Ethics, Conduct, and Expectations
Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
These guidelines apply to the faculty, staff, and students in the IBIO department. If you feel these guidelines are not being followed, please consider discussing with your supervisor, the Graduate Director, the Faculty Advisory Committee, or the IBIO chairperson. Violations of these guidelines will be discussed as part of annual reviews and may be grounds for initiation of disciplinary action, termination of employment or forfeiture of stipends, fellowships, scholarships and awards.
Members of IBIO are expected to be:
Principled
We are committed to well-documented, replicable research and humane treatment of all research animals.
Considerate
We all depend on each other to produce the best work we can as a department. Politeness, kindness, attention to deadlines and professionalism in communication help others produce their best work.
Respectful
We work together to create an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where people feel comfortable and are not threatened, leading to a productive and creative environment.
Inclusive
We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to, people of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, veteran status, religion, and mental and physical ability.
Aware
We will provide a safe, supportive work environment. All MSU employees, including faculty, staff, and students, are mandatory reporters, which means that if any of us hear about or observe Sexual Harassment or Violence (SHV) we are required to report to the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE).
Informed
We value personal responsibility: know your responsibilities as a faculty member, staff member, or student, and know where you can turn (or refer others) to get help.
Mentoring and Supervisory Expectations
The Department of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University has developed a set of Mentoring and Supervisory Expectations to support effective working relationships between faculty and those in research or teaching roles, including undergraduate researchers, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and teaching assistants. These documents outline shared expectations around responsibilities, work practices, communication, and professional development. By establishing these standards early, they help reduce misunderstandings, promote consistency, and contribute to a productive academic environment. Designed as tools to support both structure and flexibility, they encourage regular, constructive conversations between mentors and mentees throughout the duration of a teaching or research appointment.
These documents are sorted by the nature of the supervised position, and can be downloaded below.
Graduate Students
Use this document to structure a discussion between the graduate student and their advisor to onboard them prior to the student joining the lab and department. It is intended to establish clear expectations of joining the lab and some aspects to be discussed and revisited annually thereafter.
Postdocs
Building and maintaining a productive working relationship between a supervisor and a post-doctoral researcher is crucial for their success. This document is intended to establish clear expectations for both the postdoc and the supervisor within the first few weeks of joining the lab, which should be reviewed annually thereafter.
Teaching and Learning Assistants & Instructors
Use this document to structure a discussion between the teaching assistant and the instructor to onboard them prior to the course starting. It is intended to establish clear expectations of joining the teaching team and some aspects to be discussed and revisited regularly within the semester and annually if teaching relationships continue.
Undergraduates Students
Use this document to structure a discussion between the undergraduate student and their advisor to onboard them prior to the student joining the lab and department. It is intended to establish clear expectations of joining the lab and some aspects to be discussed and revisited thereafter.
How these documents are to be used
These documents serve as a communication tool that outlines how the advisor-mentee relationship will function, covering areas such as work hours, authorship policies, feedback timelines, lab culture, and professional development opportunities.
These expectations are intended to guide onboarding discussions when a new individual joins a lab or teaching team and should be reviewed together by both parties at the start of the role. They can be used as checklists to help ensure that key topics (such as time commitments, authorship, communication norms, training requirements, and project goals) are clearly addressed and documented. In addition to complementing official university and department policies, these documents offer a practical framework that can be revisited regularly and adapted as needed. For labs or courses that already have established expectations, these documents serve as a prompt to review, clarify, and refine current practices through open discussion.