EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

All College District employees shall perform their duties in accordance with state and federal law, College District policy, and ethical standards.

All College District personnel shall recognize and respect the rights of students, other employees, and members of the community and shall work cooperatively with others to serve the best interests of the College District.

Employees wishing to express concern, complaints, or criticism shall do so through appropriate channels. [See DGBA]

Ethical Standards

The College District holds all employees to the ethical standards expressed in the Texas Community College Teachers Association Code of Professional Ethics (PDF).

Violations

Employees shall comply with the standards of conduct set out in this policy and with any other policies, regulations, and guidelines that impose duties, requirements, or standards attendant to their status as College District employees. Violation of any policies, regulations, or guidelines may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment. [See DCC, DIAA, and DM series]

Electronic Media

Record Retention

Personal Use

Electronic media includes all forms of social media, such as text messaging, instant messaging, electronic mail (email), web logs (blogs), electronic forums (chat rooms), video-sharing websites, editorial comments posted on the internet, and social network sites. Electronic media also includes all forms of telecommunication, such as landlines, cell phones, and web-based applications.

An employee shall comply with the College District’s requirements for records retention and destruction to the extent those requirements apply to electronic media. [See CIA and GCB]

Employees shall be held to the same professional standards in their public use of electronic media as they are for any other public conduct. If an employee’s use of electronic media violates state or federal law or College District policy, or interferes with the employee’s ability to effectively perform his or her job duties, the employee is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. 

Safety Requirements

All employees shall adhere to College District safety rules and regulations and shall report unsafe conditions or practices to the appropriate supervisor.

Tobacco and
E-cigarettes

An employee shall not use tobacco products or e-cigarettes on College District property, in College District vehicles, or at College District-related activities, unless authorized by the College President or designee. [See FLBD]

An employee shall not give or sell tobacco products or e-cigarettes to a person in violation of law.

Alcohol and Drugs

Exceptions

Paraphernalia

Notice

A copy of this policy, the purpose of which is to eliminate drug abuse from the workplace, shall be provided to each employee at the beginning of each year or upon employment.

Employees shall be prohibited from using, possessing, controlling, manufacturing, transmitting, distributing, dispensing, selling, or being under the influence of any of the following substances while conducting College District business or while on College District property, in College District vehicles, or at College District-related activities, whether during or outside of usual working hours:

1. Any controlled substance or dangerous drug as defined by law, including but not limited to marijuana, any narcotic drug, hallucinogen, stimulant, depressant, amphetamine, or barbiturate.

2. Alcohol or any alcoholic beverage.

3. Any abusable glue, aerosol paint, or any other chemical substance for inhalation.

4. Any performance-enhancing substance, including steroids.

5. Any designer drug.

6. Any other intoxicant, or mood-changing, mind-altering, or behavior-altering drugs.

The transmittal, sale, or attempted sale of what is represented to be any of the above-listed substances shall also be prohibited under this policy.

An employee need not be legally intoxicated to be considered “under the influence” of alcohol or a controlled substance.

It shall not be considered a violation of this policy if the employee:

1. Manufactures, possesses, controls, sells, transmits, distributes, or dispenses a substance listed above as part of the employee’s job responsibilities;

2. Uses or possesses a controlled substance or drug authorized by a licensed physician prescribed for the employee’s personal use; 

3. Possesses a controlled substance or drug that a licensed physician has prescribed for the employee’s child or other individual for whom the employee is a legal guardian; 

4. Cultivates, possesses, transports, or sells hemp as authorized by law; or

5. Possesses, sells, or distributes Dextromethorphan.

With the prior consent of the Board or the College President, the alcohol provisions may be waived with respect to a specific location on College District property or a specific event that is sponsored by the College District. 

State law shall be strictly enforced at all times on all property controlled by the College District in regard to the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The use, possession, control, manufacture, transmission, distribution, dispensation, or sale of paraphernalia related to any prohibited substance is prohibited. 

Each employee shall be given a copy of the College District’s notice regarding a drug-free workplace. [See DI(EXHIBIT)]

Arrests, Indictments, Convictions, and Other Adjudications

Moral Turpitude

An employee shall notify the employee’s immediate supervisor within three calendar days of any arrest, indictment, conviction, no contest or guilty plea, or other adjudication of the employee for any felony or offense involving moral turpitude.

Moral turpitude includes but is not limited to:

1. Dishonesty, fraud, deceit, theft, or misrepresentation; 

2. Deliberate violence;

3. Base, vile, or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor;

4. Felony possession, transfer, sale, distribution, or conspiracy to possess, transfer, sell, or distribute any controlled substance defined in Chapter 481 of the Health and Safety Code;

5. Acts constituting public intoxication, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, or disorderly conduct, if any two or more acts are committed within any 12-month period; or

6. Acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code.