibilities related to accusations of misconduct; and
3. When requested by the faculty chair or director, reviewing contested facts, recommending appropriate sanctions, and providing additional guidance related to misconduct.

The KIC may also be responsible for educating Kelley School graduate students about the Kelley Graduate Code during new student orientation programs conducted by the students’ respective Graduate Program Office. Historically, KICs are comprised of a minimum three-person body made up of the program’s faculty chair (or their designee), one Kelley Graduate Program faculty member, and a staff administrator. At the discretion of the faculty chair, students may also be asked to serve on the KIC in an advisory or formal capacity.

The decision to convene and use a KIC, as well as its membership composition, is completely subject to the discretion and judgment of the program’s faculty chair. If a KIC is convened, its findings and recommendations shall serve as additional review and guidance to the faculty chair.

Notifications, Procedures, and Sanctions Related to Reports of Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct

If a faculty or staff member of the Kelley School believes academic misconduct has occurred, the faculty or staff member is obligated to notify the student believed or reported to have committed such misconduct as soon as practical and arrange a meeting with the student. This meeting is for the purpose of allowing the student to address the allegations. If the misconduct occurred with respect to a specific class, the faculty member responsible for teaching the class should have the meeting with the student.

After the meeting with the student, the faculty or staff member determines whether the student is responsible for committing academic misconduct based on a preponderance of the evidence (i.e., more likely than not). If the preponderance of the evidence standard is met, the faculty or staff member must report the matter to their department chair and the program’s faculty chair. It will be within the discretion of the program’s faculty chair, in consultation with the department chair and/or executive associate dean for academic programs, to determine if it is necessary to convene a KIC for additional review and guidance.

If a faculty or staff member concludes that academic misconduct has occurred, the finding of misconduct and the sanction imposed must be reported to the Office of Student Conduct within 5 business days after the final decision that misconduct has been determined to have occurred and the sanction has been imposed. Reports of academic misconduct can be made here. Any sanctions imposed must be capable of being reversed until any formal appeal process is concluded. Reporting faculty may also wish to consult the resources available at the Kelley Faculty Resources Portal.

Appeals of Academic Misconduct Charges

The dean of students, through the Indiana University (Bloomington) Office of Student Conduct, will notify any Kelley School graduate student who is the subject of a report of academic misconduct. A student wishing to appeal the finding of misconduct contained in the report, the sanction imposed, or both, must do the following:

1. File a written appeal here. This appeal must be filed within 7 business days^[5] of the date on which the student receives notice from the dean of students. A student may appeal a faculty member’s decision on the basis of the preponderance of the evidence standard not being met, alleged bias, due process error, or arbitrary/disproportionate outcome. The student may also appeal the sanction. The student’s written appeal must include evidence supporting the reasons for the appeal. Students who are filing an appeal are strongly encouraged to seek advice and assistance from the Indiana University Student Advocate’s Office.
2. Upon receiving the appeal, the executive associate dean for faculty and academic affairs (or designee) will review it and dismiss any appeal that does not allege a lack of preponderance of evidence, bias, due process error, or arbitrary/disproportionate outcome. The executive associate dean (or designee) will notify the dean of students of any appeal received and not dismissed.
3. The appealing student may request a meeting with the executive associate dean within 7 business days of filing an appeal. Upon that request, the executive associate dean (or designee) may meet with the student and faculty member together or separately at the dean’s discretion. If the matter remains unresolved after such meeting(s), or no such meeting is requested, the matter will be forwarded to the Kelley School’s Academic Fairness Committee (AFC) for a hearing.
4. As soon as reasonably practicable, the AFC will convene a hearing of the academic misconduct appeal. The hearing panel will consist of 3 faculty and 2 student members. If the student has appealed the finding that misconduct occurred, the hearing panel will determine whether a preponderance of the evidence supports the finding of misconduct. If the panel concludes that the evidence does not support a finding of misconduct, the matter ends, and the misconduct will be dismissed. If the panel finds that it is more likely than not that the misconduct occurred, and the student has appealed the academic sanction imposed, the panel may uphold or reduce the sanction. If the student has appealed only the sanction, the panel may uphold or reduce that sanction. In determining whether such sanction should be upheld or reduced, the panel should evaluate whether the sanction constitutes an abuse of discretion. Examples of sanctions that may be an abuse of discretion include but are not limited to the following:

