Code
of Ethics
UNIVERSITY POLICY STATEMENT:
Each member of the Board of Regents shall individually
execute a statement articulating a code of ethics
governing trustee standards and codes of behavior. Execution
of this document shall occur upon the initial appointment
to the Board and thereafter annually at the first
meeting after the annual election of officers.
UNIVERSITY PRACTICE:
By consensus, members of the Board developed a
Code of Ethics in January 1988, clarifying and attesting
to obligations and responsibilities relative to
the governance of Eastern Michigan University. By
signing this document, each regent commits individually
and collectively to the highest possible standards
of conduct.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
It is the responsibility of the Secretary to the
Board to make these statements available at the
appointed time and to collect and keep them on file. It
is the responsibility of each Board member by policy
to execute a Code of Ethics document annually.
SCOPE OF POLICY COVERAGE:
This policy governs each member of the Board of
Regents of Eastern Michigan University.
We, the members of the Board of Regents of Eastern
Michigan University, recognize the importance of
articulating standards of how we exercise our trusteeships. By
adopting this statement we acknowledge that trusteeship
requires a code of behavior not usually expected
of other citizens. By willingly and enthusiastically
accepting the privilege of serving the public interest
and this institution, we also accept the obligations
and responsibilities that accompany our trusteeships.
This statement is intended to clarify our individual
responsibilities which we acknowledge to be distinct
from, but complementary to, those of the Board as
a corporate entity. It shall serve to help
individuals being considered for nomination to the
Board to decide whether they wish to accept appointment,
to remind new and incumbent members of their obligations,
and to encourage periodic review of ourselves and
our Board's performance.
We, therefore, the Regents of Eastern Michigan
University, each pledge to:
- Become familiar with and committed
to the major responsibilities of a
governing board:
- To appoint the president
- To support the president
- To monitor the president's performance
- To clarify the mission
- To approve long-range plans
- To approve the educational program
- To ensure financial solvency
- To preserve institutional independence
- To enhance the public image
- To interpret the community to
the institution
- To serve as a court of appeal
- To assess its own performance
- Support the institution's fund-raising
efforts through personal giving in
accordance with one's means (to both
annual funds and capital drives),
and to be willing to share in the
solicitation of others by implementing
fund-raising strategies through personal
influence with others.
- Consistently and faithfully prepare
for and participate in official Board
meetings and functions, including
committee meetings and appropriate
campus events.
- Devote time to learning and remaining
knowledgeable institution's uniqueness,
mission, purposes, goals, educational
offerings, strengths, and needs.
- Help interpret and explain to state
policy makers and others how the unique
nature of an academic enterprise makes
it distinct from other public agencies,
including its essential commitment
to academic freedom and its delicate
internal system of shared governance. In
a similar vein, we pledge to protect
the institution's integrity and independence
from unreasonable outside interference.
- Help interpret and explain to the
administration and academic community
the needs, interests and concerns
of the larger community in the course
of helping to set institutional purposes;
priorities, and policies.
- Accept and abide by the legal and
fiscal responsibilities of the Board
as specified by institutional charter,
bylaws, and state statutes and regulations.
- Vote according to one's individual
conviction, and be willing to support
the majority decision of the Board
and work with fellow Board members
in a spirit of cooperation.
- Maintain the confidential nature
of Board deliberations and to avoid
acting as spokesperson for the entire
Board unless specifically authorized
to do so.
- Understand the role of the Board
as a policy-making body and to avoid
participation in administration of
policy.
- Learn and consistently use designated
institutional channels when conducting
Board business (e.g., responding to
faculty and student grievances, responding
to inquiries concerning the status
of a presidential search, etc.).
- Comply with conflict-of-interest
policies and disclosure forms developed
by the Board and avoid even the appearance
of a conflict-of-interest which might
embarrass the Board, and to reveal
those possible conflicts to the Board
in a timely fashion for disposition
by the Board as it may decide.
- Refrain from actions and involvements
that might prove embarrassing to the
institution and to resign if such
actions or involvements develop.
- Make judgments always on the basis
of what is best for the institution
as a whole and for the advancement
of higher education rather than to
serve special interests.
- Serve in leadership positions or
undertake special willingly and enthusiastically
when asked.
- Counsel the chief executive as appropriate
to offer support in his or her often
difficult relationships with groups
or individuals on or off campus.
- Suggest agenda items periodically
for Board and committee meetings to
ensure that significant policy-related
matters are addressed.
- Avoid asking for special favors
of the administration, including requests for information
without at least prior consultation
with the Board or committee chairperson.
- Avoid prejudiced judgments on the
basis of information received from
individuals on campus, and urge those
with real or perceived grievances
to follow established policies and
procedures through their supervisors
(all matters of potential significance
should be called to the attention
of the CEO and Board chairperson as
appropriate).
- Avoid placing or seeming to place
pressure of any kind on individual
students, faculty, staff or administration.
- Support and defend when necessary
the chief executive, administration,
faculty and staff.
- Remain knowledgeable about trends
in higher education and other institutions
in our community, state, region, and
nation.
- Encourage periodic review of the
Board's performance as an example
to other members of the academic community
and to acknowledge that Board and
presidential leadership are interdependent.
We, the Regents of Eastern Michigan University,
thus commit ourselves individually and collectively
to the highest possible standards of conduct. We
acknowledge that each 'of us shares a profound obligation
to exercise our best possible judgment as we face
the often perplexing matters affecting the health
and vitality of this institution which we hold in
trust for future generations. At
the same time we appreciate the fact that trusteeship,
like the presidency, is a distinctly human enterprise
and an imperfect device.
We respect the judgments of others concerning our
performance because we recognize the need to see
ourselves as others see us. As willing volunteers
in perhaps the most noble of all forms of volunteerism
in our participatory democracy, we individually
pledge to help the Board to be all that it is capable
of being.
| Authority
for Creation or Revision: |
| Minutes
of the Board of Regents,
February 23, 1988; para. 3685M. |
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