The USG established a comprehensive, unified ethics policy stating the underlying core values to which each member of the USG community must adhere. The policy states that all employees of the USG are to be guided by integrity, excellence, accountability and respect. As a member of the USG, DSC is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct and follows the mission of the USG Code of Ethics guidelines https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct. Accomplishing this demands good judgment and dedication to public service from all members of the Dalton State community.
The Ethics Policy governs only official conduct performed by or on behalf of the USG and DSC. Violations of the Ethics Policy may result in disciplinary action including dismissal or termination.
Statement of Core Values:
- Integrity – We will be honest, fair, impartial and unbiased in our dealings both with and on behalf of DSC and the USG.
- Excellence – We will perform our duties to foster a culture of excellence and high quality in everything we do.
- Accountability – We firmly believe that education in the form of scholarship, research, teaching, service and developing others is a public trust. We will live up to this trust through safeguarding our resources and being good stewards of the human, intellectual, physical and fiscal resources given to our care.
- Respect – We recognize the inherent dignity and rights of every person, and will do our utmost to fulfill our resulting responsibility to treat each person with fairness, compassion and decency.
Code of Conduct
We will:
- Uphold the highest standards of intellectual honesty and integrity in the conduct of teaching, research, service and grants administration.
- Act as good stewards of the resources and information entrusted to our care.
- Perform assigned duties and professional responsibilities in such a manner so as to further the mission of DSC and the USG.
- Treat fellow employees, students and the public with dignity and respect.
- Refrain from discriminating against, harassing or threatening others.
- Comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and professional standards.
- Respect the intellectual property rights of others.
- Avoid improper political activities as defined in law and BOR Policy.
- Protect human health and safety and the environment in all DSC and USG operations and activities.
- Report wrongdoing to the proper authorities; refrain from retaliating against those who do report violations; and cooperate fully with authorized investigations.
- Disclose and avoid improper conflicts of interest.
- Refrain from accepting any gift or thing of value in those instances prohibited by law, DSC, or BOR policy.
- Not use our position or authority improperly to advance the interests of a friend or relative.
- Complete the annual Ethics course as directed.
For the complete USG Ethics Policy visit:
https://www.usg.edu/organizational_effectiveness/ethics_compliance/ethics_policy