(Formerly Known as Relationship with Students Policy; Appendix to Code of Ethics)
Policy
Faculty members should encourage the free pursuit of
learning by all students. They should strive to exemplify the
highest scholarly standards of their discipline.
Faculty members should foster the highest standards of
academic honesty. Faculty should make reasonable efforts to guard
against all forms of academic dishonesty, including cheating and
plagiarism, and should have clear policies regarding academic
dishonesty stated in their syllabi.
Membership in the academic community imposes on faculty
members an obligation to respect the dignity of others, to
acknowledge their right to express differing opinions, and to foster
and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and
instruction, and free expression. The expressions of dissent and
the attempt to produce change may not be carried out in ways which
injure individuals, damage institutional facilities or disrupt the
classes of one's colleagues. Faculty members should not incite
students to acts of violence to individuals, acts of destruction of
property, or acts which interfere with academic freedom.
Faculty members should organize and teach their courses in a
manner that is consistent with the intent of the course as
described in the university catalog.
Faculty should provide students access to a written
syllabus (printed or electronic) in a timely fashion, normally on
the first day of class, for each course that they teach. The
syllabus should include specific course information, office hours
and location (or other means of faculty availability appropriate to
the teaching assignment), objectives of the course, tentative
assignment and examination schedule, attendance and other course
policies. Faculty members should clearly explain to their students
methods of evaluation for the final grade. Faculty should
reasonably adhere to the course syllabus and should announce and
explain to the class all changes to the syllabus as far in advance
as possible.
Evaluation of students is an important part of the learning
process and should add to students' understanding. The course and
the evaluation process exist to enhance students' intellectual
development. Grades and criticisms of papers, projects, and
examinations should be returned to the student for inspection and
discussion in a timely manner. Final exams, term papers and other
academic products should be returned to the student or retained for
one term, permitting the opportunity for student review with the
instructor if the student desires. It is expected that the faculty
members will collect sufficient data on the performance of students
to justify the final grade. Evaluation of students and award of
credit must be based on professionally judged academic performance
and not on matters irrelevant to that performance, as detailed in
the Illinois State University Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action
Policy (Policy 1.1.1).
Faculty members should meet their assigned classes as
scheduled. Faculty members who are absent from their duties because
of illness should report the fact immediately to their department
chairperson/school director. Faculty members who are absent for
any reason other than illness, as for attending a professional meeting,
should complete a Faculty Notice of Absence from Scheduled Duties
form and file it with their department/school chairperson/director
for prior approval.
Faculty members should be available to students on a
regular basis outside of class. Ordinarily this will mean posting
and observing a reasonable number of regular office hours during
which the faculty member will be available for student conferences.
Additional appointment time should be made available when mutually
convenient to faculty and students in instances where student
schedules conflict with regular office hours. Other means of
student consultation appropriate to the teaching assignment may be
used. Office hours and/or other means of consultation should be
announced to classes through syllabi. Departments/schools should
define the appropriate number of regular office hours and the means
of student consultation based on student need and the nature of
discipline(s) in the department or school.
Faculty should prepare adequately for each class and strive to develop within students the motivation to excel.
Faculty members should respect the confidential nature of
their relationships with students. All information about student
views, beliefs, activities, and political association which is
acquired through the teacher-student relationship should be kept
confidential. Information about grades and other confidential
indicators of academic performance should be provided in a secure
manner consistent with law.
Faculty members should avoid exploitation, financial,
intellectual or otherwise, of students for private advantage both in and
outside the classroom. Students' assistance in any scholarly
endeavor, research, or the writing of a book, article, paper, etc., must
be properly acknowledged.
