GENERAL INFORMATION The Center for the Performing Arts attracts world-class symphony orchestras, Broadway plays, opera, and large-scale ballet productions to Gainesville. The Stephen C. O'Connell Center and the J. Wayne Reitz Union provide space for a myriad of student and faculty activities. One thousand persons can participate simultaneously in eight different recreational activities in the O'Connell Center, which is home to the Gator basketball, volleyball, swimming and gymnastics teams. More than 20,000 use the student union daily for dining, meeting, bowling, pool and other games, arts and crafts, music listening and TV viewing. Campus Safety and Security The University of Florida is an open campus and can rightly be considered a city within a city. As such, the campus is not immune to the same security issues that affect other parts of the Gainesville community. The university recognizes that it must develop and maintain a safe and secure envi- ronment for its students, faculty and staff. The university has the utmost concern for the safety of each student, and it strives to give each student maximum freedom. With this free- dom, however, comes the responsibility to exer- cise personal safety. No community's security plan can attain maximum effectiveness unless everyone in the community contributes to making it work. Safety and security are personal and shared responsibilities. Only by accepting this responsi- bility can members of the university community maintain a safe and secure campus environ- ment. The University Police Department has close to 100 sworn officers, with the addition of a dozen new officers since 1990. UF also has insti- tuted a voluntary apartment safety program, in cooperation with local law enforcement, to advise students of those apartment complexes that have been inspected by police for safety. Standard of Ethical Conduct Honesty, integrity and caring are essential qualities of an educational institution, and the concern for values and ethics is important to the whole educational experience. Individual stu- dents, faculty and staff members, as well as the university's formal organizations, must assume responsibility for these qualities. The concern for values and ethics should be expressed in classes, seminars, laboratories and, in fact, in all aspects of university life. By definition, the uni- versity community includes members of the fac- ulty, staff and administration as well as stu- dents. Education at the University of Florida is not an ethically neutral experience. The university stands for, and seeks to inculcate, high stan- dards. Moreover, the concern for values goes well beyond the observance of rules. A university is a place where self-expres- sion, voicing disagreement and challenging out- moded customs and beliefs are prized and hon- ored. However, all such expressions need to be civil, manifesting respect for others. As a major sector in the community, stu- dents are expected to follow the university's rules and regulations that, by design, promote an atmosphere of learning. Faculty, staff and administration are expected to provide encour- agement, leadership and example. While the university seeks to educate and encourage, it also must restrict behavior that adversely affects others. The Standard of Ethical Conduct summarizes what is expected of the members of the university community. Academic Honesty The university requires all members of its community to be honest in all endeavors. A fundamental principle is that the whole process of learning and pursuit of knowledge are dimin- ished by cheating, plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty. In addition, every dishon- est act in the academic environment affects other students adversely, from the skewing of the grading curve to giving unfair advantage for honors or for professional or graduate school admission. Therefore, the university will take severe action against dishonest students. Similarly, measures will be taken against fac- ulty, staff and administrators who practice dis- honest or demeaning behavior. Student Responsibility. Students should report any condition that facilitates dishon- Sesty to the instructor, department chair, col- lege dean or Student Honor Court. Faculty Responsibility. Faculty members have a duty to promote honest behavior and to avoid practices and environments that foster cheating in their classes. Teachers should encourage students to bring negative conditions or incidents of dishonesty to their attention. In their own work, teachers should practice the same high standards they expect from their students. Administration Responsibility. As highly visible members of our academic commu- nity, administrators should be ever vigilant to promote academic honesty and conduct their lives in an ethically exemplary manner. Alcohol and Drugs The use of alcohol and other drugs can have a negative impact on judgments and reaction, health and safety, and may lead to legal compli- cations as well. * The University's Role. The university's principal role is to engage in education that leads to high standards and respectful con- duct. When those are compromised, it will take disciplinary action against organiza- tions and individuals violating either the law or the reasonable use of alcohol. It also must provide help for students who are alco- hol-dependent. The university will deal severely with students convicted of the ille- gal possession, use, or sale of drugs. What the University Community Can Do to Prevent Alcohol Abuse and Drug Use. Students can help control substance abuse by declining to use or condone the use of drugs and by insisting that organizations and individuals use alcohol within the bounds of the law and reasonable conduct. Students should make an effort to prevent persons who have abused alcohol or used drugs from harming themselves or others, especially in driving a motor vehicle. They should encourage those needing profes- sional help to seek it. The same standards and regulations apply equally to faculty, staff and administration. Relations Between People and Groups One of the major benefits of higher educa- tion and membership in the university commu- nity is greater knowledge of and respect for other groups, religious, racial and cultural. Indeed, genuine appreciation for individual dif- ferences and cultural diversity is essential to the environment of learning. Another major aspect of university life involves sexual relationships. Sexual attitudes or actions that are intimidating, harassing, coer- cive or abusive, or that invade the right to pri- vacy of the individual, are not acceptable. Organizations or individuals that adversely upset the balance of communal living will be subject to university disciplinary action. Only in an atmosphere of equality and respect can all members of the university community grow. Service to Others An important outcome of a University of Florida education should be a commitment to serving other people. This sense of service should be encouraged throughout the institu- tion by faculty, administration, staff and stu- dents. Through experience in helping individu- als and the community, students can put into practice the values they learn in the classroom. Education at the University of Florida is not an ethically neutral experience. The entire uni- versity community should dedicate itself to real- izing the vision that a center of learning is a bea- con that, by directing itself to the highest values, guides and encourages society to do the same.