Code of Conduct

Professionalism in words and actions is expected of all teacher candidates and is included in the student teaching evaluation rubric completed by the cooperating teacher and the college supervisor. While most of your interactions in the course are completed independently, there will be opportunity to engage with your colleagues, faculty, and staff through the synchronous meetings, asynchronous Cohort Hub in the LMS, through MLC Gmail, and other collaborative resources. It is important that you model professionalism in all interactions leading up to and during your final student teaching experience. 

The orientation course for the APPLE - Elementary Education program includes a module on professionalism in an online environment. For now, though, consider that everything that you say and write is a reflection of who you are not just as a teacher but as a Christian educator. Before making a statement let Ephesians 4:29 be your guide.

As Christians in fellowship with one another, we hold a high expectation for our treatment of and engagement with one another. The individuals you are learning with are not only your colleagues in your classes, but also fellow Christians. They are also enrolled in the Alternate Pathway to Professional Licensure Eligibility program to answer the call to become public ministers. They will be your colleagues now in this program, for the rest of your life in your ministry service, and for all time when we meet again in our heavenly home. 

While such a statement should be guidance enough, it is also important to recognize the legal requirements. MLC adheres to the Title IX guidelines established by the United States Federal Government to ensure that we provide a safe community for our students, faculty, and staff. Even though you may not ever visit our campus in New Ulm, you still have a role to play in ensuring that we have a safe community. Though physical assaults would be highly unlikely in our online environment, verbal sexual harassment and assaults are possible. If a learner feels threatened, coerced, or uncomfortable with an online exchange in email, synchronous session chats, or materials shared in the course content, or receives inappropriate phone calls or postal mail from a member of the MLC community, they should connect with our Title IX Coordinators:

Title IX Coordinator
Jeffrey L. Schone

Vice President for Student Life

Administration Suite 110 – Wittenberg Collegiate Center

schonejl@mlc-wels.edu

507-354-8221 ext 289

507-217-9764 mobile

Deputy Title IX Coordinator

Andrea E. Wendland

Director of Human Resources

Wittenberg Collegiate Center - 158

wendlaae@mlc-wels.edu

507-766-4690 

It is imperative, then, that we all work together to both create a positive learning environment and address any questionable comments or behavior. 

While we fully expect that all members of our community will treat each other with respect throughout their studies with us and into their ministry, if an individual does engage in disruptive behavior, there will be consequences. Disruptive behavior may include intentionally talking to others during synchronous sessions; using the chat to belittle others; forcing a synchronous conversation or asynchronous discussion board to address inappropriate topics; initiating or engaging in hurtful gossip; bullying and threatening a fellow learner or an MLC faculty or staff member. 

1. Preliminary Step—The Course Instructor or the Director of the Nontraditional Education Program addresses the behavior. 

2. Virtual Meeting Procedure—If the behavior persists, the Course Instructor, Director of Nontraditional Education, and VP of Student Affairs meet with the learner to discuss the behavior. 

3. Notification Step—The VP of Student Affairs sends a formal letter on MLC letterhead to the learner and the Course Instructor or Director of Nontraditional Education Program outlining the findings of the virtual meeting. 

4. Consequence—The appropriate party implements the consequence, e.g. learner writes and posts an approved apology to the class or Course Instructor removes that learner from all discussion boards.

5. Hearing—The student may appeal the sanction to the Vice President for Student Affairs, who arranges a hearing.

6. The decision of the hearing facilitated by the Vice President for Student Affairs is final.