The University at Buffalo, State University of New York is dedicated to academic excellence in learning and scholarship, and serving society through research, teaching, and public service. To foster the best possible learning, scholarly, and working environment, the UB community strives to be:

• Purposeful: We are a participatory community united by shared commitments to the preservation and advancement of knowledge, effective teaching and learning, and service to society.
• Open: We recognize that the free exchange of ideas is essential in a university and requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences, as well as openness to controversial ideas and new and different perspectives.
• Diverse: We embrace individual and intellectual diversity in all its forms, and we promote understanding, tolerance, respect and participation from all individuals.
• Principled: We shall conduct our academic and professional activities with integrity and respect for others, in a way that preserves and advances the fundamental purpose and needs of the university and the members of its community.
• Respectful: We are committed to the highest standards of civility, decency and mutual respect toward all, and to promoting an atmosphere free of abusive, demeaning, or unfair treatment.
• Just: We act with respect for Individual dignity and are committed to equitable access to resources, recognition, and rewards, and we seek to advance our common goals through reasonable and realistic practices, procedures, and expectations, fairly and openly administered.
• Accountable: We are all responsible for the success and reputation of the university and we will comport ourselves with a high standard of personal and professional conduct.

UB adheres to ethical principles of faculty conduct as articulated by the American Association of University Professors in its Statement on Professional Ethics originally adopted in 1966, approved by the Association's Committee on Professional Ethics, and adopted by the Association's Council in June 1987.

(Available: https://www.aaup.org/reports-publications/aaup-policies-reports/policy-statements/statement-professional-ethics) 

Throughout this document the term "faculty" refers to all individuals entrusted with instructional or research responsibilities; among these are full- and part-time faculty, clinical and research faculty, adjunct faculty, and teaching and research assistants.

Faculty are expected to treat members of the University community with professionalism, respect and courtesy. The University community expects high ethical standards from members of the faculty in their various roles:

Conduct which· departs from these basic ethical principles is unacceptable. This section provides some context for these principles as they apply to members of the UB community, as well as more specific guidance for behavior of UB faculty in their professional roles.

At a research university, faculty members expect one another to be active scholars engaged in their disciplines throughout their academic careers.

At a research university, faculty members expect one another to be dedicated teachers able to bring to the classroom the most recent knowledge and advances in their discipline.

With trust and respect as the cornerstones of a rewarding faculty-student relationship, faculty members are expected to recognize their elevated positions of authority, abstaining from any actions that would exploit their students' trust or compromise their integrity.

Within this community of scholars, faculty members expect one another to accept and fulfill responsibilities for faculty governance and to be full participants in their academic program. Faculty members are expected to foster an inclusive and supportive climate that values the contributions of diverse groups and individuals. Colleagues must treat one another with respect and civility and avoid discriminatory and harassing behavior.

Full-time faculty members expect one another to recognize that they have a primary responsibility to the university and to conduct themselves accordingly.

Faculty members encourage one another to use their special expertise for the benefit of the local, national and international communities.

The purpose of this addendum is to further illustrate ethical principles in practice. The examples which follow are intended to inform faculty members of circumstances where the ethical principles might apply as to behavior expected or to be avoided. These examples are not exhaustive, nor intended to anticipate every possible situation requiring appropriate judgment and action by individuals involved.

Members of the faculty are expected to comply with all federal, state and University policies that govern research and creative activity (see https://www.buffalo.edu/administrative-services/policy-compliance-and-internal-controls/policy/ub-policy-lib.html)

• Faculty will fully disclose all conflicts of interest.
• Faculty will fully disclose all funding sources that support their scholarly and creative activities.
• Faculty will not misappropriate the writings, research, findings or creative activities of others.
• Faculty will not intentionally distort or misrepresent research data.

Faculty members are expected to comply with policies published by the University and Faculty Senate which reflect responsible teaching behavior.

• Faculty members are expected to recognize the power differential inherent In the faculty-student relationship and to avoid behaviors that abuse it.
• Faculty members are expected to know and observe University policies related to non-discrimination and the prevention of harassment and sexual harassment.
• Faculty members are expected to know and observe University policies and procedures related to the provision of access and reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities.
• Faculty members are expected to provide clear guidance and supervision for teaching and graduate assistants.
• Faculty members will not enter into non-professional relationships, particularly sexual ones, with any student for whom they have, or should reasonably expect to have in the future, academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory). Pre-existing non-professional relationships with such students must be disclosed to the Chair or other appropriate administrator, who will make alternative arrangements for evaluation and, if possible, for instruction and supervision.

Faculty will not deny access to instructional opportunities without just cause, and will not introduce, in significant measure, to any course material unrelated to the subject of that course.