• 1. 1. A sanction that is inconsistent with what is stated in the course syllabus
     2. A sanction that is severely disproportionate to the offense
     3. A sanction that does not fully take the relevant surrounding circumstances into account

5. The presiding officer of the AFC (or the officer’s designee) will write up the panel’s decision, setting forth its conclusions and findings of fact and the reasoning supporting the conclusions. The presiding officer will send the decision to the executive associate dean, with copies to the student, the faculty member, the dean of students, and the dean of the unit in which the student is enrolled (if not the Kelley School). The written decision will be sent within 7 business days of the hearing. Except as described below, the decision is final at the Kelley School level.
6. If after the hearing, the student discovers new evidence that the student reasonably believes would affect a misconduct finding or academic sanction, the student may request a new hearing. To do so, the student must send the request to the executive associate dean within 5 business days of receiving the AFC’s written decision. The notice must include information about the new evidence that the student has discovered and how and why the new evidence affects the misconduct finding or the academic sanction finding. The executive associate dean will make the decision whether to grant the request for a new hearing, and such decision will be based on whether it appears likely that the new evidence could result in a different finding and whether the student could have discovered the evidence prior to the initial hearing. This decision is final at the Kelley School level.
7. If either the student or faculty member believes that a substantive procedural error has prevented them from fairly presenting their case, they may appeal to the vice provost for faculty and academic affairs. The student or faculty member must file this appeal within 7 business days from the date they receive the AFC’s written decision. For more detail about what happens during this appeal, see the Academic Misconduct section of the IU Code. Students appealing to the university level are strongly encouraged to read the IU Code carefully, keeping in mind that there are specific deadlines and procedures that must be followed. A student appealing a case to this level should obtain the advice of the Indiana University Student Advocate’s Office as soon as possible.

Notifications, Procedures, and Sanctions Related to Reports of Professional and/or Personal Misconduct

Professional Misconduct and/or Personal Misconduct

If a faculty or staff member of the Kelley School believes professional and/or personal misconduct has occurred, the faculty or staff member must report that misconduct to the student’s program faculty chair and/or the appropriate program administrator and, if warranted, the Office of Student Conduct pursuant to the procedures and requirements of the IU Code. All procedures outlined in the IU Code will be followed and administered by IU’s dean of students, with procedures outlined below followed and administered within the Kelley School.

Appendix B provides expectations of professional conduct. Appendix C describes expectations of students with regard to personal conduct.^[7]

In the case of professional and/or personal misconduct related to Kelley Career Services, the program’s faculty chair will consult with the director of Kelley’s Graduate Career Services. The faculty or staff member, the program’s faculty chair, and/or a representative of Kelley’s GCS is obligated to notify the student believed or reported to have committed such professional and/or personal misconduct as soon as practical and arrange a meeting with the student. This meeting is for the purpose of allowing the student to address the allegations.

After meeting with the student, a determination will be made whether the student is believed to be responsible for committing professional and/or personal misconduct based on a preponderance of the evidence (i.e., more likely than not). It will be within the discretion of the program’s faculty chair to determine if it is necessary to convene a KIC for additional review and guidance. It will be within the discretion of the program’s faculty chair to determine if a formal report to the dean of students, pursuant to the IU Code, is warranted.

