SWAGÊÓƵ

Consistent with SWAGÊÓƵ’s commitment to a culture of ethical behavior, civility and open conversation in all shared governance activities, the Board of Trustees recognizes the need to establish and enforce institutional principles applicable to the entire campus community. Each member of the SWAGÊÓƵ community – student, staff, faculty, or Administrator – has a shared interest in promoting a working and learning environment where all members and their points of views are treated with civility. The Board of Trustees defines civility as the demonstration of respect, honesty, and dignity for oneself and others and treating others as we desire to be treated. Civility is a good faith effort to engage in a positive manner with even the most critical feedback being delivered in a manner free of malintent. Examples of civility include but are not limited to:

1. treating others with courtesy, respect and consideration;
2. speaking in tones of voice that are appropriate for the circumstances;
3. being respectful of other’s right to express their views, even if there is disagreement;
4. relying on verified facts rather than relying on or misrepresenting/mischaracterizing opinions as facts; and
5. managing differences or issues in a productive manner rather than one that is confrontational.

By affirming the value, contribution, and opinion of each SWAGÊÓƵ community member, each individual is contributing to a safe and respectful working and learning environment. To that end, each member is expected to affirm the principles of civility by adhering to the following:

• Discourse. SWAGÊÓƵ values and encourages the free exchange of diverse ideas and points of view. However, SWAGÊÓƵ discourages uncivil speech or expression that oversteps the ability of others to express themselves.
• Collegiality. SWAGÊÓƵ embraces an environment that facilitates collegial relationships and leads to addressing issues and differences in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility.
• Respect. SWAGÊÓƵ believes that a community member’s opinions, ideas, and conduct best reflect the goals of the SWAGÊÓƵ community when the dignity of each member is respected and when members of the community are considerate of the feelings, circumstances, and individuality of other members.
• Responsiveness. SWAGÊÓƵ encourages all community members to speak out against uncivil treatment so the university can fulfill its responsibility of responding in a fair, timely and consistent fashion.

The Board of Trustees directs the President to operationalize and enforce these principles to ensure each member’s commitment to a safe and respectful working and learning environment. These principles should be included in an updated Employee Handbook, prominently published on SWAGÊÓƵ’s website, and distributed, on an annual basis, to each SWAGÊÓƵ community member. These principles are designed to supplement all existing policies pertaining to conduct and professionalism and SWAGÊÓƵ reserves the right to amend or change these principles from time to time as circumstances warrant.