COMPLIANCE CHATTER

Spring Series

Four existing University policies were revised and approved by the Senior Policy Council and President this month:

1. General Rules of Conduct 
2. Military Leave Policy 
3. Pre-Employment Background Check Policy 
4. UConn Degrees Earned by Faculty Policy

Outlined below are the changes to each policy.

Not to be confused with the University Code of Conduct, which applies to employees on all UConn campuses including UConn Health, the General Rules of Conduct apply to employees on the Storrs and regional campuses. The General Rules of Conduct is administered by Human Resources and outlines expectations for employee conduct in the workplace.

Changes to Note: Updated outdated language, provided greater clarity to the existing rules, and added new rules.

The new rules that were added prohibit:

• Engaging in activities which are detrimental to the best interests of the University or the State;
• Entering, using, or providing access to the worksite other than for work purposes or to unauthorized individuals;
• Retaliation;
• Engaging in any form of sexual or unwelcome physical conduct in the workplace; and
• Failing to cooperate or being untruthful in a University investigation. 

The Military Leave Policy applies to faculty and staff on all campuses including UConn Health.

Changes to Note: The major revisions for this policy were to align it with federal and state law, add UConn Health as a campus to which the policy applies, and outline current procedures for employees to request military leave.

The Pre-Employment Background Check Policy applies to faculty, staff, and others on the Storrs and regional campuses.

Changes to Note: A purpose statement was added to this policy. In addition, it now applies to special payroll titles that have direct teaching or advising responsibilities, and graduate students who are working as special payroll lecturers. Enforcement details were added to outline the result of policy violations.

The policy on UConn Degrees Earned by Faculty applies to faculty on all campuses, schools and colleges except the Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Law.

Changes to Note: The ownership of this policy changed from The Graduate School to the Office of the Provost, and a purpose statement was added. In addition, the authority for making exceptions to the policy changed from the Dean of the Graduate School to the Unit Head and the Dean of the School or College of the department home of the faculty member, as well as the Provost. The policy statement was amended to add that faculty may not seek to earn a degree in their primary (or secondary) department home. Should the faculty member seek a graduate degree in their primary School or College, the Unit Head and Dean must implement a plan to mitigate conflicts of interest should any arise.

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