If a faculty or staff member, or KIC (if convened), concludes that the preponderance of the evidence standard is met and either professional and/or personal misconduct has occurred and sanctions within Kelley are warranted, the Kelley Graduate Program may discipline a student or impose an appropriate and reasonable sanction. Sanctions may include temporary or permanent dismissal from the program in an instance deemed to be severe and/or instances in which acts of professional and/or personal misconduct have been repeated.

In the event the program’s faculty chair determines that severe or repeated misconduct warrants temporary or permanent dismissal from the program, the student shall be notified in writing. The written notification will include the reason(s) that the faculty chair has determined the student should be dismissed from the program, either temporarily or permanently, and any related documentation or evidence. The faculty chair who determines that a student has committed misconduct shall promptly report this decision, as well as any sanctions to be imposed, to the dean of students.

If the student wishes to appeal the faculty chair’s decision as to the sanction or dismissal, that appeal is made to the Kelley School’s executive associate dean for academic programs (or designee). The appeal must be made in writing and sent within 14 business days of the date on which the student receives notice from the program’s faculty chair. A student may appeal the faculty chair’s decision regarding sanction or dismissal on the basis of alleged bias, due process error, and/or abuse of discretion. The student’s written appeal must include evidence supporting the reasons for the appeal. The executive associate dean for academic programs (or designee) will review the merits of any appeal that alleges a proper basis for review and notify the student in writing of their decision as soon as practicable. The decision of the executive associate dean for academic programs regarding the merits of the appeal is final within the Kelley School.

The procedures outlined herein apply only to sanctions and dismissals related to professional and/or personal misconduct and do not apply to procedures and penalties related to academic misconduct. In addition, these procedures relate only to actions taken by the Kelley School. Students, faculty, and staff may also be subject to notifications, procedures, and sanctions related to reports of professional or personal misconduct at the university level.

Kelley Graduate Faculty and Staff Responsibilities

Critical to the success of the Kelley Graduate Code and achievement of the goal of ethical behavior amongst all Kelley graduate students is the consistent application of this Code. Faculty and staff are vital in this effort. They should foster the Kelley Graduate Code by deriving a personal sense of duty in terms of fair and consistent enforcement. Faculty and staff responsibilities in this regard may include the following:

• Set a high standard for academic, professional, and personal conduct consistent with the values embodied in the Kelley Graduate Code and the IU Code.
• Investigate any suspected or reported instances of academic, professional, or personal misconduct.
• Report any findings of academic, professional, or personal misconduct as required herein.
• Meet with and respond timely to students concerning reported misconduct or grade appeals.
• Treat students, faculty, and staff with respect throughout the processes outlined herein. Essential to the successful application of these processes is avoiding any appearance of favoritism or circumvention of due process, timely adjudication, and equal protection.

The Kelley Program Offices strongly urge faculty to include references to the Kelley Graduate Code and IU Code in their course syllabi and to explicitly state their intention to adhere to these codes at the start of their courses. In addition, the Kelley Program and Dean's Office encourage faculty to specify in sufficient detail the rules concerning deliverables so that students fully understand what materials and conduct are allowed or not allowed for each deliverable (e.g., papers, presentations, exams, quizzes, team projects, use of AI technologies, etc.).

Appendix A: Standards for Academic Conduct

The Kelley School and IU may discipline a student for academic misconduct, which is defined broadly as any activity which tends to undermine the academic integrity of the institution. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Cheating

