Expectations
Warwick Community: Our Community Values and Expectations
At Warwick, we value our diverse and international community, the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge and research with real impact. We nurture intellectual challenge and rational, rigorous debate. We want to support our students and each other to become critical thinkers and collaborative yet independent learners – individuals with a global and sustainable outlook, who are able to make an active and positive contribution to society.
At the same time, we are committed to working towards a supportive, accessible and inclusive environment within which all members of our community can successfully learn, work, live and socialise. We uphold the importance not only of freedom of thought and expression, but also the significance of academic and personal integrity, equality and diversity, and mutual respect and consideration for the rights, safety and dignity of all. We place great importance on the responsible behaviour of both our students and staff at Warwick. It is important for you, as a student, to have an idea of Warwick’s core values and an understanding of the primary expectations of student members of the Warwick community.
We subscribe to Warwick's Community Values Education Programme which includes the Active Bystander course.
Take a look at the following to help you understand what this means for you:
Equal Opportunities Statement, setting the value we place on maintaining an inclusive environment where all can contribute and reach their full potential: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/equalopsLink opens in a new window
Dignity at Warwick Policy, setting out how our differences are respected and valued and how we aim to prevent and address harassment and bullying: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/dignityatwarwick
University Strategy, which sets our vision as a world-class university and our values: https://warwick.ac.uk/about/strategy
University Calendar, the main ‘rule book’ and includes ordinances and regulations which you need to be aware of, including examinations, cheating, use of computing facilities and behaviour. As a History student at the University of Warwick, you are part of a vibrant and diverse community which is ambitious, passionate about learning, proactive and takes advantage of the many opportunities available to them, academically and socially. Your knowledge, values and aspirations are built into our teaching and learning approach. We’ll work as partners and co-creators so that your education is the very best and you gain maximum benefit from your time here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar
In order to ensure that this partnership is successful, each party has to undertake to fulfil certain responsibilities and abide by certain codes of conduct. Warwick Student Community Statement sets out the mutual aspirations and expectations of members of the University in fostering a high-quality experience and enhancing the vibrant, welcoming, and yet challenging, Warwick community to which we all belong: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/aro/dar/quality/categories/wscs
A note on History as a subject of study
“History is not a comfortable subject; it includes confronting uncomfortable and unsettling aspects of the past, elements of which may continue to resonate and inspire controversy and debate today, but which are an unavoidable part of the process of historical recovery and essential to the rigour of historical enquiry. History operates best when its practitioners reflect the diversity of human society and thought, bringing different perspectives and life experiences to bear on the past, and engage in self-reflection and critique to test and question both their own and the discipline’s approaches to studying the past.” (QAA History Subject Benchmark Statement, 2022).
At Warwick we believe the classroom should be an “accountable space” rather than a “safe space”. Students will not necessarily agree with the opinions of their lecturers or fellow students, though they should expect everyone to express their opinions in a respectful and thoughtful manner. For more information please see the Lectures and Seminars section of the History UG Handbook.
The University operates an Academic Freedom policy (Statute 11 - The Employment of Staff), which ensures that Academic Staff have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs and privileges.
If you have any concerns please discuss them with your seminar tutors or personal tutor.
CyberBullying and the Use of Social Networking Sites
Cyberbullying is a term used to refer to bullying through electronic media, usually via social networking sites, personal web pages, emails, Twitter, text messages, personal space provided by internet providers, and internet presence including social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram, and all other social media whether private, personal or public. In using all social media or posting online all staff and students should consider the content, language and appropriateness of such communications.
The following guidance is relevant for both students and staff in relation to online behaviour:
Avoid using language which would be deemed to be offensive, threatening or humiliating to others in a face-to-face setting as the impact on an individual may be much the same or worse as it may not be possible to delete online information
- Avoid forming or joining an online group that isolates or victimises fellow students or colleagues
- Ensure that social networking sites are not used to access or share illegal content
- Avoid defamatory comments in relation to employees, students, customers or suppliers of the University
- Do not share confidential information regarding a University employee, student, customer or supplier.
Staff and students are encouraged to report incidences of inappropriate online behaviour. If alleged cyberbullying or harassment is reported it will be dealt with in accordance with this policy and may lead to disciplinary action in the same way as incidents that take place in a face-to-face setting.
Staff and students should ensure they comply with the University’s regulations governing the use of University computing facilities at https://warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar/section2/regulations/computing.