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Caltech's 2021 Code of Conduct

October 5, 2021
Office of the President

To: The Caltech Community
From:  Thomas F. Rosenbaum, Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and Professor of Physics
Date: October 5, 2021
Re: Caltech's 2021 Code of Conduct

The last eighteen months have presented numerous challenges, but the Caltech community has risen to meet them. We continue to fulfill our intertwined missions of research and education in service of society, while caring for our colleagues. We continue to make safety a priority as we welcome back our larger community of researchers, engineers, students, and staff to campus, JPL, and our offsite facilities. A key to our success is deep commitment to the highest ethical standards and the values of probity and compassion.

Caltech's Code of Conduct serves as a guide to ensure that our actions are beyond reproach. With it, we are positioned to live up to Caltech's tradition of innovation and excellence.

In this ever-changing world, you may encounter situations where the best course of action is not obvious. The following list provides resources available to any member of the Caltech community who would like advice or counsel in such a situation:

  • Staff members on campus and at JPL may contact their immediate supervisors.
  • Faculty, postdoctoral scholars, researchers, students, and staff within the academic divisions may always contact their academic or research advisers, immediate faculty or staff supervisors, and higher levels of the divisional administration, up to the Division Chairs.
  • Students may contact the Dean of Undergraduate Students (626-395-6351) or the Dean of Graduate Studies (626-395-6346).
  • Any member of the Institute may direct questions regarding unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and other individual characteristics protected by federal and state law to the Equity and Title IX Office (626-395-3132) or equity@caltech.edu
  • Any member of the Institute may direct questions regarding research integrity to the Chief Research Policy Officer (626-395-2907) or the JPL Office of the Chief Scientist (818-354-0526).
  • Any member of the Institute may direct questions to Human Resources (626-395-3300), JPL's Ethics Office (818-354-6338), Audit Services and Institute Compliance (626-395-8075), or the Office of the General Counsel (626-395-3241).

When ordinary channels are not available or there is a need for confidentiality or anonymity, you may contact the campus hotline (626-395-8787 or toll free 888-395-8787) or the JPL ethics line (818-354-9999 or toll free 866-405-7536). Please be aware that the Caltech Whistleblower Policy prohibits retaliation against any individual who makes a good faith disclosure of suspected wrongful conduct.

Thank you for your commitment to the Institute's core values and standards. We are grateful for all you do to elevate Caltech.