Code of conduct to prevent transgressive behavior

Odisee University College is committed to an environment where personal boundaries are respected and where there is no room for transgressive behavior such as (verbal and physical) aggression, (cyber)bullying, sexual transgressive behavior, stalking, harassment and discrimination. With the Code of Conduct below, Odisee University College creates a framework for respectful and professional interactions, in order to prevent transgressive behavior.

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Rules for respectful interactions with attention to personal boundaries

To ensure that every student's and employee's personal boundaries are respected, we expect that both students, employees and anyone else who comes into contact with (a student or employee of) the university college:

  • Treat others with care and respect at all times. Also on social media, via email and other communication channels. One should always refrain from (forwarding) derogatory, insulting or offensive comments and/or language.
  • Refrains from any form of (cyber)bullying, aggression (both verbal and physical), discrimination, harassment, stalking or any other form of transgressive behavior.
  • Refrains from any form of abuse of power.
  • Refrains from any form of sexual transgressive behavior (inappropriate touching, inappropriate sexual comments, sexual harassment, unsolicited sending or forwarding of sexually explicit and/or personal images....).

In addition, compliance with legal provisions and applicable regulations of the college and campus (such as the labor regulations & education and examination regulations, including disciplinary regulations) is also expected.

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Attention to power relations

Additionally, every student or employee at the college is entitled to a safe learning or working environment, an objective evaluation and an equal treatment, without any form of partiality.

Please, be aware that, as a teacher, pathway supervisor or manager, by definition, you are in a power relationship with a student or staff member in a subordinate position. This power relationship increases when an evaluation is involved.

Any person in a position of power is expected to always maintain an appropriate distance to students or employees in subordinate positions. Do not enter into a personal relationship beyond your professional role as a teacher, supervisor or manager, regardless of whether the student or employee is open to this.

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Are you in a position of power?

In that case, only interact with individual students or employees in a subordinate position within the limits of your employment at the university college. More specifically, in that position, you are expected to comply to the following rules of conduct:

  • Do not send personal messages
  • Be cautious with sharing personal information about yourself or your personal situation
  • Do not use information channels that you do not use for all students/employees
  • Do not invite students/employees individually to do something together during free time (have a drink, lunch, take a student home, go to a concert, etc.)
  • Do not accept invitations for more personal contact
  • Do not unnecessarily ask students/employees about too personal information, their background or past
  • Refrain from unnecessary or overly intimate touching
  • Refrain from comments about attractiveness and from any form of sexual insinuation
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Any doubts? Take action!

A good touchstone is to ask yourself whether you could be transparent with colleagues and supervisors about your actions at any time. In other words, could your mails, messages or behaviors be known publicly. When in doubt, it may be useful to discuss a situation with colleagues.

If, however, exceptionally an integer relationship does develop between persons in a power relationship within the Odisee context, then immediate transparency is expected towards the immediate supervisor of the person highest in position. A student can never be held responsible for such transparency.

We also expect colleagues who know about (potential) transgressive behavior not to ignore it and to help us to ensure a safe environment for everyone.

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