All correspondence with this office is completely confidential; there is no correspondence with the school by this office whatsoever — unless specifically requested and formally endorsed in writing by the student. No record of any contact is made available to or accessible to the school.

Rapid access to strictly confidential psychiatric consultation, counseling, treatment, and referral is available to students through the student mental health service. The Student and Trainee Mental Health Program (STMH) through the Department of Psychiatry provides initial consultations, ongoing psychotherapy, and medication management for those graduate students in need of mental health services. The student’s insurance will be billed for all services and the student will not be responsible for any copay. To make an appointment for an initial consultation, you can either write to the STMH email account (STMH@mssm.edu) or call the program at 212-659-8805.

Please see the STMH website for more information about the program.

Emergency psychiatric services can be initiated by contacting the psychiatrist on-call through the page operator (212) 241- 5581, by calling the Psychiatric Emergency Service at 212-241-5637, or by direct unscheduled presentation to the emergency room where it is never necessary to call in advance. STMH has also partnered with WellConnect to establish a dedicated 24/7 mental health support and crisis hotline number for our students and trainees. This hotline connects you to trained behavioral health counselors who use evidence-based policies and practices – the number is 212-241-2400 or 1-866-640-4777 (school code: ICAHN). Please see the STMH website for more information.

Student access to counseling and mental health services is a private health matter of the utmost importance. The rule of complete confidentiality always applies, as in any relationship between a therapist and patient. No person or office is notified or informed at any point that a student (or dependent) has seen or is seeing a counselor or psychiatrist through the Student and Trainee Mental Health Program. Student use of the service is not made known to the school and is never recorded on any transcript.

The Student Health Center is located at 17 East 102 nd Street, East Tower, 4th floor, Room D4-246. The Student Health Center provides administrative services to the school to ensure compliance with OSHA, immunizations, tuberculosis screening, and influenza vaccination as mandated by the Health System and New York State. The Student Health Center provides confidential medical evaluation and treatment for all matriculated medical and graduate students, including primary and preventive care, gynecological services, STI screening, tuberculosis surveillance, travel medicine, and acute care. Students may choose to see Student Health physicians for any of the above visit types, or they may seek care with their own primary or subspecialty care physicians.

The staff consists of physicians and a full-time nurse. Students schedule appointments via MyChart. For any difficulties with scheduling, students may call for an appointment (ext. 46023) and Student Health will do its best to accommodate them., For after-hours emergencies, students may be seen in the Mount Sinai Urgent Care Center or the hospital Emergency Department. Students must bring their insurance information for all urgent and emergency visits. Visits will be billed to the student's insurance, but the student remains responsible for any co-payments or for any services not covered by insurance. If the student needs to be admitted, s/he will be given the first available bed on a semiprivate service.

All students must make arrangements to have a comprehensive physical examination performed by their private physician prior to matriculation. All student health forms are available on the enrollment website and must be completed and submitted to the Student Health Center prior to matriculation.

The school may require that a student be seen by our Student Health physicians. Failure to comply with any of the student health requirements may negatively impact the student’s academic standing.

The Graduate School is home of the Office of Career Services & Strategy (OCSS). Under the Student Affairs umbrella, the mission of OCSS is to educate and equip members of the Graduate School community (PhD and master students) with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue lifelong career success. Through services such as individualized career coaching sessions, skills development workshops, special events, and online resources, OCSS is committed to help you identify your career direction, enhance your competitiveness in the job market, and connect you with employers and alumni in the larger Mount Sinai network. Whether you want to a coaching appointment to set up a coaching appointment to discuss networking strategies, have your CV/resume reviewed or attend a workshop on interview preparation, OCSS is here to support your career development needs every step along the way.

Additionally, the Graduate School is a charter member of the New York Science Alliance, a citywide consortium hosted by the New York Academy of Sciences. The Alliance coordinates workshops and events with dynamic speakers that students can participate and attend. The Graduate School is also a proud sponsor of the bi-annual “What can you be with a PhD?” career symposium on science and technology with other biomedical sciences research and academic institutions in the tristate area.

This chapter covers the student services and resources for the ISMMS Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students can find the following information in this chapter.

• Career Services and Strategy

• International Student Services

• Student Health Services

  • Student Mental Health Services

  • Referrals

  • WellConnect

• Disability Services

• Student Housing and Real Estate Office

• Academic Informatics and Technology

  • The Library

  • Aufses Archives and Mount Sinai Records Management Division

  • Academic IT Support Center

• Affirmative Action

• Safety and Security

  • Sexual Assault

  • Harassment

    • Definitions of Unacceptable Behavior

    • Grievance Committee

  • Mistreatment

    • Mistreatment Policy

    • Reporting and Consulting Mechanisms

  • Clery Act

  • Fire Safety

  • Alcohol and Drugs

    • Alcohol Policy

    • Drug Testing

  • Infection Control

• Office of the Ombudsperson

The Office of International Personnel together with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences co-ordinate services for international students who have been accepted to one of the School’s residential graduate programs. The F-1 student visa for Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s international students is sponsored by ISMMS.

All international students must register with the Office of International Personnel within 15 days of matriculation at ISMMS and must notify this Office of any changes in their academic program, enrollment status or if they plan to leave the country to preserve their visa status. Students must show proof of a valid I-20 before the fellowship package can be activated. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that s/he is always in status, as mandated by the United States Homeland Security.

All visa questions should be addressed to the Office of International Personnel at (212) 241-8300.

This chapter covers the student affairs and services for the ISMMS Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students can find the following information in this chapter.

• and

For students in the PhD in Biomedical Sciences or Neuroscience, MD/PhD, or PREP program, Mount Sinai has made it a priority to provide convenient and affordable housing.

Students living in on-campus housing are required to follow all regulations contained in the occupancy agreement, in “A Guide to Living in Mount Sinai Housing,” and in other documents provided by the Real Estate Office.

Further information about housing options and policies can be found on the Real Estate Office’s Student Housing website. Questions regarding housing should be directed to the Real Estate Office, using the contact information on this website, rather than to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

The Graduate School has partnered with WellConnect to establish a dedicated 24/7 mental health support and crisis hotline number for our students and trainees. This hotline connects students to trained behavioral health counselors who use evidence-based policies and practices. The number is 212-241-2400 or 1-866-640-4777 (school code: ICAHN), and the website is https://wellconnect.personaladvantage.com/

WellConnect also offers other services and resources such as legal and financial consultations, 5 free short-term counseling sessions, and more. Please see their flyers linked below for more information, and the table for a breakdown of who to call for each situation.

The School and the Department of Psychiatry have collaboratively established several confidential pathways of access to mental health care and enriched available resources beyond those afforded by the basic mental health insurance plan. The intent of this service is to provide direct access to specialized consultation with an absolute minimum of administrative complexity. When ongoing treatment is desired and indicated, informed referrals into affordable care are provided.

