The University of Pittsburgh is a broad community made up of many members from smaller communities. These communities vary in size, diversity and origin, but we all believe in the University’s mission to build a better future for humankind. The culture of our community is built on innovation, leadership and discovery. Our roots in the communities in which our campuses are located are grounded in cooperation and being good neighbors. This is true even in a pandemic.
Student leaders from the Pittsburgh campus have created the Pitt Community Compact and have asked students, faculty and staff on all campuses to take this pledge to emphasize our culture of adhering to behaviors to protect the community. The Compact focuses on your individual health and wellbeing, your impact on others, and your accountability. It ends with, “No matter your affiliation, we are all members of the same community. We are all in this together, and we will get through this together.”
Students, faculty and staff will see and sign the pledge after completing training in August.
Other ways to build our culture include modeling good behavior for others, offering constructive suggestions to those who seem to be disregarding the health rules, and praising positive behaviors. Be an active bystander – if you see someone putting others at risk, interject and have a discussion. The Resilience Steering Committee has also provided some scenarios to help de-escalation situations when necessary. More information about building a supportive culture is available at coronavirus.pitt.edu.
All faculty, staff and students are required to complete a mandatory training before returning to campus. The trainings is focused on the health rules and safety guidance to ensure every member of our community is made aware and accountable. Members of the community who fail to adhere to the health and safety guidance may have their access to university buildings and facilities revokes.
A new code violation regarding compliance with health rules has been added to the Student Code of Conduct. As with every violation of the code, when student misconduct occurs, we oversee impartial judicial procedures and opportunities for personal development and improvement. Students who violate the Code of Conduct may be restricted from campus facilities, including classrooms when classes resume in person. Violations can also become as serious as semester suspensions. Student violations of the Student Code of Conduct should be reported online.
Anonymous reporting for violations among faculty, staff or students can be reported through Emergency Health and Safety’s anonymous form. Tips about non-compliance may also be submitted through the RAVE Guardian mobile safety app which is free of charge to Pitt community members,. Reports may also be made through Alertline by calling a toll-free number (1-866-858-4456) or via the AlertLine website. All three types of reporting are anonymous.