Campus Policies

Introduction

The premise of Cornell Tech is to integrate the study and pursuit of technology, business, law and design in service of economic impact and societal good. Critical to that premise is fostering a community of professional, ethical, inclusive and integrity-driven developers, leaders and advisers for the tech ecosystem. Accordingly, we expect all members of the Cornell Tech community to adopt the highest standards of ethics, academic integrity, and professional conduct, and to abide by the core values and principles needed to make the community thrive:

• Integrity: Be agents for improvement, with integrity and respect.
• Teamwork: Embrace focused, diverse teams for better outcomes.
• Community: Think about how you can help another. Individual success requires community success.
• Build the Future: Create a better world with digital technology, by focusing on things that matter to people.
• Mutual Respect & Humility: Assume the best intentions of others. Strive to learn, understand and educate. Grow from feedback and honest self-reflection.
• Engage Positively: Represent yourself and the institution professionally in NYC and beyond.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CODES

All Cornell University students, including Cornell Tech students, must abide by all University policies, including the following three Cornell University policies:

• Cornell University Student Code of Conduct
• Cornell Code of Academic Integrity
• Cornell University Policy 6.4, including the Procedures for Resolution of Reports Against Students Under Cornell University Policy 6.4

Each of these codes has its own procedures and reporting policies. The Cornell Tech Standards of Professional Conduct below supplement the Cornell Codes by providing specific guidance relevant to the Cornell Tech campus.

CORNELL TECH STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

The learning environment at Cornell Tech uniquely integrates the student experience with academic scholars, industry practitioners, and public interest leaders to prepare students to apply their studies in practice. Students engage with each other and with the Cornell Tech Community daily to deepen their studies, build the future, and accomplish their individual and team goals. In this environment, professional conduct – that is, honesty, integrity and mutual respect among classmates, faculty, lecturers, staff, guests, and the community at large – is of paramount importance to Cornell Tech’s educational mission and the academic and professional success of our students.

Every single interaction matters. Adhering to these Standards helps build not only your own reputation, but the reputation of the institution, your classmates, and our current and future alumni. In other words, demonstrating integrity and responsible conduct today encourages others around you to do so and lets the world outside Cornell Tech know what they can expect from our students and graduates.

Accordingly, all students are expected to create a positive and inclusive living, learning, and working environment, to act as responsible citizens of the campus community, and to treat other members of the community with fairness, dignity, and respect, regardless of actual or perceived differences, including but not limited to gender, orientation, culture, religion, education or viewpoint. The Cornell Tech Community includes all of our students, faculty, staff, instructors, visitors and guests.

Professional conduct is expected and required at the Roosevelt Island campus, and at any location where Cornell Tech students are convened for official functions (e.g., recruiting event, social event) or are working on academic-related activities (e.g., field research, networking events, off-campus coursework).

While it is impossible to list all possible violations of these Standards, examples of what would be typically considered violations are outlined below, along with expectations for balancing academic and career demands.

Communications and General Campus Interactions (in or out of class, in person or using Cornell communications channels):

• Defamation, libel, foul language and/or threatening or disruptive conduct.
• Disparaging a community member’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nation, or sexual orientation.
• Invasion of privacy or destruction of property that is not one’s own.
• Intentional physical intimidation, whether or not it rises to the level of harassment.
• Abusive, or personally disparaging critique or communications.
• Persistent or flagrant disregard of messages from faculty, staff, administration, project team, or corporate contacts sent through established communication channels.
• Distributing or otherwise sharing confidential information (e.g., other students’ grades).
• Repeated inappropriate use of Cornell communications channels.

Class and Event Conduct:

• Persistent or flagrant non-compliance with classroom policies, including but not limited to attendance.
• Interference with the learning process of others including but not limited to:
  • Inappropriate device use, as set by each instructor/host.
  • Arriving late to/leaving early from class or events (e.g., arriving late or leaving early on a continuous basis, disrupting the class/event when entering/leaving).
  • Failing to meet course-related commitments, including arriving late, unprepared, or failing to attend course-related events.
  • Stealing intellectual property (e.g., photocopying, scanning, or otherwise unlawfully obtaining course packets or course textbooks).
  • Inappropriate behavior when a guest speaker is present (e.g., failure to attend class/event without an excused absence, inappropriate apparel, disruptive conduct or device use).

Career:

• Misrepresentation of background (e.g., credentials and work experience on resume).
• Signing up for, but not attending, corporate events or interviews.
• Arriving late or unprepared for corporate events or interviews.
• Failure to decline a job offer when a student knows it will not be accepted.
• Reneging on accepted job offers.

REPORTING AND PROCEDURES

Students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Cornell Tech Community who have concerns about a student’s violation of these Standards may choose to first raise a concern directly with the student and may also seek guidance from the appropriate senior administrator, including but not limited to the Associate Deans, the Assistant Dean of Graduate Education, the Senior Director of Career Management, and the Assistant Director of Safety and Security. If community members wish not to raise a concern directly, individuals may report concerns to Student & Academic Affairs by contacting studentaffairs@tech.cornell.edu.

If the issue cannot be resolved with direct or facilitated discussion or other educational interventions, reports of violations of these Standards may be referred by Student & Academic Affairs to the Cornell Tech Hearing Board.  The Hearing Board will follow the process outlined by the Cornell Code of Academic Integrity, including recommending action as outlined in that Code. Conduct reported as above may also be referred for investigation and adjudication under the Cornell University Student Code of Conduct, Cornell University Policy 6.4, or other applicable university policies.

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Campus Code of Conduct