In June 2009, the Advisory Board of the Medical Faculty approved revisions to both the Procedures for Dealing with Issues of Research Misconduct and the Procedures for Dealing with Issues of Professional Misconduct. Below is a summary of the changes.
- Language in each policy was changed where appropriate resulting in more parallel structure
- Formatting changed so that professional misconduct procedures mirror research misconduct procedures
- Office of Policy Coordination’s (OPC) role in the process clarified
- OPC oversees the process and staffs committees
- OPC available to answer questions concerning procedures
- General Counsel's role in the process clarified
- Impartial legal advisor to all parties
- No longer serve in supervisory capacity over process
- References to senior staff and students removed from Professional Misconduct policy
- Professional misconduct policy refers to faculty only
- Reference to "Guidelines for Conduct in Teacher/Learner Relationship" added
- New protocol for division directors of the accused person
- Division director will notify the department director of misconduct
- New protocol for accused persons holding appointments in both SOM and other JHU schools
- Deans and/or Deans' designees will collaboratively decide how to proceed on a case-by-case basis
- New protocol for accused persons holding appointments in more than one SOM department
- Non-primary department director will be notified after inquiry is completed, if inquiry conclucdes investigation is warranted
- Ombudsperson/Advisor
- Ombudsperson will now be called "advisor"
- Advisor provides advice and guidelines regarding the procedural aspects of the process
- Removed limitations on advisor's capacity to serve as an advocate
- Advisor may be chosen by the accused person and approved by the Dean or advisor may be appointed by the Dean and approved by the accused person
- No current member of the Standing Committee on Discipline (SCD) may serve as an advisor
- If there is a finding of no misconduct, the SCD chair will not be sent a copy of the Investigation Committee's report
- Further protection of the accused person
- SCD members who are department or functional unit directors in the department of the accused person will be recused from deliberations
- SCD members who are department/functional unit directors will be permitted to meet with the SCD prior to reaching its final decision, as stated in the Procedures
- SCD members with conflicts of interest will be recused from deliberations
- Conflicts of interest - real or perceived
- Accuser's appearance before SCD is at the discretion of the SCD
To access the revised procedures, please click on the links below:
