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Code of Behaviour

Code of Behaviour

Our Commitment

Our goal is that you have a great experience while studying or working at the University. Macquarie is committed to ensuring a safe, secure, fair and inclusive environment for all students and staff. The safety and wellbeing of everyone on campus is our priority. Macquarie University condemns any form of inappropriate behaviour; it is in breach of University policy and is often against the law.

It is the responsibility and duty of everyone on campus to prevent and eliminate inappropriate behaviour. All forms of harassment or bullying are contrary to University policy; they will not be tolerated and could lead to suspension or dismissal.

Professor Ed Davis
Dean
Division of Economic and Financial Studies

What is Appropriate Behaviour?

  • Respect for the individual rights of staff and students
  • Honest, fair and impartial treatment of all; free from discrimination
  • Respect for each individual’s confidentiality and privacy
  • A willingness to listen to others
  • When there are disagreements, commitment to try to resolve issues by talking to the person involved, as soon as possible and with the least fuss
  • Use of non-discriminatory, inclusive language and practices
  • Responsible use of email and the internet
  • Ensuring students and staff have fair and equitable access to benefits and services

What is Inappropriate Behaviour?

  • Violent, intimidating or aggressive behaviour
  • Assault or threat of physical attack on an individual or group
  • Cheating or plagiarism
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Bullying, harassment or intimidation
  • Stalking
  • Verbal and emotional abuse
  • Behaviour that is offensive, intimidates, humiliates or threatens
  • Ill treatment of an individual or group
  • Electronic harassment for instance via emails or SMS
  • Sexual propositions, unwelcome remarks or invitations, leering
  • Unnecessary physical contact – pinching, patting, sexual, intimate or threatening touching
  • Wolf whistling
  • Offensive gestures of a sexual or racial nature

What is Discrimination?

Any behaviour between an individual or a group that results in disadvantaging some people. Discrimination may be direct or indirect. It is against the law to discriminate on the grounds of:

  • race,
  • sex, including pregnancy, or potential pregnancy,
  • disability,
  • marital status,
  • age,
  • homosexuality,
  • transgender status,
  • carers’ responsibilities.

What is bullying?

Bullying is any type of behaviour that offends, humiliates or intimidates someone; and that could put that person, or someone else’s, health, safety or welfare at risk. It can be committed by anyone against anyone and is generally an abuse of some source of power held by the bully. Bullying is generally against the law in Australia. Examples of bullying are:

  • verbal abuse,
  • exclusion or isolation of a staff member or student,
  • harassment or intimidation,
  • criticism or denigration in front of a colleague or peer,
  • sending abusive emails,
  • assigning meaningless tasks,
  • emotional blackmail,
  • overwork, impossible deadlines.

Workplace bullying is not always a simple abuse of power from supervisor to subordinate: for example, employees or students can bully their supervisors, and workplace bullying can occur between members of an ostensibly equal group.

What is Harassment?

Harassment is any form of behaviour that: offends, embarrasses, degrades, humiliates, intimidates, puts down and is not welcome. It can be of a sexual nature and may include the telling of sexual jokes or stories, displaying material of a sexual nature or the emailing of pornographic material or website addresses. Alternatively it may target people because of their race or other characteristics. It is often illegal.

Getting Help @ Macquarie

For further information or assistance please contact the following:

Join with me. Let’s make this a great place to study and work.

Professor Ed Davis