On June 24, 2005, the board of trustees
of Bowling Green state university approved the statement below to cover all
university employees. This statement does not appear in either employee
handbook or in the charter.
Preamble:
It is the policy of Bowling Green state
university ("university") to pursue its mission and conduct its academic and
business affairs with the highest degree of integrity and honesty and in a
manner that is, and appears to be, in full accord with principles of academic
excellence, canons of ethical and professional conduct, and all controlling
law.
(A)
Policy statement and purpose
The purpose of this university code of
ethics and conduct ("code") policy is to summarize fundamental principles of
ethical conduct that are applicable to all members of the university community.
While some of these standards may be detailed in other policy documents having
a specific application to a particular circumstance, many other standards have
been observed as good practice but have not been previously codified in any one
policy statement. This code summarizes all of these important ethical
principles of general application; it is not intended to replace or modify
existing written policy statements containing standards tailored to specific
circumstances. Those written policy statements containing more detailed
standards include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1)
Bowling Green
state university, policy on misconduct in research
(2)
Bowling Green
state university, conflict of interest in sponsored research
(3)
Administrative
staff handbook, conflict of interest: research and consulting, appendix
H
(4)
Classified staff handbook, general rules of conduct and
code of ethics
(5)
Faculty handbook, B-II.E: employee
responsibilities
(6)
Faculty handbook, B-II.F: ethical
responsibilities
(7)
Faculty handbook, B-II.H: academic honesty
policy
(8)
Student handbook, academic and student codes of
conduct
(9)
Bowling Green state university, sponsored programs and
research, policies: frequently asked questions
(10)
Bowling Green
state university, fraud waste and abuse, reporting procedures and
information
(11)
NCAA constitution and bylaws
(12)
Bowling Green
state university, equal opportunity and anti-harassment
policies
(B)
Applicability
This code is applicable to all members
of the university community. For this purpose, the community consists of the
students, faculty, staff, and Trustees. Every member of the university
community is required to become familiar with and to observe the code in all
respects. In addition, those members of the university community whose actions
may be governed by the more detailed written policy statements of the
university (as described in Part II) are also expected to become familiar with
and to observe those policies to the extent applicable to their status with, or
employment by the university.
(C)
Our mission
imperative
Through the provision and
interdependence of teaching, learning, scholarship (including scholarship
through engagement), the university has established, and continues to foster,
an environment that is grounded in intellectual discovery, community
engagement, and multicultural academic and social experiences, while guided in
all such pursuits by rational discourse and civility to others. All members of
the university community are expected to dedicate their service to,
participation in, and administration of university programs and activities for
the protection and furtherance of this imperative.
(D)
Standard of
conduct
All members of the university community
shall observe the following principles of ethical conduct and avoid any
situation that is, or that reasonably appears to be, a violation of any such
principle.
A violation of these principles will be
established if the relevant record of inquiry establishes that it was more
likely than not that the violation occurred. The burden of that demonstration
will rest with the authority making the decision. Unless the accused admits
culpability, no such decision shall be rendered in the absence of an inquiry
that allows the accused a meaningful opportunity to respond to the
allegations.
(E)
Principles of ethical conduct
Each member of the university community
shall observe the following principles of ethical conduct:
(1)
Public trust: We
must act in a way to inspire public confidence in the honesty and integrity of
our actions. Any violation of a law, rule, or regulation of the federal
goverment, the state of Ohio, the city of Bowling Green, or any other political
subdivision where the university transacts its business, violates the public
trust and has the potential to discredit the university and impede the
furtherance of its mission.
(2)
Political
activities: We must recognize and heed the responsibilities that we share as an
instrumentality of the state of Ohio. University resources cannot be used in a
way that demonstrates or reasonably implies an institutional favoritism for, or
bias against, a particular political candidate or party.
(3)
Business
Arrangements: We must not take an illegal interest in a public contract,
including any contract awarded by the university. We shall not abuse the
authority, trust, or responsibility of our position, or our status as a member
of this community, or otherwise act in a way to unfairly benefit ourselves or
others at the expense of the university.
(4)
Conflicts of
interest and conflicts of commitment: We may not take any action, participate
in any decision, or approve any action or decision on behalf of the university
that will directly result in a benefit to ourselves, or any person or interest
affiliated or connected with us. We shall avoid circumstances that reasonably
imply we acted for personal gain rather than for the best interest of the
university. We shall not knowingly engage in any activity on or off campus that
would prevent us from fulfilling those obligations we fairly owe to the
university, whether those obligations arise from our status as a student, a
faculty member, a staff member, or a trustee.
(5)
External
constituencies: We shall treat all visitors to the university with civility and
respect. We must also operate our facilities and conduct ourselves, on and off
campus, in a way that does not unjustly deprive our community neighbors of
enjoying the benefits of their rights as property owners. We must not act in a
manner that causes any diminution in the quality of life in our surrounding
neighborhoods, or that brings discredit to the university, or to any university
constituent group. Our dealings with all levels of government must be direct,
honest, and open. We must never misuse public funds.
(6)
Diversity and
respect for the individual: As a member of the university community we shall
treat each other with civility and respect. We shall be tolerant of all
individuals regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
age, and disability. We consider the gathering and association of scholars and
staff with diverse personal backgrounds, human experiences, and cultures to be
highly valued in our learning community. Accordingly, we shall advance
diversity and treat others with civility and respect in all that we do as a
member of this community and we shall consider intolerance, disrespect, and
incivility to be inimical to our fundamental interests as an institution of
higher education.
