Dedicated students, distinguished colleagues and dear friends,

Happy Friday!

At its most basic level, living together means respecting one another! To do that, organizations, by definition, structure themselves to perform their functions according to a set of laws, rules, standards and norms, and perhaps in that order. In the long run, laws and rules help establish codes of conduct, standards and norms – or what we call culture; that is simply the collective behavior of individuals.

Universities are no exception. They are made up of individuals – students, faculty and staff –  and are governed by a body of rules and regulations. Here at S&T, we organize and govern ourselves according to our Collected Rules and Regulations (CRRs) that are designed to enhance our sense of shared interest, rather than focusing on self-interest. I, for one, have always believed that the fewer the rules the better, but I also understand that we are judged according to the rule of law, and we are ultimately responsible for our actions. Tough decisions that affect someone else’s future and our own future require thoughtful consideration and a commitment to owning the outcome. After all, that is what we call accountability.

Fortunately, our Dean of Students Office offers a treasure trove of helpful information that connects our students with support resources ranging from personal, to academic, to financial to well-being and much more. The office also provides all necessary and needed policies and procedures that are designed to cultivate a safe and healthy campus community for all of us. To our students, I say, familiarize yourself with our Standard of Conduct that will serve to protect you and others from harm. Familiarity with the written rules as well as the unwritten rules could easily save the day. To our faculty and staff, I point to our Code of Conduct which also ensures a safe, productive environment.

I am very aware of unfortunate cases where the accused was not even aware of the rule and regulation governing the incident for which they are accused! Needless to say, claiming ignorance when we might not even know that we don’t know doesn’t absolve us of responsibility. It is unfortunate when the awareness comes one incident too late, putting us in the situation of having to explain ourselves. After all, as it has been famously said, “When we are explaining, we are losing!” I often wonder what I wish I knew the moment before an incident, or the moment after an incident. Clearly, no one has a crystal ball but our training for students can help with awareness of the rules and how to report violations. Our training sessions help ensure your rights and the rights of others and point to places you can go for help if you have any concerns.

Coincidentally, our Good Samaritan program, STEP UP, is celebrating its 10th year at Missouri S&T. STEP UP is a bystander intervention program that uses a community-based approach to prevent sexual violence. Through training, bystanders learn to recognize and intervene in problematic scenarios. Similarly, I applaud our community-minded fraternities and sororities who organize and conduct their wonderful Community Values in Action workshops along with their awareness efforts during National Hazing Prevention Week and the Standards of Excellence program to prevent hazing.

In short, I encourage our students to consult “the list” to be prepared and learn what to do when they don’t know what to do or what to say, or perhaps more importantly, what not to say, when faced with potentially dangerous situations.

Like it or not, in a community like ours, unlike the lone sculptor shaping clay in isolation, we interact and shape each other. What we do is not only about each of us, but it starts with each of us. It behooves us, then, to learn our Code of Conduct, subscribe to key elements of our culture, and experience a great journey of learning and discernment together.

Warmly,

-Mo.

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Mohammad Dehghani, PhD
Chancellor
mo@mst.edu | 573-341-4116

206 Parker Hall, 300 West 13th Street, Rolla, MO 65409-0910
chancellor.mst.edu