• A student must not use or attempt to use unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
• A student must not use external assistance on any in-class or take-home examination, unless the faculty member specifically has authorized external assistance. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of tutors, books, notes, and calculators.
• Team based assignments: Students may not work with others outside of their team for the completion of team-based assignments unless the faculty member specifically has authorized cross-team work.
• Individual assignments: A student may not work with other students in completing an individual assignment unless the faculty member specifically has authorized joint work. Nor may a student submit joint work that is represented explicitly or implicitly as the student's individual work.
• It is at the faculty member’s discretion whether students may discuss concepts and methodologies when completing an individual assignment. All submitted work must be original work from the individual.
• A student may not use their computer to connect to the internet or communicate with persons inside or outside of the classroom during exams not designated as open-book and open-computer.
• At the faculty member’s discretion, computers may be used for computations or for composing written essays during closed-book exams. A student may only use a blank worksheet/document and may not use any other resource on their computer during the examination unless the faculty member specifically has authorized use of other resources, and then only the resources authorized may be used. Faculty will make every effort to clarify what is authorized and unauthorized aid for each deliverable in the course. In the event that a faculty member does not make this designation clear, it is each student’s responsibility to obtain clarification directly from the faculty member (email is the preferred method for doing so to establish documentation of the agreement between the faculty member and the student).
• A student must not use another person as a substitute in the taking of a test or quiz.
• A student must not steal examinations or other course materials.
• A student must not allow others to conduct research or to prepare work for them without advance authorization from the faculty member to whom the work is being submitted. Under this prohibition, a student must not make any unauthorized use of materials obtained from commercial term paper companies or from files of papers prepared by other persons.
• A student must not use any unauthorized assistance in a laboratory, at a computer terminal, or on fieldwork.
• A student must not submit substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than once without permission of the faculty member to whom the work is being submitted (i.e., no “double dipping”; originality is assumed).
• A student must not alter a grade or score in any way.

Fabrication

A student must not falsify or invent any information or data in an academic exercise including, but not limited to, records or reports, laboratory results, and citations to the sources of information.

Plagiarism

A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person or authoritative source without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever they do any of the following:

• Quote another person's actual words, either oral or written;
• Paraphrase another person's words, either oral or written;
• Use another person's idea, opinion, or theory; or
• Borrow facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge. This includes use of any generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT or similar large language models) to generate ideas or materials for either written or oral use, unless specifically authorized.

When using text that contains the same wording as the original, that text must appear in quotation marks with the appropriate citation. When paraphrasing text, the appropriate citation must appear in the text or in a footnote or endnote. This same use of citations is required for communicating another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories unless that information is common knowledge. In no case should a student leave the reader or listener with the impression that the work is original if it is not.

Interference

• A student must not steal, change, destroy, or impede another student's work. Impeding another student's work includes, but is not limited to, the theft, defacement, or mutilation of resources so as to deprive others of the information they contain.
• A student must not give or offer a bribe, promise favors, or make threats with the intention of affecting a grade or the evaluation of academic performance.

Violation of Course Rules

A student must not violate course rules as contained in a course syllabus which are rationally related to the content of the course or to the enhancement of the learning process in the course.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty

A student must not intentionally or knowingly help or attempt to help another student to commit an act of academic misconduct.

Appendix B: Standards for Professional Conduct

The Kelley School and IU may discipline a student for professional misconduct, which is broadly defined as any activity which may potentially undermine the integrity and reputation of the institution. Professional misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Settings

Professional behavior is expected and required in all situations. At a minimum, students are required to behave professionally in the following settings:

• Kelley Graduate Lounge
• Breakout rooms, in-person and online
• Classrooms, physical and digital
• Off-campus locations where companies are hosting sponsored events
• Off-campus events that are sanctioned by the Kelley School (e.g., consulting projects, field study experiences, company presentations, receptions, and visits)
• Any place team-related activities occur
• Kelley-sponsored or company-sponsored coffee hours
• Student organization events or case competitions

Events that are purely social in nature and not otherwise affiliated with the Kelley School or its programs are not covered under the professional conduct standards. Examples include private, off-campus social gatherings among students. However, events and actions that are purely social in nature and not otherwise affiliated with the Kelley School may still be covered under the personal misconduct standards (see Appendix C).

