Employee Relations Playbook v.2 - Flipbook - Page 32
m. Electronic Resources Issues include use of university computing and/or electronic resources to
transmit intimidating, harassing, or threatening electronic communication and/or forging electronic
communication, unauthorized use of email including unsolicited, junk, chain or unauthorized mass
mailings, advertising by external agencies on university websites (except for appropriate
acknowledgment of corporate sponsorships), promoting or executing commercial or for-profit
endeavors on university webpages, distribution or reproduction, in any digital form, of copyrighted
music, video, or other multimedia content without the express written permission of the material’s
rightful owner, reproduction of copyrighted materials, trademarks, or other protected material in any
digital form without express written permission from the material’s owner, distribution, and
duplication or use of copyrighted software without appropriate licensing agreements or use of
software inconsistent with licensing. See the Information Technology section of the policy site.
n. Ethical Issues include theft, unfairness, disrespect for the rights and dignity of others, harassing,
belittling, harming, bullying or taking advantage of others, or conflicts of interest. See the university
Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest in Professional and Business Practices policy.
o. Gambling Issues include gambling conducted on university property at any time or while on
university business regardless of location, or offsite at university-related events.
p. Government Laws and Regulations Issues include failure to comply with any federal, state, local or
administrative law and/or regulation governing the university.
q. A Grievance within the Faculty Handbook is a complaint that is filed by faculty after an appeal has
been denied. Grievances are limited to complaints that USC did not follow the required procedures in
imposing a sanction.
r. Harassment refers to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on a protected characteristic
that creates a hostile environment or which submission to or rejection of is made a term or condition
of the work or academic place.
s. Insubordination Issues include refusal to follow (or following only after complaining or resisting) a
reasonable written or verbal instruction from a supervisor or other university employee with apparent
authority, including Department of Public Safety officers in the discharge of their duties.
t. Investigation Issues include impeding or failing to fully, immediately, and truthfully cooperate with
any university inquiry or investigation, including investigations of complaints about research
misconduct, auditing matters, violence, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, retaliation, or
any other matter. Supervisors must also cooperate and may not discourage employee participation in
an investigation.
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