MPA Code of Ethics

MPA Honor Code

An important element of the success of the MPA program is the perception by students, faculty, and employers that students are evaluated fairly on the basis of their own work completed in accordance with the instructions provided. This perception relies on a culture of honesty and ethical conduct where there is no tolerance of scholastic dishonesty. Additionally, the program prepares students for a profession in which honesty and ethical behavior are essential characteristics. The value that accountants provide directly relates to the credibility of the work they perform. MPA students are therefore expected to compete honestly and fairly with their peers and to adhere to the highest standard of personal integrity. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action including dismissal from the program.

All students are bound by the University Honor Code and the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities given in the General Information Catalog. Regulations and procedures regarding student discipline and conduct are set forth in Chapter 11 of the Institutional Rules.

Use of Texas McCombs Career Management resources and tools comes with the responsibility to conduct
yourself in a manner that demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, which includes, but is not limited to, the guidelines below. By choosing to use McCombs Career Management resources and tools, you agree to follow these standards of professional and ethical behavior:

1. Demonstrate professionalism in all recruiting activities and relationships

2. Represent yourself accurately and recruit with genuine intentions

3. Honor all recruiting and employment commitments

 

McCombs students participating in any in-person or virtual recruitment activities must abide by the Texas McCombs Career Management Code of Ethics.

 

DEMONSTRATE PROFESSIONALISM IN ALL RECRUITING ACTIVITIES & RELATIONSHIPS

1. Prepare for Interviews & Events

• RSVP by the deadline posted to help employers and staff plan events and workshops. Large numbers of unexpected guests can result in companies not having enough recruiters, resources, or space. Large numbers of no-shows for events or receptions can result in companies canceling campus interviews.
• Before attending recruiting events or interviews, complete company and industry research and prepare questions for recruiters.
• When attending a recruiting event or interview, be prepared to engage in conversation as well as answer and ask questions as appropriate. Failure to do so demonstrates a lack of interest and reflects poorly on all McCombs students.
• Learn and understand how to use the campus online recruiting systems as part of your overall preparation.
  
  

2. Dress Professionally

• Interviews typically require business professional attire unless otherwise noted.
• Presentations and company receptions typically require business casual unless otherwise noted.
• Jeans, shorts, sneakers, flip-flops, and similar casual wear are never appropriate for any recruiting-related or company-sponsored event.
  
  

3. Arrive to Events Early or On Time

• Show up on time for all recruiting events.
• For on-campus interviews, it is strongly advised that you arrive 10 minutes prior to the scheduled interview time to leave adequate time for check-in. For virtual interviews we recommend that you log in 5-10 minutes early when possible and follow any instructions sent by the interviewer. Set up and test your camera, connection, and microphone on a fully charged computer prior to your interview date to eliminate day-of technical issues.
• By scheduling an interview, you commit to showing up on time unless a legitimate reason arises (e.g., recent acceptance of another offer, sudden personal illness, or a death in the family). See the Interview Cancellation Policy on the following pages.
  
  

4. Always Communicate Professionally

• When communicating with recruiters and staff, be respectful and professional.
• Respond promptly to all email, written, and phone communications from recruiters, employers, and the Career Management staff.
• Turn off and put away cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices during recruiting events and interviews.
• Behave in a respectful and professional manner at all recruiting events and interviews, including all office visits or recruiting trips. Every interaction with a prospective employer or staff member either enhances or detracts from your personal reputation and the reputation of Texas McCombs.
  
  

5. Respond to Every Interview Offer & Offer of Employment

• If you receive an invitation to interview and do not plan to attend, decline the invitation as soon as possible so another student can take the spot. There is no penalty for declining invitations to interview.
• Respond to every offer of employment, whether you accept or reject it. If you need assistance asking an employer for an extension on your offer timeline, please contact your Career Coach.

 

REPRESENT YOURSELF ACCURATELY AND RECRUIT WITH GENUINE INTENTIONS

1. Provide Accurate Information

• Provide complete and accurate information on all career-related materials (e.g., graduation date, GPA, standardized test scores, work eligibility, transcript, employment data, etc.).
• Furnishing false information is a violation of student standards of conduct that will result in immediate loss of on- campus recruiting privileges and a referral to The University of Texas at Austin - Student Conduct and Academic Integrity unit in the Office of the Dean of Students. Subsequent disciplinary actions may also be taken.|
  
  

2. Apply Only for Positions that Match your Interests and Qualifications

• Submit your resume only for positions that align with your career interests and for which you are qualified. Indiscriminate "shopping around" diminishes opportunities for classmates.
• Do not treat recruiting as an opportunity for "practice interviews." It is unfair to peers who genuinely want the job and to the company expending resources to recruit. Career Management staff are available to assist with mock interviews.
  
  

3. Report Your Employment Status

• Report your offer(s) through the secure site specified by the Career Management staff designated for your program. While individual salary and offer data provided by students are not released, the aggregate results are critical to current and prospective students, recruiters, and administrators. The data are necessary for Texas McCombs to complete information for business school rankings, and the information provided is among the best tools for students to use for future salary negotiations. It is your responsibility to ensure that your personal profile and current employment information in all career-related systems is updated and accurate.

 

HONOR ALL RECRUITING & EMPLOYMENT COMMITMENTS

1. Attend All Scheduled Events & Interviews

• If you RSVP to an event or meeting, follow through with the commitment.
• Do not schedule interviews when you know you have a conflict, including during class or exam times.
• Every effort should be made to show up on time to scheduled interviews. By scheduling an interview, you commit to showing up on time for that interview unless a legitimate reason arises. See the Interview Cancellation Policy on the following page for more details.