• Self-Referral – Students may freely seek and establish mental health services independent of the Student and Trainee Mental Health Service, or any other campus framework, by any means of their choosing, and fully utilize their mental health insurance benefit. In this pathway of access, if insurance is utilized by the student, pre-approval of insurance must be obtained. Students selecting this pathway for their care should be mindful of several considerations including the distinction between “in-network” and “out-of-network” terms for insurance reimbursement (please refer to the terms and conditions of the student health policy for details).

• Student Health Referral – Students may obtain a direct referral to a Mount Sinai clinician via Student Health Service at (212) 241- 6023. Referrals are made by Student Health to the “out-of-network” voluntary and full-time faculty on the roster described above. Referral requests remain strictly between Student Health, the student, and the clinician. No records of any kind are made available or are accessible to the Dean's Office or medical school administration.

  • Referrals conducted by Student Health are made in a general manner, without triage or consultation such as is provided by the Student Mental Health Service. Student Health will not conduct a formal clinical psychiatric assessment or inquiry to inform this referral.

  • After a name has been provided to the student, the next step is to obtain pre-approval of insurance to proceed into care with this “out-of-network” referral. “Good-faith” responsibilities for students will apply with regard to financial arrangements.

  • If the student feels that the initial referral is unsuitable, he/she/they may request a second referral from Student Health. At any time, the student may request a consultation with the Director of the Student and Trainee Mental Health Program as described in (1) above to more specifically inform the referral. Such consultation is required to obtain additional referrals if the student is dissatisfied with a second referral as conducted by Student Health.

The goal of Disability Services at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is to provide a physically and educationally accessible educational environment so that each student is viewed on the basis of ability, not disability.

The Student Disability Services Office (DS) staff work with all students in the School of Medicine and the Graduate School to facilitate equal access for students with disabilities by coordinating reasonable accommodations through a variety of support services (including access modification, learning related technology, and extended test times).

Individually designed accommodation plans and services are determined based on the documented needs of each student in conjunction with their program requirements and are created to match the specific disability-related need of each student with those program requirements in mind.

Students register with DS by submitting the Application for Accommodations and Services. The application and instructions are provided on the DS website. The site also provide the Disability Policies as well as Resources for Faculty and Students.

Students who do not have documentation of their condition, and /or who believe they have an undiagnosed condition, should contact the Director of Student Disability Services to discuss their circumstances further.

The Director of Student Disability Services, Christine Low, LCSW-R is available at christine.low@mssm.edu.

The Real Estate Division is open Monday through Friday, except holidays, from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. In addition, a voice mail system will take messages during evenings, weekends, and holidays. For any unresolved problems with residential building services or repairs, you may ask for an appointment with the Director of Enrollment Services, who acts as liaison between students and Real Estate. For questions about Aron Hall housing, see the Housing Coordinator in the Real Estate Office. For additional information, including lease terms, guest visitation policy, room transfer policy, and subleasing policy, please visit the website at: https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/students/housing or contact:

ISMMS Real Estate Office

1249 Park Avenue

1st Floor New York, NY 10029

Tel: (212) 722- 5096

Fax: (212) 831- 3093

The Gustave L. and Janet W. Levy Library is the core of the Academic Informatics and Technology department, supporting the education, research, and clinical information needs of the Mount Sinai Health System. The library provides an extensive collection of resources covering biomedical information, patient education, and more, all accessible both on campus and remotely. The library is located on Annenberg 11, and serves as an inviting environment designed to facilitate research, study, teaching, and collaboration The library offers custom classes, research consultations with librarians; mobile resources and apps; online interlibrary loan and document delivery; and printing, scanning, photocopying, and phone charging stations.

The Arthur H. Aufses, Jr., MD Archives and Mount Sinai Records Management Program of the Academic Informatics and Technology group serves the Mount Sinai community by:

• Identifying the appropriate retention for all records created and maintained at Mount Sinai, regardless of their format

• Helping departments to manage the records throughout their life cycle

• Overseeing the appropriate destruction process at the end of that cycle

• Ensuring the permanent retention of all records of enduring value in the Mount Sinai Archives

• Answering questions and providing images related to Mount Sinai history

The Aufses Archives and Records Management Program are located on the 10th floor of the Annenberg Building, Room 10-49. Complete descriptions of services may be found on its website: http://library.mssm.edu/services/archives_records.shtml

The Academic IT Support Center supports students, faculty, and staff through:

• Distributing site-licensed software

• Assisting with resolving hardware and software computing issues

• Scheduling of work orders for hardware repair

• Configuring mobile devices for email

• Supporting network logins and email accounts for users on medical school computing networks

• Questions regarding Google Apps for Students

The Academic IT Support Center is located on the 11 th floor of the Annenberg Building, Room 11- 39. The Support Center staff is available for consultation in person, via email at ASCIT@mssm.edu, or by phone at 212-241-7091. For office hours and other details, refer to: https://libguides.mssm.edu/ascit

Students’ personal security is of paramount importance. For this reason, Security will, upon request, provide escorts within Mount Sinai and to on-campus residences. Call ext. 46068 approximately 10 to 15 minutes prior to departure.

Security measures at Mount Sinai are reviewed continuously to provide a safe environment for all who use its facilities. A committee of the Student Council addresses housing and security issues and meets on a regular basis with Security to discuss matters of concern.

Security Office Contact Information

The Security Office is located at 1468 Madison Avenue, MC level, AMC-203.

The Security Department telephone number is 46068 when dialed from a school or hospital telephone and (212) 241-6068 when dialed from off campus or cellphone.

Students can also reach Security by dialing extension “60” from a hospital or school telephone in an emergency, when suspicious activities are observed or urgent request.

Identification Badges

Photo identification badges are issued to all students at the time of registration and MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES in all campus buildings and upon entering any residence hall. Students may be asked to present badges for identification at any time while on campus. Lost cards may be replaced for a $20 fee, payable to the hospital main cashier. Present the receipt to Security Administration who will issue a new badge.

Emergency Alert System “Message One”

In order to allow for a more coordinated and rapid response to emergency or disaster situations at Mount Sinai, the hospital uses a messaging system, MessageOne, which has the capability of informing students of and delivering instructions regarding citywide, hospital, or student specific (e.g. student housing intruder) emergencies requiring immediate attention. Signing up for this system is mandatory for all students. During the on-line registration process, students have the option to set the method of contact (e.g. cell-phone, text message, email).

