MSCHE Self Study April 2021

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

Linkage of Standard to Institutional Priorities Increasing student debt is a challenge faced by virtually all professional doctorate level programs. The College’s Strategic Plan 2018 ‐ 2023 includes the following goal, which is also a strategic priority for this self ‐ study:  Attract the brightest and most motivated students with demonstrated leadership potential This standard addresses the following published objective for the above goal:  Insure the affordability of the Doctor of Optometry degree program by o Maintaining competitive tuition and fees while keeping graduate debt below the national average for schools and colleges of optometry o Identifying and increasing scholarship opportunities for incoming and enrolled students Overview SUNY College of Optometry policies regarding governance, recruitment, appointments, benefits, grievance procedures, non ‐ discrimination, discipline and due process are subject to the State University of New York Board of Trustees Policies and negotiated agreement between the State of New York and the Union of University Professionals ( UUP Contract ) pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil Servant Law. These are complemented by College policies on promotion and tenure (page 35 of the Faculty Handbook ). Article 7 of the current UUP agreement addresses grievance policies for faculty and professional staff. All College faculty members (except visiting and adjunct) are voting members with faculty governance rights. All employees are subject to the State Public Officers Law Section 74 (Code of Ethics) that prohibits conflicts of interest. Administrative personnel and faculty members who earn over a designated amount per year or have fiscal responsibilities must complete an online State ethics disclosure form that would identify conflicts of interest. This program falls under the auspices of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) ( JCOPE Webpage ‐ PDF ). The College is subject to state audits and is required to submit annual reports documenting the implementation of many policies and procedures, such as the provision of education/training on domestic violence and public safety. Policies and procedures and the manner in which they are implemented are assessed periodically ( Periodic Assessment – Ethics ). Starting in 2019 and based on a review of its compliance training, the College includes ethics training as part of its on ‐ line Annual Compliance Training Program required of all employees. To complete the training, employees must answer questions on various topics, including ethics. Modifications are made to the training program as needed. All personnel conducting research must undergo Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training and complete modules based of the nature of the research in which they are involved.

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