Classroom Behavior

Classroom behavior, in-person or online, will be specifically addressed by each faculty member in the course syllabus. As a general rule, students are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Contribute, participate, and engage in the classroom learning experience
• Do not eat noisy or odiferous foods
• Do not surf the internet or check email
• Do not disturb classmates with excessive noise or talking
• Use computers exclusively for class-related activities during class time or as specified by the course syllabus
• Respect your classmates
• Turn off cell phones and other such devices
• Do not leave during a class session unless you have discussed the need to leave with the professor in advance or an urgent personal matter arises (such as sudden illness)

You should be on time to classes and avoid absences. If you must be late or absent due to an emergency, illness (personal or family), interview, other course event (e.g., class-sponsored trip), inform the faculty member in advance if possible (either via email, telephone, or through face-to-face communication). If advanced notice is not possible, contact the faculty member afterwards to brief them on the reason for your absence/tardiness. Some, but not all, faculty members may allow you to make up the class by attending another section, but you must ask permission in advance (unless given advanced authorization by the instructor to do so). Some, but not all, faculty members may allow you to make up the class with an assignment.

Kelley Graduate Career Services

• Your interactions with recruiters reflect on your classmates, future students, and alumni. Act as you would like others to act.
• Show up and be prepared for presentations, events, and interviews.
• Attend all interviews, presentations, and events that you have committed to and be prepared to participate as an informed guest. Also be prepared for impromptu conversations.
• Being prepared involves dressing appropriately, being on time, researching, practicing, and asking good questions. Also, keep distractions (cell phones, laptops, pagers) out of the presentation, event, and interview. Except in rare cases, nothing is as important as the recruiter’s time.
• Missing an interview is a serious offense. Your use of Kelley Graduate Career Services (GCS) may be terminated if you miss an interview. GCS will review all offenses and help determine appropriate action, in consultation with the faculty chair who retains final authority for determining appropriate actions and/or sanctions. In any case, be prepared to apologize (either in writing or orally or both) to the recruiter, GCS, and your peers.
  • Be on time, all the time. Arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled interview time.
  • If you know ahead of time you will be late to a presentation or event, email the recruiter. If it is unexpected, wait for an appropriate time to enter and be as quiet as possible.
• Be honest. Do not inflate your past experience or your experiences at Kelley. Does this look familiar to you? Remark: "Three years of experience as a Petroleum Engineer with Shell." Translation: "Worked part-time for almost 3 years at John's Shell station as an attendant." Hopefully not! It is important for your past experiences to sound great; however, they must accurately reflect your past experiences. Do not lie about or exaggerate your qualifications. 
• Interview only with companies in which you have a genuine interest. Do not waste everybody's time and prevent one of your peers from obtaining an interview.
• Use a career coach, a friend, or GCS staff for practice and career counseling. If you decide not to accept a second interview or offer, suggest other available, qualified, interested Kelley students to the recruiter.
• Remind recruiters that Kelley is a top-tier program. When asked, "Why Kelley?" use this opportunity to promote the program and describe why Kelley is a top-tier program. When asked, “How has Kelley helped you?” be prepared to reinforce the positive features of our school and program.
• Be patient. Only call an interviewer if they have missed a deadline they set with you. If no timeline for follow-up was established, two weeks is an appropriate amount of time to wait. Establish a timeline and next steps at the conclusion of your interview.
• Be polite and considerate. Always thank the recruiter with a formal note within 24 hours of each contact. This is appropriate for all contact, especially informational interviews and any time direct contact is established. Email is appropriate for most companies, but use your own discretion as to format.
• Dress appropriately. “Business dress” means a suit. “Business casual” means dress pants/skirt, khakis (ironed), etc. Jeans are never appropriate (except at tailgate events).
• Stand behind your decision. Accepting an offer constitutes a contract. You are obligated to stop your job search, inform GCS, and reject all future interview requests and job offers.Understandably, life events may make it impossible to abide by an acceptance. Beyond situations that you cannot control (e.g., serious health problems for you or a family member), it is always inappropriate and unprofessional to renege on an acceptance. Reneging on an offer affects your professional image as well as the image of your classmates and the Kelley School.Your decision is final; make sure you will be able to stand by it.
• Report your employment status whenever asked by GCS. All employment data is kept confidential and used only in the aggregate. Reporting your job search status is vital and expected as the information improves the quality of the information recruiters receive, which can lead to better offers overall. Additionally, in the aggregate, the data is used by Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications to report business school rankings. Ultimately, reporting your employment status allows Kelley Career Services to more effectively meet student needs and has a positive effect on school rankings.