Personal Property and Property Passes

Personal property is often the object of theft and should be protected at all times. It is the policy of Mount Sinai that no equipment, personal or that belonging to Mount Sinai, will be removed from the premises without a Property Pass. Property Passes are available from the Graduate School office during weekdays. Packages, backpacks, purses, or other large bags are subject to inspection by Security Officers at entrances and exits of all Mount Sinai buildings.

Academic Informatics and Technology (AIT), with the Gustave L. and Janet W. Levy Library at its core, serves as the information resources and technology hub for all students, residents, fellows, and the clinical and basic science faculty of ISMMS, regardless of where they are across the City and around the world. AIT includes the Levy Library, Archives and Records Management, Academic IT Support Center (ASCIT), Instructional Technology Group (ITG), and Multimedia Services.

Sexual Assault ISMMS is committed to maintaining a supportive and safe educational environment, one that seeks to ensure the wellbeing of all members of its community. Those who believe that they are the victims of sexual assault should:

• Immediately call the NYC police department at 911. Also, call the Mount Sinai Security Department at (212) 241-6068.

• Get medical attention. Campus security will provide transportation or escort to the Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Department for emergency medical treatment and evidence collection. A counselor from the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention (SAVI) program will be available to assist victims.

Caring assistance is available for persons who have been subjected to sexual assault or sexual misconduct. They are encouraged in the strongest terms to make a report. ISMMS works closely with Mount Sinai SAVI program. More information can be found here or by calling (212) 423-2140.

Consistent with Chapter 739 of the State Education Department signed into law in 1990, information concerning prevention of sexual assault is provided to all entering students.

It is the policy of ISMMS that all decisions regarding educational and employment opportunities and performance are made on the basis of merit and without discrimination because of race, gender, color, creed, age, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic predisposition, or any other characteristic protected by law. Sexual harassment is defined as a form of sex discrimination and, therefore, any sexual harassment at the school will constitute a violation of the medical school's nondiscrimination policy.

In keeping with these continuing efforts to achieve a broadening of the representation of women and minority groups throughout the medical school, the school has:

• Developed an Affirmative Action Program, which details actions designed to realize the School's commitment to equal educational and employment opportunities.

• Insured compliance with Federal, State and Local laws and regulations implementing equal opportunity objectives by meeting the spirit as well as the letter of the law and contractual requirements.

ISMMS is committeed to the realization of these goals. Every decision affecting faculty, house staff, fellows, graduate students, employees, and medical students and other members of the medical school community rests solely on demonstrably valid criteria of merit, competence and experience.

Additional information concerning Mount Sinai's Affirmative Action Program, its interpretation and/or application may be obtained from the Affirmative Action Office located at 1245 Park Avenue, Ground Floor.

Harassment has become an increasingly prominent national concern in the workplace and in academic institutions. ISMMS regards any behavior that is harassing, discriminatory, or abusive as a violation of the standards of conduct required of all persons associated with the academic mission of the institution. The ideal of American medical, graduate and postgraduate education is to create an environment that nurtures respect and collegiality between educator and student. In the teacher/student relationship, each party has certain legitimate expectations of the other. For example, the learner can expect that the teacher will provide instruction, guidance, inspiration, and leadership in learning. The teacher expects the learner to make an appropriate professional investment of energy and intellect to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become an effective physician or scientist. The social relationships required in the achievement of this academic ideal – mentor, peer, professional, staff – require the active trust of partnership, not the dependence of authoritarian dominance and submission.

ISMMS is responsible for providing a work and academic environment free of sexual and other forms of harassment. The institution may pursue any complaint of harassment known to it in order to achieve this goal. A Grievance Committee (the “Committee”) was established in 1992 to serve as an educational resource to the medical school community on issues relevant to harassment and to address complaints of sexual harassment and other forms of harassment and abuse as defined below. Complaints about implementation of school policies concerning appointment, promotion, and distribution of resources, including notification requirements associated with these policies, will not be addressed by this Committee unless they involve, in addition to those complaints, an allegation of harassment or abuse as defined below. The Committee (and an appointed Investigative and Hearing Board (the “Board”) below, if any) may only consider complaints of harassment and abuse brought by any faculty member, medical or graduate student, house staff or postdoctoral fellow against any other such member of the School community. Complaints by and against other employees of ISMMS will be handled by other appropriate existing grievance mechanisms (e.g., those available through Human Resources). The Committee may act (at the Committee’s discretion) before or after other action(s) an individual may take to exercise his/her/their rights both within and outside the institution.

The Committee will attempt, whenever possible, to emphasize mediation and conciliation. It will rely on discreet inquiry and trust in dealing with complaints that are brought for its consideration. Confidentiality will be maintained to the maximum extent possible consistent with the need to investigate complaints and with the requirements of the law. Full cooperation with the Committee and an appointed Board, if any, is required of all members of the community.

To ensure an environment in which education, work, research, and discussion are not corrupted by abuse, discrimination and harassment, the following statement has been created to educate members of the academic community about what constitutes harassment and about the mechanism for the receipt, consideration, and resolution of complaints.

Issues also may be brought up during the Steering Committee of the Student Council's monthly meetings with the Dean, the Dean for Medical Education, the Dean of the Graduate School and the Associate Deans. It must be emphasized that appropriate professional behavior is expected of all members of the School of Medicine and the Hospital. Harassment in any form will not be tolerated.

Consistent with Sections 6432 and 6436 of the New York State Education law, information concerning prevention of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and bias crimes will be provided to all entering students. A Student Safety Committee meets annually with Security to address student safety concerns.

Purview of the Committee

The Committee is charged with addressing any complaint of harassment or abuse brought by any member of the faculty, medical or graduate student, house staff officer or postdoctoral research fellow against any other such member of the school community.

Composition of the Committee

The Committee will consist of at least 22 members. Among these will be 2 with counseling experience, 2 medical students, 2 graduate students, 2 house staff, 2 faculty with administrative appointments, and 2 research postdoctoral fellows. Faculty members of the Committee will be representative of both basic science and clinical, junior and senior faculty. Every effort will be made to have the Committee reflect the full diversity of the medical school population. The Chairperson of the Committee (the “Chairperson”) shall be a faculty member with experience in counseling and who does not have an administrative appointment. All members of the Committee, including the Chairperson, will be appointed by the Dean after consultation with relevant groups in the School. Faculty will serve staggered 3-year renewable terms; students, postdoctoral fellows and house officers will serve renewable 1-year terms.

Grievance Procedures

Any member of the faculty, any medical or graduate student, house officer or postdoctoral research fellow who believes that he or she has been harassed or abused by any other such member of the School community may contact any member of the Committee or the Chairperson to seek advice, or may submit a written complaint to the Committee. The Committee member contacted can discuss the matter with the complainant, advise the complainant of his/her/their alternatives in pursuing the complaint, including, if the complainant agrees, (and where permitted by law), helping the complainant to resolve the complaint informally without revealing the complainant’s name. Such help may include, but is not limited to, assisting the complainant in drafting a letter to the alleged offender asking that he/she/they stop the behavior, or coaching the complainant in preparation for a conversation with the alleged offender. The complainant may ask the Committee member to meet directly with the person accused to seek a resolution. If the complaint includes an alleged violation of law, the Committee member initially contacted must bring the complaint to the full Committee, the complaint must be fully documented and investigated, and a report made to the Dean.

