Policies and Procedures | Cedar Creek LTER

New Research Guidelines

Cedar Creek LTER coordinates with Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve to ensure that new research does not impact any existing research, and that disturbances are well documented so that future users of a given area are fully informed.

If new sampling will take place entirely within actively used, pre-existing research plots, and that sampling is not significantly different in disturbance, then approval from all researchers currently using those plots is sufficient for sampling to begin.

If any portion of the sampling is

in new areas
in currently unused pre-established plots, and/or
causes significant new disturbance

approval must be obtained by through the process available at https://cbs.umn.edu/cedarcreek/research/conducting-research.

In all cases, all sampling must be reported to the CDR LTER in the Annual Report.

Code of Conduct

All personnel involved with work at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve are expected to act in accordance with the CCESR Code of Conduct.

Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (henceforth Cedar Creek) is committed to fostering research, education, and community engagement in a welcoming and inclusive environment. All people at Cedar Creek, including all researchers, students, employees, and visitors, are expected to treat each other in a respectful and professional manner. We are all responsible for holding our community to standards of conduct. In addition to following University policies, we ask all members of the Cedar Creek community to support and adhere to our norms of respectful and professional conduct.

Expected Conduct

Cedar Creek has established the following standards of conduct:

Act ethically and with integrity
Be welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all people
Responsibly supervise, instruct, and advise
Protect, preserve, and responsibly use University resources and property
Promote a culture of compliance with laws, rules, and policies
Preserve academic freedom
Ethically conduct research, teaching, and community engagement
Avoid conflicts of interest and commitment
Responsibly manage public and private information
Promote physical and mental health and safety

Unacceptable Behavior

Cedar Creek will take disciplinary action for the following offenses:

Sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence
Discrimination
Retaliation
Illegal or unauthorized possession, use, or sharing of weapons, drugs, or alcohol
Unethical research, including falsification of data or information
Scholastic dishonesty
Unauthorized use, including misuse, of facilities, equipment, or services
heft, property damage, or vandalism
Violation of University rules
Violation of Local, State, or Federal Laws

Sanctions for Unacceptable Behavior

Sanctions will be commensurate with the nature and severity of the offense, whether violations have been persistent, and the impact of the offense on any other people involved. Sanctions may include one or more of the following:

Warning
Probation
Confiscation of goods possessed, used, or shared in an illegal or unauthorized manner
Restitution
Reassignment of work activities
Paid or unpaid leave of absence
Suspension from Cedar Creek, its facilities (e.g., lodging), or its equipment (e.g., vehicles)
Expulsion from Cedar Creek, its facilities or its equipment
Termination of employment

Reporting Misconduct

Report suspected or alleged misconduct to any or all of the following:

Cedar Creek's DEIJ leadership team for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (cedarcreekDEIJ@umn.edu)
supervisor, instructor, administrator, or staff • Human Resources in the College of Biological Sciences (cbshr@umn.edu)
the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) Title IX office (eoaa@umn.edu)
anonymously via UMN's U Report system (1-866- 294-8680, https://compliance.umn.edu/report)
the National Science Foundation (https://www.nsf.gov/od/oecr/complaint_form.jsp)

The University of Minnesota has a policy that protects people who report misconduct from retaliation. All University employees are required