Graduate Assistantships (GAs)

Some students are awarded Graduate Assistantships (GAs). These assistantships represent obligations on the part of the student to perform work in exchange for pay and/or partial tuition reimbursement. It is imperative that students who are awarded assistantships fulfill their obligations in a professional and timely manner. At the discretion of the faculty chair, or their designee, a failure to fulfill all expectations and obligations on the part of the GA may result in the student GA being reassigned to another faculty member, a reduction in the amount of pay and/or partial tuition reimbursement, and/or a total termination of the student’s GA opportunity.

When the position involves doing research for a faculty member, the student must set up an appointment with the faculty member at the beginning of the semester. At that time, the faculty member and the student should discuss the nature of the assistantship (e.g., 5 hour or 12 hour) and the expectations of the faculty member. Some faculty members, for example, allow students to determine when and where they will work on assignments (albeit within the limits of the assistantship). Other faculty members prefer students to work in specific locations and at specific times. As a general rule, students should adhere to the following guidelines:

• Student GAs should inform the faculty member if they are unable to fulfill the work assignments, if they will be late in completing assignments, and/or if they do not understand the assignment.
• Students should perform the work with integrity and precision. Because students’ inputs are often used in published research, honesty and accuracy are essential.
• Students should be respectful of faculty members at all times.

While some GAs assist with research, other GAs serve as teaching assistants (TAs) and tutors. The tasks performed by TAs vary by faculty member, but typically include some combination of the following: teaching a discussion session, proctoring an exam, grading tests, papers, and/or homework, meeting students during office hours, and answering questions. As noted above, it is important for students serving in this capacity to inform the faculty member if they are unable to fulfill the work assignments, if they will be late in completing assignments, and/or if they do not understand the assignment. Also, students should be respectful of faculty members at all times. In addition to acting professionally when working with faculty members, TAs should also be professional when interfacing with other students. The following guidelines should apply:

• Be Present. Attendance is very important not only for class time, but also for office hours, meetings, and proctoring duties. If your absence is unavoidable, notify the faculty member well in advance and arrange for a suitable substitute.
• Be Prompt. Promptness is essential not only for class time, but also for office hours and proctoring duties. Arrive on time and stay for the duration of your obligations.
• Be Prepared.
  • It is important that you adequately prepare for each session by completing the lessons and assignments prior to class time. As an instructor, undergraduate students rely on you to teach them. They are being held to the same standards as students in classes taught by faculty.
  • Instructors and teaching assistants must come prepared to office hours. Students attend these office hours to receive help on assignments. You should know the material well enough to assist them on any homework assignment, class exercise, or project.
  • Being prepared also means returning grades to students within a reasonable amount of time, unless otherwise instructed by your supervisor.
• Follow guidelines established by the faculty member.
  • Most likely, you are not the only instructor teaching the course. It is important that students across all sections of a particular course receive consistent instruction. Therefore, you must teach according to the lesson plans and guidelines provided by the faculty member.
  • To maintain consistency across all sections of a course, it is also important that feedback (grade reporting, etc.) is delivered to students in a consistent manner. Post grades using the system determined by the faculty member.
• Take your job seriously. Grading students’ work, which ultimately influences their final grade, is a serious matter. Do not take this responsibility lightly. Keep track of students’ assignments/exams and grade them with care and precision. The treatment you expect for your work should be granted to the students for whom you serve as a GA.
• Maintain confidentiality. Remember that as a GA your role gives you access to students’ grades. You have an obligation to maintain strict confidentially. You should not share information about a specific grade or a specific student’s performance with anyone other than the student and the faculty member administering the course.
• Act professionally outside the classroom. Maintain a relationship with your students that does not create a conflict of interest. In courses with multiple sections, this applies to all students enrolled in the course even those students not assigned to your section(s). Do nothing that is or could reasonably be interpreted as sexual harassment. Review university policies regarding sexual harassment.