Upon request of the complainant to the Committee member originally contacted, or upon receipt of written complaints to the Committee, or when required by law, the complaint, with the names of the complainant, respondent and department withheld, will be discussed by the Committee at its next regular meeting.

Following discussion of the complaint, the Committee has 2 options:

1. It can decide that even if the allegation is true, it does not constitute harassment or abuse. The complainant will be notified of the finding and can be offered guidance and/or assistance in resolving the matter, or be referred to another, more appropriate venue, such as Human Resources, the Faculty Relations Committee or a Tenure Review Committee to pursue the complaint.

2. It can decide that the allegation is sufficiently serious to warrant further investigation. Unless previously submitted, the complainant will be requested to submit a full written account of the complaint. Upon receipt of the written complaint, the Chairperson will appoint a five-member Board and two alternates.

The Chairperson will serve as chair of the Board (or, in case of conflict of interest or other inability to serve, appoint another Committee member) and will appoint at least 4 additional individuals and at least 2 alternates to consider the complaint. Students, postdoctoral fellows, and house staff members are to be excluded from the Board in cases involving a faculty member alleging harassment by another faculty member. In cases involving a student, postdoctoral fellow or house staff (either as an accuser or accused), at least one of the members of the Board will be from the same group. Each Board will have at least one member with experience in counseling, and at least 3 faculty.

Upon selection of the Board, the complainant will be notified of the names of Board members, and will have 48 hours from receipt of such notification to challenge, in writing, any member for cause. The respondent will be notified that a complaint has been brought against him/her, the name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, and the names of the members of the Board. The respondent shall also have 48 hours from receipt of notification to challenge, in writing, any member of the Board for cause. In the event of a challenge, the Chairperson will decide on the merits and replace Board members if necessary. In the event that the Chairperson is unable to appoint a sufficient number of members not disqualified for cause, the Dean will appoint additional members.

The preliminary stages of the investigation may consist of meetings of one or more members of the Board with the complainant, respondent and other members of the community who might have relevant information. In the event that preliminary meetings have been held, all information obtained in these meetings will be shared with the entire Board. In all meetings, confidentiality will be stressed.

The respondent will receive the full written complaint with the supporting documentation provided by the complainant to the Board and will be afforded two weeks to provide a written response. This response will be distributed to the Board and provided to the complainant.

The Board will then hold one or more hearings, which the complainant and respondent will attend, either individually or together, along with any other witnesses the Board deems relevant to the complaint. At the hearing, each of the parties may be accompanied by an advisor, who is a member of the Mount Sinai community, but who is not a lawyer, and who will not function as an advocate during the hearing.

At the close of the hearing(s), the Board will deliberate the findings without the presence of either the complainant or the respondent. Upon concluding its deliberations, the Board will vote on whether or not there has been a violation of this policy based on a majority vote. Recommendations for remedial actions will be discussed. A full report will be drafted, including the findings, vote and recommendations of the majority. It will then be submitted to the Dean. The Board's written report will include:

1. A determination that a violation of this policy did or did not take place

2. A listing of its findings of fact

3. A summary of the written submissions of the parties

4. A summary of testimony at the hearing

5. A summary of evidence gathered during the investigation

6. The conclusions it has drawn from this material

7. Its recommendations for action to be taken by the Dean.

The Board may recommend sanctions based on the severity of the offense. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, verbal reprimand, written reprimand, change in job responsibilities, suspension, discharge, and expulsion. The Board and/or the Committee may, at their discretion, modify the Grievance Procedures depending on the nature of a particular complaint.

Dean's Review

The Dean may accept or reject conclusions and/or recommendations of the Board. However, in the event the Dean does not accept either the Board’s conclusions or its recommendations, he/she/they will meet with the Board to discuss the reasons for the rejection before recording a final decision on the matter. The Dean will convey his/her/their decision in writing to the complainant, respondent and the Board.

Protection from Retaliation

All individuals involved in registering a complaint, serving as representatives for the complainant or respondent, as witnesses, or on the Committee will be free from any and all retaliation or reprisal or threats thereof. This principle applies with equal force after a complaint has been adjudicated. Upon submission of a complaint or threat of retaliation, the Committee will review the facts and recommend appropriate action.

Re-Evaluation of Procedures

The Committee will review the grievance procedures periodically. Proposed changes, approved by a majority of the Committee, must be reviewed and approved by the Office of the General Counsel before being implemented.

Certain behaviors are inherently destructive to the relationships that are required in a community organized to provide medical and graduate education. Behaviors such as violence, sexual and other harassment, abuses of power and discrimination (based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, disability, citizenship, marital status, genetic predisposition or any other characteristic protected by law) will not be tolerated.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic success.

• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such an individual.

• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or academic environment. Sexual harassment is a violation of institutional policy and of city, state and federal laws. Sexual harassment need not be intentional to violate this policy.

• Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

  • Sexual assault

  • Inappropriate sexual advances, propositions or demands unwelcome physical contact

  • Inappropriate persistent public statements or displays of sexually explicit or offensive material which is not legitimately related to employment duties, course content or research

  • Threats or insinuations, which lead the victim to believe that acceptance or refusal of sexual favors, will affect his/her/their reputation, education, employment or advancement

  • Derogatory comments relating to gender or sexual orientation

Discrimination

Discrimination is defined as actions on the part of an individual, group or institution that treat another individual or group differently because of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, age, disability, citizenship, marital status, genetic predisposition or any other characteristic protected by law. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of these characteristics violates federal, state, and city laws and is prohibited and covered by this policy.

Abuse

Abuse is defined, for purposes of this policy, as behavior that is viewed by society and by the academic community as exploitative or punishing without appropriate cause. It is particularly objectionable when it involves the abuse of authority. Examples of behavior, which may be abusive, include, but are not limited to:

• Habitual conduct or speech that creates an intimidating, demeaning, degrading, hostile, or otherwise seriously offensive working or educational environment

• Physical punishment

• Repeated episodes of verbal punishment (e.g. public humiliation, threats and intimidation) removal of privileges without appropriate cause

• Grading or evaluations used to punish rather than to evaluate objective performance assigning tasks solely for punishment rather than educational purposes

• Repeated demands to perform personal services outside job description intentional neglect or intentional lack of communication

• Requirements of individuals to perform unpleasant tasks that are entirely irrelevant to their education and employment that others are not also asked to perform

Purpose and Scope

This policy clarifies expectations for educator actions and behaviors related to mistreatment and other unprofessional behavior directed at students and trainees. It details how learners can report mistreatment and unprofessional behaviors directed at them and how the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) program, Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and the ISMMS affiliated hospitals (collectively “Mount Sinai”) review and handle such reports. This policy also provides a process for reporting and recognizing positive behaviors and excellence in teaching or mentoring.

