19.10 Confidentiality

As part of your employment, you may have access to confidential information of the University. Confidential information is a valuable asset. Confidential information is information that is not known by the public. Some examples include, but are not limited to: student personal information; student financial information; past and present employee personal information; University financial information; Data, as defined in this Handbook; trade secrets; personal health information; business strategies, plans or budgets; marketing plans, academic strategy and agreements, technical information and other similar information methods of operation; names of vendors; vendor pricing; training manuals and materials; organizational charts, and other confidential business information. Confidential information does not include information about wages, hours or terms and conditions of employment.

Use confidential information only as necessary to do your job. Never use it for your own personal benefit. Discuss work matters only with other University employees who have a specific business reason to know or have access to such information. Do not discuss work matters in public places. Before disclosing confidential information outside of the University, you must make sure a non-disclosure agreement has been signed by the outside party first and authorized by the Administration.

Your obligation to preserve confidential information continues after the termination of your employment with the University. You must return all University materials, such as manuals, computers, documents, software, etc. on or before your last day of employment. You may not divulge or use in any way confidential information or documents containing confidential information that you learned about or received while working for the University. You may not delete, alter, or share any confidential information while employed by the University, upon and/or after termination, or at any other time whatsoever.

All employees shall be required to sign a confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement as a condition of employment.

Nothing in this section prohibits Employees from reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Congress, and any agency, or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of state law, federal law, or regulation.