Appendix C: Standards for Personal Conduct

The Kelley School and IU may discipline a student for acts of personal misconduct that occur on or off university property. The Kelley School and IU may also discipline a student for acts of personal misconduct that occur off campus when they are associated with or affect university activities or undermine the rights and dignity of those within the university community, the security of the university community, the integrity of the educational process, or pose a threat to self or others. Consistent with the IU Code, personal misconduct, regardless of where it occurs, may include, but is not limited to:

• Acts of fraud, misrepresentation, or dishonesty, including the following:
  • Forgery, alteration, or misuse of documents, records, identification, or other materials
  • Knowingly furnishing false, forged, or inappropriately altered information to the university, any university official, or emergency response personnel
  • Intentionally misrepresenting yourself, including, but not limited to, representing yourself as the university, any university official, your status at the university, or using the university’s brand without permission
  • Possession, use, manufacture, or distribution of identification cards or devices that are false or fraudulent or that misrepresent an individual’s identity, age, or other personal characteristics, including using another individual’s identification
  • Assuming another person’s identity or role through deception or without proper authorization, including communicating or acting under the guise, name, identification, email address, signature, or other indications of another person or group without proper authorization or authority
• Knowingly initiating, transmitting, filing, or circulating a false report, warning, or threat concerning an act of violence, a catastrophe, a fire, or other emergency; or transmitting such a report to an official or an official agency such as IU Police or local law enforcement.
• Unauthorized access to, release, or use of any information technology or other university equipment or facilities.
• Conduct that is obscene.
• Disorderly conduct, whether in person or virtual, that disrupts teaching, research, administration, or other university activity and/or disrupts the university community and its members.
• Actions that endanger, or aid in the endangerment of, one’s self, others, or the educational process.
• Failure to comply with the directions of authorized university officials in the performance of their duties, including, but not limited to: failure to identify oneself when requested to do so; failure to comply with the terms of a conduct outcome or process; or refusal to vacate a university facility when directed to do so.
• Unauthorized entry, trespass, use, or occupancy of facilities or property.
• Intentionally obstructing or blocking access to university facilities, property, or programs.
• Theft or the unauthorized taking, possession, or use of property or services.
• Damage to, destruction of, or tampering with property belonging to others.
• Arson, the unauthorized setting of fires, or the unauthorized use of or interference with fire equipment and emergency personnel.
• Unauthorized possession, use, manufacture, distribution, or sale of fireworks, incendiary devices, or other explosives.
• Possession, use, sale or distribution of any weapon or any item used as a weapon on university property or at university-affiliated events, as defined in university policy PS-03, Possession of Firearms and Weapons.
• Harassment, including the following:
  • Sexual harassment as defined in UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct;
  • Discriminatory harassment on any basis protected by UA-01, Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action, and UA-02, Americans with Disabilities Act;
  • Harassment, not otherwise specified, defined as unwelcome or unwanted conduct that is persistent, severe, or pervasive and impacts a student’s ability to access their education or an individual’s personal safety, academic efforts, employment, or participation in university-sponsored programs or activities. This behavior includes but is not limited to: direct or indirect written, verbal, physical, or electronic action or inaction.
• Engaging in or encouraging retaliation against, or any behavior or activity that threatens or intimidates, any potential participant in a conduct process or a process under UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.
• Bullying, defined as overt, unwanted, and repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner, physical acts, aggression, or any other behaviors, that are committed by a student or group of students toward an individual, that are likely to or that do harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the targeted individual, and which:
  • Places the targeted individual in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted individual’s person or property;
  • Has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted individual’s physical or mental health, employment, or academic performance; or