Mount Sinai is dedicated to providing its students, postdocs, residents, clinical fellows, faculty, staff, and patients with an anti-racist learning environment of respect, dignity, equity, inclusion, trust, and support that protects civil and professional discourse and is free from mistreatment and other unprofessional behaviors directed at students and trainees. Mount Sinai is also committed to ensuring an environment in which students and trainees feel free to report such behaviors without fear of retaliation.

Educators (defined broadly to include anyone in a teaching or mentoring role, including faculty, postdocs, residents, clinical fellows, nurses, staff, and students) bear significant responsibility for creating and maintaining this environment. As role models and evaluators, educators must practice appropriate professional behavior toward, and in the presence of, students and trainees, who are particularly vulnerable given their dependent status.

Everyone at Mount Sinai deserves to experience a professional learning and working environment. These guidelines supplement the institutional policies on professional conduct, discrimination, harassment, grievances, and sexual misconduct; will assist in developing and maintaining optimal learning environments; and encourage educators to accept their responsibilities as representatives of ISMMS in their interactions with colleagues and patients. This policy is closely aligned with our institution’s Cultural Transformation efforts, the ISMMS Racism and Bias Initiative, and related policies.

Mistreatment and unprofessional behaviors directed at students and trainees interfere with the learning environment, adversely impact well-being and the trainee-mentor relationship, and have the potential for negatively impacting patient care and research. Inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors can promote an atmosphere in which mistreatment and unprofessional behaviors directed at students and trainees is accepted and perpetuated in medical and graduate education. Reports relating to the clinical setting will be reviewed in accordance with the principles detailed in this policy as part of the relevant hospital’s quality assurance program.

While individuals might perceive behaviors differently, examples of unprofessional behaviors prohibited by this policy include, but are not limited to being:

• threatened with physical harm or physically harmed

• required to perform personal services

• subjected to offensive remarks related to gender, sexual orientation, national origin, race, color, religion, or any other category protected by law

• denied opportunities for training or rewards based upon membership in a protected group

• subjected to lower evaluations or grades solely because of membership in a protected group

• publicly embarrassed or humiliated

• subjected to unwanted sexual advances

• asked to exchange sexual favors for grades or other rewards

• subjected to the threat of revoking visa status for foreign nationals

Mount Sinai has a zero-tolerance policy towards unprofessional behaviors directed at students and trainees. Zero tolerance means that all reported incidents are scrutinized and result in an action plan that may include feedback, remediation, or disciplinary action. Although under certain circumstances unprofessional behavior directed at students and trainees may require disciplinary action, we recognize in such episodes an opportunity to develop, improve, and remediate behaviors that detract from a learning and working environment of which we can all be proud.

One of the most serious issues facing the Mount Sinai Hospital students, employees, and patients is the threat of fire. The risk is increased because work conducted in clinical, research and other laboratories may involve flammable liquids and other hazardous substances. In addition, the use of specialized equipment such as lasers and other ignition sources utilized in oxygen-enriched atmospheres increases the threat of fire. This threat is far more critical in patient care areas since patients are often incapable of self- preservation. It is critical to student safety as well as patient well-being that students know what to do in the event of an actual fire. This knowledge is imparted through participation in fire drills and fire safety training in-services.

The ISMMS Intranet, http://intranet1.mountsinai.org/, under Core Administrative Services and Fire Safety Tabs, includes a link to the MSMC video entitled “CODE RED”. Students should take the time to view this important informational video and participate in local fire drills.

The Clery Act (otherwise officially known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act) is a federal law requiring US colleges and universities receiving Title IV funding to disclose information about particular crimes on and around their campuses as well as safety related policies. ISMMS publishes annual security reports to fulfill this requirement. These reports are available on the ISMMS Consumer Information website as well as in the Security Department.

Reporting and Consulting Mechanisms

Students can learn about the process of reporting mistreatment on the Mistreatment and Unprofessional Behaviors Directed at Students and Trainees website.

Students can report mistreatment through the ISMMS Experience Report.

Students and trainees may seek advice and guidance about how to handle mistreatment and unprofessional behaviors directed at them and are encouraged to formally report these incidents. There are several ways for learners to share their concerns, including through real-time reporting mechanisms and mechanisms for periodic review (course evaluations or periodic surveys). All reports, whether made in real-time or during periodic review, must be submitted via the Feedback Form or as specified on this page. Reports will be reviewed by the respective office that oversees the learner/trainee. The person submitting a real-time report can also designate whether he or she wants to have the concern addressed immediately or to delay the review until a period of time has passed. Anonymous reports of mistreatment and unprofessional conduct may be submitted; however, Mount Sinai’s ability to investigate an anonymous report may be limited. Reports of alleged mistreatment and unprofessional behavior directed at students and trainees will be reviewed and handled in a timely manner. Seeking advice or guidance is not considered filing a report. Reports may only be made through the Feedback Form referenced above or the avenues specified on this page.

Mount Sinai prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at Title IX | Icahn School of Medicine (mssm.edu).

Protection for Retaliation

Retaliation against or intimidation of any individual who seeks advice, raises a concern, or reports unprofessional misconduct or mistreatment in good faith will not be tolerated. Anyone who deliberately makes a false accusation with the purpose of harming or retaliating against another member of the ISMMS community will be investigated and appropriately addressed.

Contact Information

Compliance Hotline: 800-853-9212

GME Office: 212-241-6694

Office of Human Resources: 212-241-4097

Ombuds Office: 212-659-8848

Title IX Coordinator: Rebecca Anderson 212-540-8669 or TitleIX@mssm.edu

All incoming students are required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Subsequently, drug/alcohol testing may be requested of any student, at any time, including:

• When concerns about substance use issues arise.

• When any student returns from a leave of any kind.

• When a student self-reports a problem.

Failure to undergo testing as requested will result in dismissal from the school. A positive test will result in disciplinary action, which may include dismissal from the school.

The policy of the School of Medicine regarding alcoholic beverages in the Patricia and Robert Levinson Student Center is to maximize student utilization of the Center while assuring that clear policies are in place. Alcohol is permitted in the Student Center at events sponsored by student organizations or Departments within ISMMS under the following circumstances:

• A student-run organization that is recognized by Student Council is sponsoring the event.