2. Stand Behind Your Commitments After Accepting an Internship or Full-Time Job Offer

• Respond to every offer, whether you accept or reject it. Upon the acceptance of a job offer, you agree to:
  • Cancel any upcoming interviews. If needed, you can use the Late Interview Cancellation Form page (See the Interview Cancellation policy on the following page).
  • Withdraw any pending applications when possible.
  • Notify all other employers with whom you are a job candidate and withdraw from further consideration.
  • Notify Career Management of acceptance to report all relevant offer information (e.g., company name, salary, bonus, location, etc.) for employment reporting.
    
    

Backing out (reneging) on an accepted offer is unethical and unprofessional and reflects poorly on you and the McCombs School of Business. Any student who reneges on an offer of employment will be required to meet with the Director of Career Education and Coaching for their program. Reneging may result in loss of all future use of Career Management resources, including coaching, the McCombs online recruiting system (RecruitMcCombs), and Alumni Career Management.* Please note that the policies listed above regarding reneging on an offer apply to positions found through any job source (e.g., RecruitMcCombs, HireUTexas, outside job boards, etc.).

 

INTERVIEW CANCELLATION POLICY

A late cancellation is defined as cancelling an interview after you can no longer cancel in the McCombs online recruiting system; this date is called the "Sign-Up End Date." Missing an interview (no showing or showing up more than 5 minutes late) or submitting a late cancellation for an on-campus interview is considered a serious offense and will result in immediate loss of access to the McCombs online recruiting system, RecruitMcCombs. You may appeal your case if you have a legitimate reason for missing an interview such as a recent acceptance of another offer, sudden personal illness, or a death in the family.

In order to regain use of the online recruiting system after no showing or cancelling an interview, complete the following steps:

1. Complete the Late Interview Cancellation Form.
2. Send the employer an apology email and copy the appropriate contact in Career Management.
3. Schedule an appointment with the appropriate contact in Career Management to request reinstatement of recruiting privileges.
4. Provide documentation of reason for interview cancellation.
5. If you are currently scheduled for other interviews, you must still attend them. You will not, however, be able to submit your resume to any new job postings until you have met with the appropriate contact in Career Management.
   
   

It is up to the discretion of Career Management to determine whether your reason for missing an interview is legitimate. If you cannot provide documentation or if the reason is not deemed legitimate, recruiting privileges will not be reinstated.

 

ACCOUNTABILITY

Every interaction you have with a prospective employer or staff member enhances or detracts from your personal reputation and the reputation of the school. Compliance with the Texas McCombs Career Management Code of Ethics allows you to access McCombs recruiting privileges, including access to the on-campus recruiting system. Violation of the aforementioned standards of conduct may result in loss of future McCombs recruiting privileges and services.

Additionally, if we receive information that a student has violated university policy they will be referred to The University of Texas at Austin – Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of Students for review and potential future action.

 

ETHICS COMPLIANCE PROCESS

To access RecruitMcCombs, you must complete the Texas McCombs Career Management Code of Ethics certification process outlined below at the beginning of every semester.

• Read and understand the policy. Seek clarification for questions from a staff member in Career Management.
• Indicate your agreement to abide by the policy in the McCombs online recruiting system. Log into the system and enter the profile/privacy tab. There you can indicate your acceptance and save the change on your profile.

 

STUDENT APPEALS PROCESS

Please consult the Career Management point of contact for your program if you have questions regarding your individual circumstances or about penalties for policy violations.

BBA:
Morgan Medina, Director of BBA Career Education & Coaching
morgan.medina@mccombs.utexas.edu

MPA:
Merri Su Ruhmann, Director of MPA & MS Career Education & Coaching
merrisu.ruhmann@mccombs.utexas.edu

MSBA, MSF, MSITM, MSM:
Merri Su Ruhmann, Director of MPA & MS Career Education & Coaching
merrisu.ruhmann@mccombs.utexas.edu

 

TEXAS MCCOMBS CAREER MANAGEMENT EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS

In order to be eligible for the online recruiting systems and/or on-campus interviews, employers and opportunities offered must align with Texas McCombs Career Management and Corporate Relations recruiting requirements. To review the requirements and offer timelines, go to https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/Career-Services/Recruit/Policies-and-Guidelines. If you feel you have experienced unprofessional or unethical recruiting practices with a company, notify the Career Management point of contact for your program.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I am late to an interview?
See the No Show and Late Cancellation Process above. If you are 5 minutes late or more to an on-campus or virtual interview, you will not be able to interview, and you will be considered a “No Show.”

When is it permissible or required to cancel an interview?
You may cancel interviews with no penalty prior to the "Sign-Up End Date" listed in all postings in the online recruiting system. When cancelling prior to the "Sign-Up End Date," you will be able to cancel within the online recruiting system interface. You are required to cancel any interviews once you have accepted another offer of employment.

What if I have a true emergency and need to cancel an interview after the "Sign-Up End Date"?
As stated previously, a late cancellation is defined as cancelling an interview after you can no longer cancel in the McCombs online recruiting system; this date is called the "Sign-Up End Date." Emergency situations will typically require a submission of the Late Interview Cancellation Form. See the No Show and Late Cancellation Process above.

I am considering reneging on an offer I’ve already accepted. What should I do?
You should speak to a Career Coach to fully understand the ramifications of this decision and its impact on you, the employer, and McCombs.