  • Substantially interferes with a member of the university community’s ability to participate in or receive benefits, services, or opportunities from a university-sponsored program or activity.
• Stalking.
  • Based on sex or gender as defined in UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.
  • Not based on sex or gender, which is defined as a knowing or intentional course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable person in similar circumstances to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened. The term does not include statutorily or constitutionally protected behavior. Course of conduct means two or more acts, including, but not limited to, acts in which the respondent directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means, follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to or about a person or interferes with a person’s property.
• Hazing. Hazing is defined as any conduct or threats of conduct that subject another individual, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or psychologically, to anything that may endanger, abuse, degrade, or intimidate the individual, as a condition of association with a team, group or organization, regardless of the individual’s consent or lack of consent. This behavior includes, but is not limited to, direct or indirect written, verbal, physical, or electronic actions or inactions. Both individual students and student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, may be disciplined for acts of hazing.
• Physical abuse of any individual, or acting with violence, including the following:
  • The use of physical force or violence to restrict the freedom of action or movement of another individual or group, or to endanger the health or safety of another individual
  • Physical behavior that involves an express or implied threat to, or has the purpose or reasonably foreseeable effect of interfering with, an individual’s or group’s personal safety, academic efforts, employment, or participation in a university-sponsored program or activity, or that causes the individual to have a reasonable apprehension that such harm is about to occur
  • Any action toward any person, animal, or property that harms or causes reasonable fear of harm, to such person, animal, or property
  • Sexual assault as defined in UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct
  • Physical abuse that constitutes dating or domestic violence as defined in UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct
• Verbal abuse of another individual, including:
  • An express or implied threat to:
    1. Interfere with an individual or group’s safety, academic efforts, employment, or participation in university-sponsored program or activity, and that under the circumstances causes the individual to have a reasonable apprehension that such harm is about to occur; or
    2. Injure that individual or damage their property.
  • Verbal abuse that constitutes dating or domestic violence as defined in UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.
• Unauthorized possession, use, manufacture, or supplying of alcoholic beverages to others contrary to law or university policy, including but not limited to:
  • Public intoxication
  • Possession or use of alcoholic beverages by an individual under the age of 21
  • Supplying alcoholic beverages to an individual under the age of 21.
  • Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol
  • Student organizations serving or allowing possession of alcoholic beverages contrary to law or university policy at student organization functions or on organization-operated property or leased facilities, on or off campus. Individual students who plan, sponsor, or direct such functions also may be subject to discipline

• Unauthorized possession, manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of illegal drugs or any controlled substance, including but not limited to:
  • Possession or use of any illegal drug or unauthorized controlled substance
  • Being under the influence of illegal drugs or unauthorized controlled substances
  • Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of illegal drugs or unauthorized controlled substances
  • Sale, distribution, or supply of illegal drugs or unauthorized controlled substances
  • Manufacture of illegal drugs or unauthorized controlled substances
  • Unauthorized possession of drug paraphernalia on campus property
• A violation of any state, federal, or foreign law, based on the outcome of a criminal, civil, or administrative action, or foreign jurisdiction.
• Using university logos, property, or resources, or implying university endorsement, to operate a business or to sell or solicit sales of goods, whether online or in physical form, except in the course of an authorized activity, pursuant to FIN-PURCH-12, Non-Solicitation on Campus and FIN-LT-01, Licensing and Trademark Policy.
• Engaging in conduct in violation of UA-03, Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy not otherwise covered in this section.
• Violation of other disseminated university regulations, policies, or rules, including but not limited to university information technology policies, residence hall policies, tobacco free campus policies, recreational sports facility policies, and temporary or emergency policies.