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Staff Code of Conduct Guideline

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Section 1 - Context

(1) The Staff Code of Conduct Policy articulates The University of Queensland’s (UQ or the University) values and the standards of conduct that are expected and required by all staff. The objective of this Guideline is to support the understanding of the Staff Code of Conduct Policy by providing practical day to day examples of behaviour that is encouraged and required when staff are performing their duties. Whilst the scenarios listed are not intended to be exhaustive, the Guideline provides examples of the types of behaviour that are not acceptable and could lead to disciplinary action being taken. 

(2) Staff should read the Staff Code of Conduct Policy and the standards of required conduct before reading this Guideline.

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Section 2 - Standard of Conduct

Professional and Personal Conduct

Encouraged conduct – examples

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member would demonstrate a high level of professional and personal conduct by providing necessary information to assist student to make a complaint and seeking support for that student.
• A staff member would demonstrate appropriate use of University resources by taking responsibility for the ICT equipment assigned to them and maintaining equipment in good working order.
• A staff member would fail to demonstrate accountability for their conduct and decisions by lying about their behaviour during an investigation or disciplinary process.
• A staff member would fail to use University resources effectively, efficiently and economically by using the University’s resources (including information and communication technology services) for excessive or unauthorised personal use.

Conflicts of Interest

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member would deal appropriately with a conflict of interest by declaring their private interests in a business that is contracting to the University where they may have some influence and following the approved management plan in relation to avoiding or managing that conflict.
• A staff member would fail to avoid a conflict of interest by accepting outside work with another employer which interferes with the performance of their duties to the University.
• A staff member would fail to manage a conflict of interest appropriately by failing to disclose their personal interest in a business that competes, or could compete, with the University or which provides goods and services to the University. 
• A staff member would fail to manage a conflict of interest by participating in an employment decision affecting a relative of the staff member.

Use of position

Encouraged conduct – Examples of appropriate behaviour

Conduct that is not acceptable – Examples of a staff member misusing their position
• Reporting to your manager that you have been given a gift or rejecting a gift in accordance with the Reportable Gifts and Benefits Procedure.
• Ensuring that any personal travel expenses are not paid using university funds.
• Using their position to inappropriately influence academic outcomes for a student or to gain advantage for another staff member they supervise.
• Using their position to offer or provide a benefit to students, other staff members or third parties with whom they have a personal relationship.
• Accepting an inappropriate gift, or failing to deal with a reportable gift in accordance with the Reportable Gifts and Benefits Procedure.

Use of information

Encouraged conduct – examples

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member would be behaving appropriately if they were the unintended recipient of the personal information of other staff members via e-mail, if they immediately reported this to their supervisor and deleted the information.
• A staff member only accessing confidential information on a database which is required for them to perform their duties.
• A staff member would fail to respect the privacy of others by forwarding documents containing personal information about a student to the staff member’s personal email address.
• A staff member inappropriately accessing confidential information in a database which is not required for the performance of their duties.

External activity and public comment

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – example
• An Academic staff member participating in a public debate by speaking to the media as a recognised expert in their area of expertise and using their University title.
• A staff member (other than the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, members of the senior Executive or other authorised senior members of the University) commenting publicly on behalf of the University about matters such as University management, policies or operational issues.

Responsible conduct of research

Encouraged conduct – examples

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• An Academic staff member submitting an adverse event report to the relevant Ethics Committee regarding a problem they had encountered with their research.
• A staff member seeking advice on an ethical issue within a research project via a Research Integrity Advisor before deciding if the issue should be escalated.
• A staff member would fail to ensure that research is conducted in accordance with the principle of honesty by fabricating or falsifying any aspect of research undertaken, or by publishing findings which the staff member knows to be false or misleading.
• A staff member would fail to ensure that research is conducted in accordance with the principle of transparency by failing to disclose the staff member’s personal interest in a business which may benefit from the findings of the research.

