The Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is an organization that has a strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment for all faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars. Collegiality is companionship and cooperation between colleagues who share responsibilities. Our Plant Pathology family strives to foster a creative environment that inspires innovative research, unique educational opportunities, and world-class extension and public outreach.
Where our work is in a variety of settings and engages multiple capacities on and off-campus, it is vital that all members of the department adhere to appropriate and acceptable conduct in all of their official capacities as representatives of the Department of Plant Pathology and the University.
Our professional activities will empower the growth and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills for all members of the department and of those with whom we work and interact. We promote a Code of Conduct to provide a respectful and rewarding experience where all members of the department flourish and all learners are respected and encouraged.
Our Department’s Commitments
We greatly value diversity of all forms on our team and are committed to providing a positive and welcoming environment for all staff, colleagues, students, volunteers, and visitors regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, political perspective, career status, culture, or ethnicity.
We commit to being a hub for inclusivity and unity to nurture personal and professional growth. Our scientific breadth within our discipline provides valuable opportunities to reach across all demographics with the goal of improving the lives of our global citizens and ensuring a safe and sustainable food supply. Our mission areas promote planetary stewardship and consider long-term impacts of production systems on our living plant environments and our food.
Expected Personal Behaviors
Positive behavior towards others is an excellent way to acknowledge and value someone and what they are doing, and this reflects on one's own character, integrity, and values. To ensure this positive moral and value is persistent in our department, all personnel working in the department, in any of its activities and capacity, will:
- Treat everyone with respect and consideration, with sensitivity to personal and cultural concerns and differences.
- Maintain respectful dialogue at all times to promote constructive discourse.
- Evaluate the work of colleagues fairly and objectively.
- Recognize past and present contributors to science and the accomplishments of others.
- Support the professional growth and success of others, especially in a formal or informal mentoring role.
Prohibited Personal Behavior
- Harassment and intimidation, including verbal, written, or physical conduct that demeans, denigrates, threatens, intimidates, or coerces another person.
- Discrimination or exclusion based on gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, political perspective, national origin, or culture.
- Physical, emotional, or verbal abuse of any person.
- Assuming credit for the accomplishments of others.
Reporting
If you see or experience prohibited or disrespectful behavior or language (unacceptable personal conduct), or if you witness unacceptable scientific conduct, if you feel that you are in a position to do so, please speak directly to the offender. You should also notify, as appropriate, either your direct supervisor, lab director, or the Department Head of Plant Pathology.
If you feel uncomfortable with a situation or the behavior/language of others, and would prefer not to report to one of the people listed above, you should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (https://www.unl.edu/equity/ or call 402-472-3417) as soon as possible after the situation occurs. You may submit your concerns to the Office of IEC using this online form: https://www.unl.edu/equity/Fillable%20Intake%202015.pdf.
If the issue is more serious, you may submit an anonymous report to University of Nebraska police at https://www.unl.edu/tips-incident-reporting-system/.
For critical emergencies, call 911 or the police at 402-472-2222 (2-2222 from a campus phone).
Violations of the expected behaviors described above will necessitate meeting with departmental and possibly IANR leadership to develop a corrective action plan that will be strictly enforced and time-bound. Egregious violations of policies, repeat offenses, or failure to conform to corrective action plans will lead to dismissal and exclusion from the department’s premises.