Professional Conduct & Ethics Policies Resources

Policies.unc.edu contains a list of policies regarding professional conduct including those addressing conflicts of interest, substance use and privacy. The University’s policy and procedures are maintained by the Office of University Counsel. The Office of University Counsel provides legal advice to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the administration, faculty and staff on legal matters involving or affecting the institution. The Office of University Counsel also has a Frequently Asked Questions page which may give more specific information on how some of these policies affect faculty such as employment, liability, public records and open meetings laws.

See Instruction, Research and Public Service for policies pertaining to research and teaching ethics, student records and privacy.

• Carolina Ethics Line is an anonymous reporting inquiry hotline for the campus community. Carolina Ethics Line provides a simple, anonymous way to report possible unethical or improper conduct, and/or violations of University policies and procedures, regulations, or state and federal laws. The website is maintained by a third party vendor to allow people to make reports anonymously.

• Conflicts of Interest and Commitment describes the University’s approach and process for identifying, reviewing and managing faculty, staff and student relationships with private industry and the nonprofit sector.

• Conflicts of Interest: Institutional outlines the University’s standards aimed at preventing financial conflicts of interest from compromising its objectivity in the performance of its responsibilities.

• Improper Relationships between Students and Employees prohibits amorous or sexual relationships between faculty or staff employees and students they evaluate or supervise by virtue of their teaching, research, administrative or other employment responsibility and students who are minors below the age of eighteen. The policy also states that faculty or staff employees may not supervise or evaluate students to whom they are related by blood, law or marriage.

• Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Office of Human Research Ethics (OHRE) are responsible for ethical and regulatory oversight of research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that involves human subjects.  Among other resources you will find here are links to the ethics training (CITI Course) required of researchers working with human subjects.

• Faculty Responsibilities in Relation to the Honor Code advises faculty on their responsibility to become familiar with the Honor Code, to communicate expectations for academic work and to report academic dishonesty to the Student Attorney General. Information and resources for instructors is available from the Office of Student Conduct.

• Guidelines for Serving Alcohol at University Sponsored Events outlines conditions under which the purchase, sale and consumption of alcohol during University-sponsored events is allowed.

• No Smoking Policy prohibits smoking inside its buildings and facilities, in State-owned vehicles and in the outdoor areas controlled by the University up to 100 feet from University facilities.

• Personal Use Policy outlines instances in which the use of the University’s resources and services for non-official purposes is permitted.

• Policy on Illegal Drugs outlines resources for preventing involvement in illegal drugs, penalties for possessing or trafficking illegal drugs and campus-wide reporting.

• Policy on Prohibited Harassment, Including Sexual Misconduct, and Discrimination prohibits harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, genetic information, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

• Policy Statement on Gender Inclusive Language states that gender inclusive terms should be used on University documents, websites and policies.

• Political Activities of EHRA Employees outlines procedures for University employees who intend to become candidates for political office.

• Violence in the Workplace Policy describes procedures for reporting violence in the workplace, prohibited behaviors, prohibited sanctions, support and protections.