Respect for persons

Encouraged conduct – examples

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member communicates respectfully and professionally when dealing with an angry student, unhappy about timetabling.
• A staff member not allowing personal biases to influence decisions they make about other staff or students.
• A staff member debating academic issues with a colleague or external party, by critiquing the other party’s arguments and presenting evidence as to why the other party’s ideas are wrong.
• A staff member publishing social media posts which harass or bully another staff member.
• A staff member resorting to abuse or personal denigration rather than using a scholarly approach to critiquing another party’s ideas or work.

University property

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member reporting damaged property as soon as it is discovered so that it can be removed or repaired.
• A staff member would fail to use University property for its intended purpose by sleeping on University campus without the University’s permission.
• A staff member would fail to use a University vehicle with care by deliberately or negligently causing damage to the vehicle.

Intellectual Property

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member seeking advice from their supervisor on the appropriate course of action to take to protect Intellectual Property that they have developed.
• A staff member who develops or creates UQ Intellectual Property in the course of their employment or engagement with UQ but fails to notify the University.
• A staff member would infringe the Intellectual Property rights of the University by copying or adapting course materials created or developed by the staff member in the course of their employment with the University for external purposes.

Using resources for University purposes

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member who having been approved to work from home seeks authority from their supervisor to take a laptop computer with them to work on.
• A staff member would fail to use University resources for legitimate purposes by using University printers to print voluminous documents for personal purposes.
• A staff member would fail to use University resources for legitimate purposes by using uniforms or protective gear supplied by the University for personal purposes.

Expending University funds

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member would fail to properly expend University funds by purchasing goods from a disreputable supplier or by purchasing goods without seeking value for money for the University.
• A staff member would misuse University funds by making a purchase on their corporate credit card for personal use

Performance and development

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member would demonstrate a commitment to their own performance and development by acknowledging areas for improvement and being active in seeking training to improve their skills.
• A staff member would fail to actively participate in performance and development processes by refusing to complete the documentation within the required timeframe.
• A staff member would fail to support the performance and development process by failing to undertake an annual performance discussion and complete the required documentation for staff they are responsible for supervising.
• A staff member involved in academic tuition would fail to maintain high standards of performance and a focus on client service by failing to properly review and update course materials to take account of relevant developments in their area of expertise.

Lawful directions

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – example
• A staff member follows the reasonable and lawful direction of their supervisor to undertake a particular task.
• A staff member ignoring or failing to follow the lawful direction of their supervisor to undertake a task that is part of their responsibilities.

Use of substances

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member demonstrating restraint at a University function where alcohol has been provided, by ensuring that they do not consume a volume of alcohol that would cause impairment whilst undertaking UQ related activity.
• A staff member would inappropriately use substances by drinking alcohol and then performing high risk activities.
• A staff member would inappropriately use substances by failing to ensure that they consume alcohol responsibly at a University-organised professional or networking event.
• A staff member would breach the Smoke-Free UQ Policy by smoking and/or vaping in a University vehicle.

Work health and safety

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member reports any workplace incidents including hazards as soon as reasonably practicable.
• A staff member would fail to take reasonable care for their own health and safety by refusing to use safety equipment supplied by the University.
• A staff member would fail to take reasonable care of the health and safety of others by engaging in practical jokes which endanger the physical or psychological health and safety of others.

Unlawful and improper conduct

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member becomes aware that a colleague has been charged with a serious offence and reports that to their supervisor.
• A staff member falsifying timesheets, receipts or other records in order to cause the University to make a payment to a person who is not entitled to that payment.
• A staff member who has been charged with theft but fails to report the charge to the University.
• A staff member taking a bribe or by otherwise not acting impartiality when assessing tenders or offers.
• A staff member using University cab charge vouchers for private travel.

Compliance

Encouraged conduct – example

Conduct that is not acceptable – examples
• A staff member that is managing a contract that is subject to a piece of legislation they are not aware of makes enquires to become aware of the obligations of UQ under the legislation and ensures UQ’s compliance obligations are met.
• A staff member would fail to comply with University policies by failing to comply with the Export Controls and Sanction Regimes Procedure, even though it is not referenced in the Code of Conduct.
• A staff member would fail to comply with law by deliberately or negligently breaching a contract or infringing intellectual property rights.