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This is blog 5/5 see the bottom of the blog for the other glossaries.

The University of New England is committed to providing an inclusive environment that acknowledges and celebrates diversity, is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment, and which encompasses and utilises the skills and ideas of all people, irrespective of race or cultural background, gender or sexual orientation, educational level, socioeconomic position, age, disability, or family responsibility. We hope that you will enthusiastically take your place within this environment and enjoy your time here at UNE.

This A to Z Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE is designed to help you understand your social rights and responsibilities while studying at UNE and also to give you a clear sense of what is, and what is not, acceptable behaviour for staff, students or visitors.

The ultimate aim of the guide is to help you establish a safe and secure lifestyle while you are at UNE so that you enjoy your time as a student and ultimately achieve your full academic potential. Whether you dip into and out of this guide as needed, or read it from A to Z, we are sure you will find it a useful resource as you embark on your studies at UNE. You will find within this guide the contact details for a wide range of people who can assist and guide you during your time as a student. We all look forward to meeting you individually into the future. We wish you every success during your time at UNE and welcome you to our community.

U

Universal Rights

(See Rights)

V

Vandalism

(See Zero Tolerance)

Vilification

(See Equity)

Violence

(See Zero Tolerance)

Volunteer

When we are feeling under greater pressure to “achieve” or to get everything done, we can fall into the trap of becoming more focused on ourselves as an individual, rather than the community around us. Social ethics are about developing a sense of the other. Volunteering your time, energy and ideas to various tasks within the University or wider community is a great way of getting out of yourself and, ironically, of also feeling better about yourself.

Consider approaching Tune!FM to see what you can get involved in or have a look at the range of extracurricular activities you can undertake at UNE listed in the New England Award. You could also find out about the volunteer organisations in your local community. For Armidale students, check this out.

W

WH&S

The University of New England is committed to the principles of Work Health and Safety (WH&S) and the provision of a safe and healthy work environment for all staff, students and visitors. The University needs you to make the same commitment because WH&S is everyone’s responsibility. To meet this commitment each student must follow instructions and safe working procedures at all times and take all reasonable care to prevent personal injury or injury to others. Students must report to University staff any incidents and dangerous occurrences which affect or are likely to affect their safety or the safety of others. WH&S policies and incident report forms can be found via the UNE Work Health and Safety “Safety Hub”. The link for reporting injuries and hazards explains how staff, students, and visitors can report. Students who use laboratory equipment and who attend field trips are particularly encouraged to check out the information on risk identification and assessment.

World Wide Web

In order to access the World Wide Web and email through UNE, to access online units, and to use the library resources, you need a UNE account. When on-campus or in UNE study centres your UNE account allows you free access to the World Wide Web to assist you in meeting your obligations as a student. One of your obligations is to access the internet in an ethical manner. A condition of keeping your UNE account is, for example, that you do not use the web to access and disseminate offensive and illegal material, that you are not in breach of copyright laws, and that you do not use your account for commercial purposes or private gain. When applying for a UNE account, you will have agreed to abide by certain rules and conditions of use. To refresh your memory about these rules click here  re policies about the use of social media, computer laboratories, user (IT) registration, Cyberethics, etc. (Also see Copyright, Cyberethics)

X

Xenophobia

Xenophobia is defined as a deep dislike of foreigners. There is no place for xenophobia at UNE or elsewhere for that matter. This University and the surrounding community thrive on cultural diversity. Our international, local and indigenous students make the campus a richer place to be in; richer in terms of ideas, opinions, spirituality, traditions, food, music and global perspectives. (See Indigenous, International Students)

Y

Youth

The University recognises that the youth of today are the professionals of tomorrow. Many of you, once you graduate, will be required to abide by a code of conduct relevant to your profession – whether it be nursing, law, accountancy, teaching, or psychology to name a few. One of the graduate attributes that the University wants all students to develop is social responsibility. The information contained in this publication is to encourage you to now take steps towards ethical action and social responsibility.

You can do this by:

• Acknowledging the social and ethical implications of your actions;
• Appreciating the impact of social change;
• Recognising social justice issues relevant to your discipline and professional area;
• Demonstrating responsibility to the community; and
• Appreciating the importance of sustainable development.

For more information click here

Z

Zenith

The University’s objective is to prepare you for life-long learning in pursuit of your personal and professional development; to help you aspire towards the ZENITH of your personal and academic potential. The University is committed to providing an environment that is a catalyst for you to tackle your life-long learning with great enthusiasm or ZEAL.

Zero Tolerance

The University has zero tolerance for antisocial or discriminatory behaviour from its staff or students. Antisocial behaviour does not mean being shy or introverted. It means behaving in a way that society considers offensive and/or abusive to others. It includes things like willfully destroying property, physically and/or sexually assaulting another person, going on a rampage while drunk, forcing others to take illicit substances, stealing, disrupting classes, making racist or sexist remarks, and hazing, threatening or intimidating others. If you behave in such a manner, you may find yourself before a student disciplinary committee or having to respond to a complaint made against you, and you could potentially be excluded from the University. Make yourself familiar with the student conduct rules at UNE – check out these “Student Behavioural Misconduct” rules by looking at the A to Z of University Policies found here. If you are the victim of any antisocial or discriminatory behaviour, the University encourages you to lodge a complaint and to seek support. If you are unsure what to do, talk to the Special Access and Inclusion staff or Student Counselling and Psychological Services staff at Student Success. (Also see Bullying, Complaints, Harassment, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment)

Zones

The University has many types of zones: smoke-free zones, alcohol-free zones, no parking zones, and disabled parking zones to name a few. The University is also a harassment-free (all forms) and discrimination-free zone. Social ethics are about being aware of your surroundings; taking note of the signs, policies, and expected standards of behaviour that promote safety, trust, and respect. For information about parking zones, policies and procedures click here.

Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Find the rest of the glossary here;

The A to E Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE
The F to J Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE
The K to O Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE
The P to T Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE
The U to Z Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE