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Academic Freedom

All faculty at NYITCOM/New York Tech work within the context of the institution's commitment of the principles of academic freedom. Please review New York Tech's Policy on Academic Freedom.

Code of Ethics

Every faculty member has an obligation to be loyal to New York Tech and to carry out their employment duties with reasonable care so that the educational purposes of New York Tech and its mission are effectively promoted as well as the Code of Ethics of the American Osteopathic Association.

New York Institute of Technology is committed to accomplishing its objectives in compliance with all laws and regulations. Faculty are required to comply with all administrative policies and with procedures that are based on these legal constraints. All faculty members must be familiar with the university's Code of Conduct.

Code of Professional Conduct

In addition, NYITCOM has adopted the following code for professional conduct.

Preamble

NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty, committed to providing a welcoming environment conducive to optimal education, clinical care, research, and maintenance of the highest levels of professional and ethical standards within a collegial environment, in addition to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Code of Ethics, we the faculty hereby adopt this Code of Professional Conduct. Faculty at NYITCOM are expected to:

Professionalism and Honesty

• Demonstrate integrity, honesty and mutual respect in an effort to facilitate effective teamwork with their faculty colleagues, staff, students and patients.
• Conduct themselves professionally in their demeanor, appearance, use of language and communications in the presence of colleagues, peers, students and patients as well as in the classroom, on social media platforms, email, and in all healthcare settings.
• Refrain from using alcohol or drugs in any way that would interfere with their teaching, clinical and other professional responsibilities.
• Refrain from using their professional position to engage in inappropriate relationships with faculty colleagues, staff, students, patients or members of their families.
• Maintain the highest standards of academic and personal honesty.
• Conduct research in an unbiased manner, report results truthfully and credit ideas developed and work done by others.
• Refrain from giving any unpermitted aid to students in their examinations or studies.

Respect and Compassion

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of an educational environment which fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust among our faculty colleagues, staff, students, patients and their family members.
• Evaluate our faculty colleagues and students in an impartial manner and promote the resolution of any conflicts in a way that respects the dignity of every person involved.
• Treat each body donor with the utmost respect and reverence.
• Refrain from discriminating against or discriminatory harassment of other faculty colleagues, staff, students and patients due to their race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, political views, creed or religion, or veteran status or any other protected classification.
• Treat other faculty, students, staff, patients and their family members with respect and dignity both in their presence and in discussions with other individuals.
• Approach other faculty, students, staff, patients and their family members with genuine empathy and compassion.
• Proactively recognize signs of physical and/or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress in faculty colleagues, self, staff and students, and guide those in need towards the proper resources.

Responsibility

• Acknowledge personal responsibility for their actions, recognizing potential errors in judgment and take the appropriate measures to rectify them.
• Monitor and maintain their physical and mental health, including seeking help when needed.
• Support the well-being of colleagues, staff and students, reach out to those individuals showing difficulty with their well-being and offer support if requested and are able.
• Meet professional and educational responsibilities.

Education

• Support an institutional culture that fosters a commitment to lifelong learning throughout the faculty and students' careers.
• Promote the joy of learning by providing students with clear explanations and guidelines regarding assignments and examinations.
• Provide an education fitting for all students we teach.
• Challenge students with rigorous curriculum without resorting to unjust and/or humiliating treatment.
• Encourage and celebrate the scholarly exchange of diverse ideas, opinions, and perspectives from faculty colleagues, staff and students.

Affirmation

I affirm my commitment to upholding all aspects of professionalism contained in this statement and the AOA Code of Ethics (below) during my tenure as a member of the faculty.

Faculty members who have questions about ethical responsibilities and requirements may consult with New York Tech's Office of General Counsel or with the Vice President for Health and Medical Affairs.

Code of Ethics of the American Osteopathic Association

The American Osteopathic Association has formulated this Code to guide its member physicians in their professional lives. The standards presented are designed to address the osteopathic physician's ethical and professional responsibilities to patients, to society, to the AOA, to others involved in healthcare and to self.

Further, the American Osteopathic Association has adopted the position that physicians should play a major role in the development and instruction of medical ethics.

Section 1. The physician shall keep in confidence whatever she/he may learn about a patient in the discharge of professional duties. Information shall be divulged by the physician when required by law or when authorized by the patient.

Section 2. The physician shall give a candid account of the patient's condition to the patient or to those responsible for the patient's care.

Section 3. A physician-patient relationship must be founded on mutual trust, cooperation, and respect. The patient, therefore, must have complete freedom to choose her/his physician. The physician must have complete freedom to choose patients whom she/he will serve. However, the physician should not refuse to accept patients for reasons of discrimination, including, but not limited to, the patient's race, creed, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. In emergencies, a physician should make her/his services available. View further interpretation.

Section 4. A physician is never justified in abandoning a patient. The physician shall give due notice to a patient or to those responsible for the patient's care when she/he withdraws from the case so that another physician may be engaged.

Section 5. A physician should make a reasonable effort to partner with patients to promote their health and shall practice in accordance with the body of systematized and scientific knowledge related to the healing arts. A physician shall maintain competence in such systematized and scientific knowledge through study and clinical applications.

Section 6. The osteopathic medical profession has an obligation to society to maintain its high standards and, therefore, to continuously regulate itself. A substantial part of such regulation is due to the efforts and influence of the recognized local, state and national associations representing the osteopathic medical profession. A physician should maintain membership in and actively support such associations and abide by their rules and regulations.