We also value, as a compelling academic
interest of the university, the promotion of ethnic and racial diversity in our
academic programs and activities and in the composition of our student body,
our faculty, and our staff. The failure to provide an education with cross
cultural experiences and insights will inhibit our graduates from functioning
to their fullest potential in a pluralistic society. To realize this academic
interest, we must engage in positive efforts to promote racial and ethnic
diversity in our classrooms, in our curricula, and in all other activities that
are designed to further the educational experience of our students. We also
believe these efforts are supported by, and are in furtherance of our interest
as an instrumentality of the state of Ohio to affirm the equal protection of
law for all Ohio citizens.
(7)
Community
engagement: We consider the investment of the university's intellectual capital
in public and private communities, by jointly working with others on problems
of economic development, educational reform, and quality of life issues, to be
a form of scholarship that benefits faculty, students, and our neighbors. We
shall endeavor to expand the educational experiences of our students to include
greater engagement with our external communities so that we may teach through
the provision of needed services to others. When providing services to the
community, we shall treat our neighbors with respect and dignity. We shall
refrain from any action that would have the purpose or effect of disadvantaging
or discouraging our students or colleagues who are, or who plan to be, engaged
in such efforts as an approved element of academic instruction or scholarly
research.
(8)
Research: It is imperative that our research be
conducted in accord with the highest standards of honesty and integrity. We
must avoid conduct that invites justifiable criticism dealing with improper
financial interests or other influences extraneous to the merits of the effort.
When conducting sponsored research, we shall adhere to all relevant legal
requirements including the rules and regulations of the office of research
integrity of the public health service, the common federal policies on research
misconduct issued by the office of science and technology, and/or such other
rules, regulations and policies of the awarding agency or other sponsor that
may be applicable.
(9)
Business officers: Anyone who participates in the
decision or approval process leading to the expenditure of university funds
must act for and in the best interest of the university. Integrity, honesty,
and a clearly auditable record of actions taken and decisions made are
imperative. If we are involved in such a transaction we must not be influenced
by extraneous matters; we must act in a manner consistent with all controlling
laws and policies; and we must report to the ethics officer or other
appropriate university office or legal authority those who would direct or
solicit us to act otherwise. We must avoid personal conflicts of interest and
always be alert to the potential for fraud, waste, or abuse. We must never
accept or solicit anything of value for ourselves or anyone else in return for
exercising our discretion in any particular way. Gratuities, except for minor
gifts of nominal value, cannot be accepted if a reasonable person may conclude
that the gift is of such a character that our actions could or would be
influenced by that gratuity. While dealing with vendors and potential vendors
to the university we must always act with professionalism and courtesy and
honor the terms and conditions of the university's contractual
arrangements.
(10)
Record keeping: We must keep all accounting, academic,
and business records of the university in an accurate, timely, and complete
manner. Financial records, in particular, must be maintained in conformity with
all controlling generally accepted accounting principles and such other
requirements as may, from time to time, be required by the state of Ohio.
Records of material transactions must be capable of being audited so that our
actions are "transparent" and readily justifiable when measured by relevant
standards and requirements. The intentional or negligent making of a materially
false or misleading statement in the records or books of account of the
university will not be tolerated. Records that are designated by management, or
understood by practice, to be considered confidential must be maintained in the
strictest confidence and are not to be disclosed to any party, except as
directed by the appropriate university manager or as otherwise required by
law.
(11)
Duty to report: The president and the members of the
president's cabinet, and such other employees as may be designated by the
president, are under an affirmative obligation to report to the ethics officer
or other appropriate university office or legal authority any conduct that they
reasonably believe may give rise to a violation of this code of ethics and
conduct.
(12)
Misuse of university resources: All resources of the
university must be used for the purposes for which they were intended. We may
not improperly convert for our own personal use, or for the use of another, any
property or property right of the university. We may not provide someone an
advantage for obtaining, using, or accessing university property that is not
based on merit and otherwise in accord with all controlling laws, rules,
regulations, and policies.
(13)
Non-retaliation: It is a violation of this code for anyone to retaliate against
a member of the university community who, in good faith, has alleged a
violation of this code. Similarly, it is also a violation of the code for
anyone to retaliate against an individual who has participated in an
investigation conducted under the code.
(F)
Ethics officer
and compliance efforts
The university's ethics officer shall
be responsible for investigating alleged violations of the code, reporting
findings to the appropriate decisional authority, and providing advice on the
ethical requirements under this code, the laws of the state of Ohio, the
federal government and such other jurisdictions as may be appropriate. The
ethics officer shall not have the authority to take disciplinary action against
any person. The president of the university shall appoint the ethics officer,
upon consultation with the board of trustees.
In lieu of, or in the course of an
investigation conducted under this part, the ethics officer may refer a matter
to another office that has specific jurisdiction of the particular subject
matter of the allegation under one of the specific policies described in part
II of the code. No one is to abuse the code as an alternative mechanism to
avoid application of existing processes attendant to those specific
policies.
Inquiries and investigations that may
involve the ethics officer, the president, or a member of the board of trustees
shall be referred to the audit committee of the board of trustees for such
action as the committee may deem appropriate.
Members of the university community are
expected to cooperate fully with all inquiries and investigations conducted
under the code.
(G)
Implementation
The president of the university may
issue such directives as the president may deem necessary to implement this
code. In each such event, a copy of the directive shall be transmitted to the
chair of the faculty senate, to the Presidents of the graduate student senate
and undergraduate student government, and to the presidents of the classified
staff and administrative staff councils. No such directive may become effective
until each of the foregoing organizations is given at least thirty calendar
days to comment on the directive.
The board of trustees reserves the
right to cancel or modify any directive or to issue directives on its own
initiative.
(H)
Amendments
This code of ethics and conduct may be
amended only by action of the board of trustees of the university.
Date: January 1, 2014
