McNeese State University is committed to creating a culture of respect and civility that is free of harassment and discrimination. All members of the University community share a commitment to academic freedom, open inquiry, the pursuit of knowledge, and the fair and respectful treatment of all individuals—regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, marital status, military status, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics—in admission, employment, and participation in educational programs, services, and activities.
Civility requires treating others with dignity and respect and making a good faith effort to consider others’ feelings. Even the most critical feedback must be delivered respectfully, privately, and courteously.
Examples of civility include:
Incivility includes a broad range of unprofessional behaviors such as rudeness, shouting, swearing, intimidation, bullying, or other conduct that causes offense, humiliation, or harm. It can be a single event or a pattern, overt or subtle, and may involve abuse of authority.
Examples of incivility include:
The University complies with and enforces applicable laws, including but not limited to:
Individuals who believe they have been treated with disrespect, incivility, harassment, or discrimination may discuss their concerns confidentially and informally with the Office of Campus Compliance and Civility. Individuals wishing to initiate a formal written complaint may do so via one of the following methods:
Violations of this policy may result in sanctions, including reprimand, probation, suspension, demotion, reassignment, termination, and expulsion. Legal liability may also apply to both the individual and the University.
McNeese and the state of Louisiana provide training on Title IX, power-based violence, civility, prevention of sexual misconduct, and other related areas.
All course syllabi must include the following statement: “Students should visit www.www.mcneese.edu/compliance and www.www.mcneese.edu/policy on the University website for policies and procedures regarding disabilities, sexual misconduct, anti-bullying, civility and personal conduct, and retaliation.”
This policy is distributed via course syllabi and the University Policies webpage.