Section 7. Under the law a physician may advertise, but no physician shall advertise or solicit patients directly or indirectly through the use of matters or activities which are false or misleading. View further interpretation.

Section 8. A physician shall not hold forth or indicate possession of any degree recognized as the basis for licensure to practice the healing arts unless she/he is actually licensed on the basis of that degree in the state or other jurisdiction in which she/he practices. A physician shall designate her/his osteopathic or allopathic credentials in all professional uses of her/his name. Indications of specialty practice, membership in professional societies, and related matters shall be governed by rules promulgated by the American Osteopathic Association. View further interpretation.

Section 9. A physician should not hesitate to seek consultation whenever she/he believes it is in the best interest of the patient.

Section 10. In any dispute between or among physicians involving ethical or organizational matters, the matter in controversy should first be referred to the appropriate arbitrating bodies of the profession.

Section 11. In any dispute between or among physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of a patient, the attending physician has the responsibility for final decisions, consistent with any applicable hospital rules or regulations.

Section 12. Any fee charged by a physician shall compensate the physician for services actually rendered. There shall be no division of professional fees for referrals of patients.

Section 13. A physician shall respect the law. When necessary a physician shall attempt to help to formulate the law by all proper means in order to improve patient care and public health.

Section 14. In addition to adhering to the foregoing ethical standards, a physician shall recognize a responsibility to participate in community activities and services.

Section 15. It is considered sexual misconduct for a physician to have sexual contact with any patient with whom a physician-patient relationship currently exists.

Section 16. Sexual harassment by a physician is considered unethical. Sexual harassment is defined as physical or verbal intimation of a sexual nature involving a colleague or subordinate in the workplace or academic setting, when such conduct creates an unreasonable, intimidating, hostile or offensive workplace or academic setting.

Section 17. From time to time, industry may provide some AOA members with gifts as an inducement to use their products or services. Members who use these products and services as a result of these gifts, rather than simply for the betterment of their patients and the improvement of the care rendered in their practices, shall be considered to have acted in an unethical manner. View further interpretation.

Section 18. A physician shall not intentionally misrepresent himself/herself or his/her research work in any way.

Section 19. When participating in research, a physician shall follow the current laws, regulations and standards of the United States or, if the research is conducted outside the United States, the laws, regulations and standards applicable to research in the nation where the research is conducted. This standard shall apply for physician involvement in research at any level and degree of responsibility, including, but not limited to, research, design, funding, participation either as examining and/or treating provider, supervision of other staff in their research, analysis of data and publication of results in any form for any purpose.

This code of ethics may be found at the American Osteopathic Association.

Intellectual Property, Copyrights, and Patents

New York Tech's rules and policies for faculty on Intellectual Property, Public Presentations, Copyrights, and Patents can be found in the Faculty Handbook: U.S. Campuses.

NYIT's general counsel is available to advise on intellectual property policies and procedures.

Confidentiality

New York Tech's rules on confidentiality may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Conflict of Interest

New York Tech's rules and policies on conflict of interest may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Drug and Alcohol

New York Tech's drug and alcohol policy may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action

New York Tech's statement on equal employment opportunity may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

No Smoking

New York Tech is a smoke-free workplace. For more information see the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Relationships with Employees and Students

New York Tech's policy may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Discriminatory Harassment

Please refer to the New York Tech Employee Handbook Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.

Use of Telephones, Office Equipment, and Supplies

NYITCOM Technology Distribution Policy

NYITCOM is committed to providing faculty and staff with the technology needed to facilitate their work duties. Unless otherwise stated, NYITCOM follows New York Tech's computer and printer deployment policies. As such, the following policies are in effect:

• All NYITCOM full-time employees will be issued a desktop and/or laptop. Decisions as to the appropriate device(s) will be made in conjunction with the employee's chair/supervisor. NYITCOM issued devices will either include a webcam or a separate webcam will be provided.
• As per university policy, employee devices including laptops and desktops are replaced every four years.
• iPads and Apple Pencils are provided to all full-time faculty members. Devices are updated every four years.
• All NYITCOM employees are encouraged to use on-campus printer options. Generally, NYITCOM does not provide individual printers. Where an exception is requested, the request should come through the employee's supervisor or chair and include the reasoning for the request.
• Requests for all other personal use equipment (scanners, mouse and/or mousepad, ergonomic keyboards, multiple screens, etc.) should be made by an employee's supervisor or chair to their home campus ATG office.
• NYITCOM does not provide specific equipment for home office use. Employees who work from home should be familiar with New York Tech's Remote Work Guidelines.
• The NYITCOM maintains equipment that may be loaned out to an employee when needed for a specified period of time. This includes: laptops, iPad, MiFi devices, webcams, projection screens, and others. Requests may be made for loaner devices to atghelp@nyit.edu or atghelpjb@nyit.edu.
• New York Tech offers a number of software products, many of which are free to download. A list of university products can be found at Information Technology Services. If you would like to request access to a product not on this list, please contact ATG at atghelp@nyit.edu or atghelpjb@nyit.edu.
• All NYITCOM employees are expected to abide by the New York Tech Acceptable Use Policy.
• For issues regarding desktops, university issued software, office phones and printers, please contact the ITS Help Desk through my.nyit.edu, or by phone at 516.686.1188 (NY) or 870.680.8830 (AR).

New York Tech's policy may be found in the Employee Handbook: United States Based Employees.