122.1 Professional Ethics and Responsibilities

122.1 Professional Ethics and Responsibilities

A. Background

Furman University seeks to provide fair and feasible procedures for examining claims that faculty members have been subjected to discrimination as defined in Furman's Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Program (See File 832.1). Appeals concerning promotions, tenure, and renewal of contracts are covered under the procedures outlined in File 198.2.

B. Policy

Furman faculty are expected to meet the ethical standards and responsibilities of their academic profession.

C. Guidelines

1. Faculty are expected "to seek and to state the truth as they see it." They are expected to continue developing their scholarly competence, to practice intellectual honesty, to exercise critical self-discipline, and to avoid subsidiary interests that would "seriously hamper or compromise their freedom of inquiry." (See File 137.3, "Political Activity"), and (See File 137.8, "Individual Rights and Responsibilities")

2. Faculty are expected to demonstrate respect for students as persons, to foster their honest academic conduct, to protect their academic freedom, to hold them to the professional standards of their discipline, to evaluate their performance according to its merit, and to acknowledge significant scholarly assistance from them. Faculty are expected to avoid exploitation of students for institutional or personal gain.

3. Whereas the university encourages close faculty-student relationships, at the same time it expects faculty to maintain their professional role and to refrain from dating and/or sexual relations with any student enrolled at Furman, except when the student and faculty member involved are married to each other. (See File 131.5, "Due Process"), and (See File 137.8),"Individual Rights and Responsibilities")