Graduate Program

Ethical Code of Conduct for Graduate Students and Graduate Student Instructors  [1]

The Department of Sociology expects its graduate students to adhere to a general code of conduct.  The following statement of expectations draws heavily from the university’s general policy regarding faculty code of conduct (APM-015) and applies especially to graduate students who serve as teaching assistants or instructors.

Ethical Principles

The integrity of the graduate student instructor-undergraduate student relationship is crucial to the University’s educational mission.  This relationship vests considerable trust in the graduate student, who, in turn, bears authority and accountability as mentor, educator, and evaluator. The unequal institutional power inherent in this relationship heightens the vulnerability of the undergraduate student and the potential for coercion.  The pedagogical relationship between graduate student instructor and undergraduate student must be protected from influences or activities that can interfere with learning consistent with the goals and ideals of the University. Whenever a graduate student is responsible for academic supervision of an undergraduate student, a personal relationship between them of a romantic or sexual nature, even if consensual, is inappropriate. Any such relationship jeopardizes the integrity of the educational process.

Examples of unacceptable conduct:

1.    Failure to meet the responsibilities of instruction, including:
   (a) arbitrary denial of access to instruction;
   (b) significant intrusion of material unrelated to the course;
   (c) significant failure to adhere, without legitimate reason, to the rules in the conduct
 of courses, to meet class, to keep office hours, or to hold examinations as scheduled;
   (d) evaluation of student work by criteria not directly reflective of course performance;
   (e) undue and unexcused delay in evaluating student work.
2.    Discrimination, including harassment, against an undergraduate or fellow graduate student on political grounds, or for reasons of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition, status as a covered veteran, or, within the limits imposed by law or University regulations, because of age or citizenship or for other arbitrary or personal reasons.
3.    Violation of the University policy, including the pertinent guidelines, applying to nondiscrimination against undergraduate or graduate students on the basis of disability.
4.    Use of the position or powers of a graduate student instructor to coerce the judgment or conscience of an undergraduate student or to cause harm to a student for arbitrary or personal reasons.
5.    Participating or abetting in deliberately disruption, interference, or intimidation in the classroom.
6.    Entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any undergraduate student for whom a  graduate student has, or should reasonably expect to have in the future, academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory).
7.    Exercising academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory) for any student with whom a graduate student instructor has a romantic or sexual relationship.

[1] Adapted from UCLA faculty handbook: http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/acadpers/apm/apm-015.pdf (accessed March 23, 2009)