BLD Community Norms

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The BLD faculty and staff commit to an open, safe and respectful environment which is most conducive to a positive and productive outcome.  To help to ensure this and to also state the expectations of what this includes, the following frames how BLD seeks to maintain such an environment.

Education

The BLD program faculty and staff are committed to an environment that is conducive for lifelong learning. To create this environment, we will communicate with each other with respect and consideration. We value diverse opinions by sharing and hearing. We encourage and support one another in continuing our learning and sharing what we learn. Only with these behaviors will we have a productive environment. This expectation is not limited to the interactions between the BLD faculty and staff but also in interactions with students. Unprofessional or aggressive behavior such as harassment or intimidation erodes a conducive atmosphere for learning. We commit to preserving and enhancing BLD resources.

The BLD Environment

Behavior in BLD classrooms and workspaces will reflect the highest standards of laboratory and workplace safety for employees and students. We will abide by all regulations and policies that apply to our work, including FERPA, HIPAA, and all MSU policies applicable to employee and student health and safety. Our professional behavior extends beyond the BLD spaces and as professionals we will adhere to policies of our partners.

Civil and Professional Behavior

We all depend on each other to create an environment that promotes learning and scholarship.  We hope that we will serve as examples in our actions here on campus and in our practicing spaces as representatives of the BLD program.  To that end, we recognize that politeness, kindness and professionalism in communication is supportive of a productive, encouraging environment for working and learning.  Integrity is a key value in this commitment. 

We value diversity in viewpoints and opinions, as these contribute to broadening of perspectives, enhanced problem solving, and advancing knowledge; all of which have the potential to positively impact the world around us.  We treat others with differences in opinion with respectful dialogue.  Harassment, intimidation, or other types of aggressive or hostile behavior are unacceptable in a civil and professional environment.

Inclusion

Diversity is integral to the BLD Program and its achievement of excellence. Diversity enhances our ability to accomplish our academic mission. Diversity aims to broaden and deepen both the educational experience and the scholarly environment, as students and faculty learn to interact effectively with each other, preparing them to participate in an increasingly complex and pluralistic society. Ideas, and practices based on those ideas, can be made richer by the process of being nurtured in a diverse community. The pluralistic university can model a process of proposing and testing ideas through respectful, civil communication. Educational excellence that truly incorporates diversity can promote mutual respect and make possible the full, effective use of the talents and abilities of all to foster innovation and train future leadership. Diversity and Inclusion embraces human differences while building upon our commonalities as people. We strive to eliminate discrimination and exclusion based on:

Race Color Religion Ethnicity National Origin

Gender Gender Identity Sexual Orientation

Age Ability Socioeconomic status Military Status

All aspects of identity contribute to a diverse environment that enriches us all.

Behavior that fails to meet the expectations outlined above will not be allowed to persist.  When perceived issues arise, we commit to having an open conversation between the individuals involved with the goal of resolving the problems and restoring relationships. If needed, others can be brought into the conversation to help achieve this resolution.  If a member of the BLD faculty or staff are not willing to follow the expected norms, remedial actions will be pursued according to university policies.