All UCSF employees are required to take an online "Ethics Briefing," which begins today (April 11).
The purpose of this briefing is to familiarize all UC employees with the "Statement of Ethical Values and Standards of Ethical Conduct," adopted by the UC Regents in May 2005, according to Mike Tyburski, director of Human Resources for the campus.
A separate briefing for medical center employees will be conducted at a later date.
UC President Robert Dynes says the new training will raise awareness and increase communication about the importance of ethical behavior at the University.
"Of course, the University has always endorsed the highest level of ethical standards and behavior," he said. "But, in today's climate, it is clear that all institutions, and especially those that derive their support from the public, need to do more to demonstrate their commitment to ethical behavior in everything we do. I think it's important that we're all going through this same material together to give us a common frame of reference for further dialogue about ethical behavior at UC."
The online briefing, developed by the UC Office of the President (UCOP) through Workplace Answers, can be taken on any computer with Internet access. UCSF campus employees will receive an email with a personalized link that will direct them to the briefing. The goal is for each employee to complete the briefing by Monday, June 11.
The briefing, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, was rolled out in November 2006 to employees at the UCOP locations and designated officials at all UC locations. It is being introduced at all UC campuses over the next few months.
The online briefing includes several interactive scenarios that will give employees the opportunity to ponder possible ethical challenges in the workplace. The program also includes reference materials and ethics contact information.
For employees who do not have online access, a classroom version of the "Ethics Briefing" will be provided. Classroom presentations will be posted on the
Human Resources' Development & Training website.
Updates about UC ethics, the history of the "Statement of Ethical Values and Standards of Ethical Conduct," links to UC policies, and ethics resources are posted on the
UCOP website.
Questions about the training at UCSF may be directed
via email.