• No student or guest under the age of 21 will be served or permitted to consume any alcoholic beverage.

• Alcoholic beverages are not sold at the event.

• Alcohol must not be taken out of the Student Center into other areas of Mount Sinai.

• Serving alcoholic beverages is always in the context of serving food and non-alcoholic beverages. A specific student (or students) is identified as responsible for the event.

• The responsible student will monitor the event so that anyone who is clearly intoxicated is not served any more alcohol.

• If a person has become intoxicated, steps should be taken to try and help the individual sober up prior to leaving the party.

• The responsible student monitoring the event must make certain that any person that has become intoxicated will not be allowed to drive. Cab fare should be provided, if necessary, or an escort should be provided to ensure that the person gets home safely.

• The Administrative Director of Student Affairs is notified in writing about the event at least one week in advance with the clear statement that alcoholic beverages are planned as part of the food and beverage service serving as the application for a permit.

• Funding for alcoholic beverages will not come from tuition resources or the Department of Medical Education budget.

• There MUST be a written permission from the Event Coordinator of Student Affairs prior to the event. The person(s) responsible for the event must have the permit with them at the event.

• The Security Department will be notified that alcohol will be served at the event.

Under no other circumstances should alcoholic beverages be used or available in the Levinson Student Center. Please contact the Event Coordinator of Student Affairs with any questions.

All students are held to the Mount Sinai Health System’s Infection Control Policies and Procedures. During orientation, students will be introduced to these policies and procedures. Further training is coordinated by each degree program. Students who experience needle stick accidents and accidental blood/body fluid in the medical school will be supported (An exposure may be a percutaneous injury, such as a needle stick, cut with a sharp object or bite, contact of mucous membranes, contact of tissue, contact of skin when the exposed skin is chapped, abraded, or afflicted with dermatitis, or the contact is prolonged or involving an extensive area with blood or tissue or body fluids.). It is expected that students follow the published protocols immediately as anti-retroviral therapy for HIV exposure, if recommended, should commence immediately. Exposure to hepatitis B or C may require therapy or further follow-up. Care, evaluation, and expert advice must be available to students regarding relative risks, options for therapy, and follow-up. Coordination of multiple affiliate sites has been accomplished so that students have a clear idea of the protocol to follow and students receive state-of-the-art care. Students must attend annual seminars conducted by infection control experts and documentation of attendance will become a permanent part of the student's file. Students must follow protocol after a needle stick or other blood/body fluid exposure. All exposures should be reported to Student Health. For complete information, view the Infection Control Handbook.

The Ombuds Office is a strictly confidential resource for all graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, residents and faculty at ISMMS and throughout the Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. George W. Huntley, PhD, is the Ombuds for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, serving graduate students in all programs and postdoctoral Fellows. This confidential office provides an impartial and informal venue for promoting fair and equitable conflict resolution for individuals or groups who have identified problems in their workplace, research labs or studies. The Ombudsperson offers advice, facilitates meetings, helps negotiate solutions and/or provides information for referral or additional Institutional resources. For further information or to set up an appointment, please contact Dr. George W. Huntley, 212-824-8981, george.huntley@mssm.edu; or see https://icahn.mssm.edu/about/ombuds-office.

The administration and faculty of the School are committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all students. Students should conduct themselves appropriately everywhere on the campus of ISMMS, and at affiliated institutions. Appropriate behavior is mandatory when participating in patient care or attending any functions at which patients may be present. In small group seminars, as well as during clinical activities, students are evaluated not only on their fund of knowledge and ability to use this knowledge but also on their responsibility, dependability, reliability, maturity, motivation, attitude, honesty, integrity, and ability to relate and interact effectively with others.

Equally important, however, is the realization that one's responsibilities do not end with individual behavior but also include not tolerating inappropriate behavior among others. While formal mechanisms, outlined in other sections, exist to provide due process for any specific allegations of inappropriate behavior, general issues should be able to be discussed freely among peers, faculty, and administration. Concerns requiring confidentiality should be discussed with the Dean of Graduate School, individual faculty advisors, or through the School’s Ombudsman Program.

The following statement describes ISMMS’s policy regarding substance abuse for all employees, which include faculty, administration, house staff, students, graduate students, fellows, bargaining and non-bargaining unit employees. The school has a significant interest in ensuring that the educational and work environment is free from the hazards to patients, employees, students, and visitors that are created due to the unauthorized use of alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances.

The illegal sale, manufacture, distribution, or unauthorized use of drugs or controlled substances off-duty whether on or off medical school premises or reporting to classes or clerkships under the influence of un-authorized drugs or controlled substances may constitute grounds for immediate dismissal.

The unauthorized use or possession of alcoholic beverages on medical school premises or reporting to School under the influence of alcohol also may constitute grounds for immediate dismissal.

The school may in its discretion take appropriate disciplinary action up to and including dismissal or termination from employment against anyone who has violated the above rules.

Any employee or student who is suspected of being under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug while on duty and who refuses to be medically evaluated or to release the results of such evaluation to the medical school (as employer) or appropriate administrative officer of the School will be relieved from duty and will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires ISMMS, as a Federal grant recipient and contractor, to certify that it will provide a drug-free workplace. This is accomplished by providing to each employee or student engaged in a federal grant or contract, a copy of the School’s Drug-Free Workplace policy and statement, and requiring that as a condition of employment under such a grant or contract the employee will:

• Abide by the terms of this Statement; and

• Notify the Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations or his/her/their designee of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

A Drug-Free Awareness Program has been established to inform all employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, The School's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, the available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs, and the potential penalties for drug abuse violations.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers professional guidance counseling and a referral service for substance abuse, as well as other concerns, to students, employees and their immediate families free of charge. For confidential information, contact EAP at (212) 241-8937.

This chapter covers campus-wide policies, regulations, and requirements for the ISMMS Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students can find the following information in this chapter.

• Rules of Conduct

• Student Behavior

• Faculty, Staff, and Student Relations

• FERPA

• ISMMS Social Media Guideline

• Acceptable Use of Technology Policy

  • Use of Hardware and Software

  • Web, Data, and Cloud Storage

  • Email and Collaboration Technology Usage

  • Protected Health Information and Other Confidential Information

  • Secure Messaging and Encryption

• ISMMS Policy on Business Conflicts of Interest

• Student Intellectual Property

All members of the School community, including faculty, students, organizations, members of the staff of the School, and all visitors and other licensees and invitees, are expected to obey all national, state and local laws.

