STAFF AND STUDENTS RESPONSES TO UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING UNETHICAL BEHAVIOURS, CORRUPT PRACTICES, GENDER AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION: IMPLICATIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

This study investigates staff and students' responses to university management strategies for prevention of unethical behaviours, corrupt practices, gender and religious discriminations with implications on mental health. The study used an ex-post facto descriptive survey design. The population consisted of three thousand (3,000) staff and one hundred thousand (100,000) of Open and Distance University system. Random sampling technique was used to select 360 samples of staff and students. A scale created by the researchers was used to collect data. titled: “Preventing University Unethical Behaviours, Corrupt Practices, Gender and Religious Discrimination Scale. The scale was validated through the use of face and content validity and test re-test reliability with reliability coefficient of 0.97. Statistical mean and t–test statistic at P≤ 0.05 were utilized to examine the information gathered. Among the findings of the study were that staff and students agreed on the availability of management strategies in the university, a significant difference between staff and students' responses on the extent to which management strategies for prevention of unethical behaviours, corrupt practices, gender and religious discrimination given a high profile in the university. The study recommended that equal protection should be given to both staff and students irrespective of gender and religious affiliation, overt and covert university strategies should be created for identifying all forms of unethical behaviours corrupt practices, gender and religious discrimination with continuous and timely review of existing university management strategies for prevention of unethical behaviours, corrupt practices, gender and religious discriminations