All members of the School community are prohibited from conduct which is proximate cause of or does unreasonably and unduly impede, obstruct or interfere with the orderly and continuous administration and operation of the School in the use of its facilities and the achievement of its purposes as an educational institution, or in its rights as a campus proprietor. Such conduct shall include, but is not limited to, that which is the actual or proximate cause of any of the following:

• Unreasonable interference with the rights of others

• Intentional injury to School property

• Unauthorized occupancy of classrooms, laboratories, libraries, faculty and administrative offices, patient care facilities, auditoriums, public halls and stairways, recreational areas and any other facilities used by the School (unauthorized occupancy being defined as failure to vacate any such facility when duly requested by the Dean, an Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, Hospital Administrator of similar responsibility or chair of a department of the School)

• Malicious use of or intentional damage to personal property, including records, papers and writings of any member of the School community

• Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organization

Violations of these policies and regulations by students shall be referred to the Dean of the Graduate School. Students in violation may be expelled in addition to any other criminal or civil penalties.

Nothing contained in any of the foregoing Rules and Regulations is intended to nor shall it be construed to limit or restrict freedom of speech or of peaceful assembly, or other individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Just as students are expected to behave in an appropriate and professional manner at all times, so also are faculty, staff, and other employees. Any allegations concerning harassment, abuse, or inappropriate professional behavior should be brought directly to the attention of one of the Associate Deans of the Graduate School or to a member of the Harassment Committee and Grievance Board.

The Executive Faculty has approved the following statement of principles concerning interactions among faculty, house staff, and students.

All interpersonal interactions at ISMMS will be conducted in an atmosphere of respect and concern for the dignity of every individual. Under no circumstances will patients, students, faculty, or staff of Mount Sinai be treated, spoken to, or spoken about in a demeaning manner. Insulting language or behavior must not be tolerated. Faculty, house staff, and students are encouraged to speak up directly and immediately against unacceptable behavior or speech. If a student feels that it would be unwise to pursue such a matter directly, she/he/they should discuss the issue promptly with an appropriate academic supervisor, administrative supervisor, or dean.

Following are recommendations regarding the implementation of these principles:

• Chairs of all departments will address these issues at a departmental administrative meeting or grand rounds every year

• Directors of training and course directors are encouraged to discuss (in a non-threatening format), with faculty and house staff, the etiology of inappropriate behavior and engage their collaboration in developing and implementing improvements

• Directors of training and course directors will ask for student evaluations of this aspect of their experience as part of their evaluations with every group of students

• Faculty and house staff will be advised that while appropriate personal behavior is absolutely necessary, it is insufficient. It is also required that inappropriate behavior or language on the part of others must not go without comment

• The Dean will issue an advisory regarding this policy to all faculty, house staff, and students. New members of the faculty, house staff and student body will be given copies of this advisory.

• The Executive Curriculum Committee will periodically assess students' experiences to gauge the effectiveness of this initiative.

ISMMS expects that all persons who use school computing hardware, software, networking services, or any property related or ancillary to the use of these facilities will abide by the following policy statement:

School information technology resources are provided with the expectation that the school community will use them in a spirit of mutual cooperation. Resources are limited and must be shared. Everyone will benefit if users avoid activities that cause problems for others who use the same system.

Any access to or sharing of protected or confidential information must comply with Mount Sinai Health System policies, including HIPAA, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, and the appropriate use of technology guidelines defined in this document. Remember that compliance begins by being aware whether your communication could contain protected or other confidential data and by taking the appropriate steps to secure such content. Your responsibilities within the Mount Sinai Health System extend to a variety of other forms of daily communication, including public areas, telephone use, texting, and social media technologies.

All hardware, software, and related services are supplied by the school for the sole purpose of supplementing and reinforcing the school’s educational, research, and clinical goals as set forth in the student and faculty handbooks and other mission statements of the school. These documents may be found elsewhere.

Access to the Internet is provided as a communications tool and an information resource to facilitate the performance of job- or academic-related functions. This policy applies to any Internet service accessed on or from a Mount Sinai Health System facility, provided by the school, accessed using school-owned equipment, or used in a manner that identifies the individual with the ISMMS or Mount Sinai Health System. The Mount Sinai Health System reserves the right to review any information, files, or communications sent, stored, or received on its computer systems.

Inappropriate use of the Internet may result in loss of access privileges and in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Students, faculty, and employees are prohibited from using Mount Sinai Health System-provided Internet services in connection with any of the following activities:

• Engaging in illegal, fraudulent, or malicious conduct

• Working on behalf of organizations without a professional or business affiliation with the Mount Sinai Health System

• Sending, receiving, or storing offensive, obscene, or defamatory materials

• Obtaining unauthorized access to any computer system

• Using another individual’s account or identity without explicit, written authorization

• Attempting to test, circumvent, or defeat the security or crediting systems of the Mount Sinai Health System or any other organization without prior authorization from Information Management Systems and Services/Security and Corporate Data Administration (IMSS/SACDA) or ISMMS IT

• Any use or activity that impedes Mount Sinai Health System operations

Users of school-provided cloud services, such as Google Apps for Education and Box.com, have the ability to share files with colleagues within or outside the Mount Sinai Health System for academic collaboration purposes. Students, faculty, and employees must not, under any circumstances, share unencrypted files containing PHI or other confidential information with colleagues outside the Mount Sinai Health System. As mentioned, compliance begins by being aware of the data that one is generating and by following appropriate steps to secure such content if it contains protected or other confidential information.

Social media are internet-based applications, which support and promote the exchange of user-developed content. Some current examples include Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, TikToK, and YouTube. Posting personal images, experiences and information on these kinds of public sites poses a set of unique challenges for all members of the Mount Sinai community, including employees, faculty, house staff, fellows, volunteers and students (collectively “Personnel”). All personnel have responsibility to the institution regardless of where or when they post something that may reflect poorly on Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is committed to supporting students' right to interact knowledgeably and socially; however, these electronic interactions have a potential impact on patients, colleagues, Mount Sinai, and future employers’ opinions. The principal aim of this Guideline is to identify student responsibilities to Mount Sinai in relation to social media and to help students represent themselves and Mount Sinai in a responsible and professional manner. The full Guideline may be found .

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 and its subsequent amendments afford students certain rights with respect to their educational records.

As detailed below, students have the right to:

• Inspect and review their education records.

• Seek amendment of their education records if they believe them to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights.

• Consent to certain disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their education records.

• File complaints with the Department of Education concerning any alleged failure to comply with FERPA’s requirements.

For more information on institution’s FERPA policy, consult the .

All students, faculty, and employees should use only the provided hardware, software, or services which they are authorized to use.

All hardware devices using school or hospital email, file, or collaboration services, including personal laptops, must be encrypted, while ActiveSync must be installed and enabled for personal smartphones. Thumb drives or any storage devices that contain protected health information (PHI) or other confidential information must also be encrypted. For more information or support, please contact the Academic IT Support Center (1.212.241.7091, email: ).

Individuals may not extend their use of the resources described for any purpose beyond their intended use or beyond those activities sanctioned in school policy statements.

In particular, no one may use hardware and software:

• To acquire personal profit or gain

• To harass, threaten, or otherwise invade the privacy of others

• To initiate or forward email chain letters

• To cause breaches or disruptions of computer, network, or telecommunications systems

• To initiate activities which unduly consume computing or network resources

• To transmit sensitive or proprietary information to unauthorized persons or parties

It is a specific violation of these guidelines to provide account passwords to individuals who are not the owners of the accounts or to obtain passwords to or use others’ accounts.

It is against this policy to copy or reproduce any licensed software or media, except as expressly permitted by the license. Unauthorized use or distribution of software, media, or digital content is a violation of this policy.

Individuals who violate the aims of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action or to referral to law enforcement authorities without prior notification of those who have sent or received such messages. ISMMS IT personnel are authorized to monitor suspected violations and to examine items stored on any school storage medium by individuals suspected of violating this policy.

Email and collaboration technologies, including Google Apps for Education, are provided to assist and facilitate scholarly communication and collaboration. These technologies are provided for official business and educational use in the course of assigned duties. The school reserves the right to access and disclose all messages sent over its electronic mail systems for the purposes of monitoring security breaches and investigating inappropriate usage as defined in this policy. The Mount Sinai Health System is obligated to comply with legal subpoenas, court orders, and similar lawful requests from external regulators or authorities.

Inappropriate use of email and/or collaboration technology may result in loss of access privileges and disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Inappropriate use includes but is not limited to:

• Unauthorized attempts to access others’ email accounts

• Transmission of protected and/or confidential information to unauthorized persons or other organizations

• Transmission of obscene or harassing messages to any other individual

• Transmission of offensive material, solicitations, or proselytization for commercial ventures, religious or political causes, or other non-job-related solicitations

• Any illegal, unethical, or other activity that could adversely affect the Mount Sinai Health System

All hardware devices, including students' own devices and personal laptops, on which school email, file, or collaboration services are used must be encrypted. AirWatch MDM must be enabled for personal smartphones. Thumb drives or any storage devices that contain PHI data must also be encrypted. For more information or support, students should contact the Academic IT Support Center (1.212.241.7091, email: ASCIT@mssm.edu). Students, faculty, and employees are responsible for ensuring that their devices are password enabled and encrypted.

The key points of the above policies are as follows:

• Students may use only an ISMMS email account to communicate protected or confidential information. Emails containing PHI, financial information, or other confidential ISMMS information and/or social security numbers may not be sent or redirected to non-ISMMS email accounts.

• The minimum necessary amount of PHI should be disclosed via email. When at all possible, student should use the Medical Record number, rather than the patient name, as the patient identifier.

• Messages that leave the Mount Sinai Health System network and contain PHI or other confidential information must be encrypted using the ISMMS IT-approved solution described as follows.

• Messages sent within the Mount Sinai Health System network are automatically encrypted.

• Encryption will not prevent misdirection or unintended forwarding of a previous string of emails. Extreme caution must be exercised to prevent such risks. Students should be aware of their generated content.

In addition to ensuring that one's device is encrypted, students must select an email encryption option if sending PHI or other confidential information to an external recipient.

To activating the email encryption option:

• Microsoft Exchange users should include the word [secure] within square brackets in the subject line of the message. The recipient will be asked to self-enroll when the message is opened. The secure send mechanism can be used in any email client (e.g., Outlook, Outlook Web Access, smartphone).

• Google Apps users should install the Virtru add-on to the browser and/or device (go to http://www.virtru.com for instructions). When composing a message, select the “Virtru Protection is on” option.

Spam and Inappropriate Use of Messaging Tools

ISMMS systems, including email, are intended for official business use. Inappropriate use may result in disciplinary actions and loss of access privileges. Unsolicited mass emailing of materials not related to school business is considered spam and may result in the loss of access privileges.

Student Privacy, Secure Email, and Phishing

Students should remember to take care when opening attachments or following links contained in email messages. Students should verify with the sender of the message if receiving an unexpected attachment or an email that contains suspicious links. Students should be especially cautious of emails that have been quarantined. Unless one is expecting a quarantined message, students should not release the email.

Students should also take care with any messages that ask you to provide private information (e.g., birthdays, social security number, credit card numbers, user account passwords). These messages might actually be phishing attempts by persons pretending to be from legitimate companies or organizations. When in doubt, students should contact the party requesting the information for confirmation. Users should not rely on the contact information contained in the email but use the contact information typically found on the company website or on the back of a bank or credit card.

Mount Sinai Medical Center has an obligation to ensure that its trustees, faculty, employees and other staff and students adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct free from any improper external influence or any appearance of impropriety. Situations can occur in which an independent observer might reasonably conclude that the potential for individual or institutional conflict could influence the manner in which individuals carry out their responsibilities or the decisions made by the institution. Even in the absence of an actual conflict of interest, such situations may require actions to minimize the appearance of a conflict.

At the same time, Mount Sinai understands that such individuals and their close family members may have relationships that could raise perceived or actual conflicts of interest, but could benefit Mount Sinai if carefully examined and properly managed.

In order to safeguard the integrity of both Mount Sinai and its constituents, Mount Sinai has adopted a rigorous conflicts policy predicated on full disclosure and appropriate management of any possible conflict of interest. This Policy on Business Conflicts of Interest (the “Policy”) identifies those persons or entities covered by this Policy, sets out the requirements for disclosing potential business conflicts of interest, and specifies the procedures for reviewing such disclosures and determining what measures, if any, should be instituted to manage the conflict.

This Policy is intended to cover conflicts that arise out of business relationships. Mount Sinai has related policies that cover other types of conflicts, such as Mount Sinai’s Policy on Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research. For more information, please review the Financial Relationships with Outside Entities, found in the drop-down menu on the corresponding webpage.

The Mount Sinai Health System (“MSHS”) engages in basic and applied research for the purpose of advancing healthcare and wellbeing, to further understanding of the mechanisms of disease, and to improve the diagnosis, prevention, prognosis, and treatment of disease. MSHS encourages members of its community to publish, disclose, and discuss the results of such research to serve the public interest and advance knowledge in their respective fields. Prompt and open dissemination of research findings is essential to the fulfillment of the MSHS's commitment to excellence in education, research, and patient care.

If intellectual property is developed by an employee of Mount Sinai or invented at Mount Sinai facilities under the supervision of Mount Sinai personnel, the intellectual property is owned by Mount Sinai. Each inventor must assign his or her rights in the intellectual property to Mount Sinai. This includes all faculty, staff, fellows, trainees, post-docs, and graduate students who have an appointment at Mount Sinai. Please review Mount Sinai’s IP policy for more information.