Code of Ethics

A. BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

1. Board members will be advocates of community college post secondary public education.
2. Board members will uphold and enforce all laws, New Jersey State Board of Higher Education rules and regulations and judicial orders pertaining to community colleges.  Desired changes should be brought about only through legal and ethical procedures.
3. Board members will make decisions which consider the educational welfare of students and the public and will strive to maintain community colleges which meet the individual needs of all students regardless of their race, religion, creed, sex or social standing.
4. Board members will join, as appropriate, with fellow board members, College officers/staff, the community and students in a continuing study of the nature, value and direction of contemporary post-secondary education in order to maintain the appropriateness of the education mission of the College.
5. Board members will work to help the community understand the importance of community college education.
6. Board members will strive to ensure that people are accurately informed about the College and will try to interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for the College.
7. Board members will recognize that their responsibility is not to administer the College but, together with fellow Board members, to provide that it is well administered.
8. Board members will arrive at conclusions in meetings complying with the Open Public Meetings Law.
9. Board members will recognize that authority rests with the whole Board assembled in public meeting and will make no personal promises nor take any private action which may compromise the Board.
10. Board members will refuse to surrender their independent judgement to special interests or partisan political groups or use the College for personal gain or for the gain of friends.
11. Board members will hold confidential all matters pertaining to the College which, if disclosed, would violate provisions of the Open Public Meetings Law or other applicable law.
12. Board members will refer complaints to the President and will act on such complaints at public meetings when appropriate.

B. The Board and College Officials:

1. A Board member and any College officer/staff shall not participate in any way in a matter in which he or she has a present financial or personal interest (direct or indirect).  A Board member shall not vote on any motion or resolution before the Board in which he or she has a present financial or personal interest (direct or indirect).
2. A Board member or officer/staff shall be deemed to have a financial or personal interest in a matter if adoption or defeat of a resolution or motion if adoption or defeat of a resolution or motion or action on a matter by the College would cause the Board member or officer/staff or his/her spouse, children, immediate family or business to derive a monetary gain.  Such person shall be deemed to have such a financial or personal interest if that person, or that person’s spouse, children or immediate family are employed by or have an interest in a business which would derive a monetary gain as a result of action on a resolution, motion or matter.  An interest in a business shall not be deemed to be the ownership of an insignificant number of shares in a publicly held company.
3. No Board member or College officer/staff shall knowingly himself/herself, or by his/her partners or through any corporation which he/she controls or in which he/she owns or controls stock, or by any other person for his/her use or benefit or on his/her account, undertake or execute, in whole or in part, any contract, agreement, sale or purchase made, entered into, awarded to or granted by the College.
4. No Board member or College officer/staff shall engage in, solicit, negotiate for or promise to accept praise employment or render services to private interests when such employment or services creates a substantial conflict with or substantially impairs the proper discharge or official duties.  No board member or College officer/staff shall use college office facilities or supplies other than in the proper discharge of his/her official duties.
5. No member of the Board of Trustees shall be interested directly or indirectly in any contract with or claim against the Board of Trustees.
6. This policy shall be reviewed periodically for the information and guidance of Board members and College officer/staff and any new Board members and College officer/staff shall be given a copy of this policy upon entering on the duties of office.
   

C. ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY

1. Review of Allegations of Misconduct:
   
   (a) Persons desiring to make complaints concerning violations of this Code of conduct should be requested to make such allegations in writing, to present information in support of their allegations and to be available to meet with representatives of the Board of Trustees in person.
   
   (b) All allegations of violations or misconduct on the part of Board members or College officers/staff shall be referred to the Board of Trustees.  All investigations and proceedings related to the resolution of the alleged misconduct shall be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meeting Law and other applicable law.
   
   (c) Upon receiving such complaint the Board of Trustees shall initially review the apparent merits of the allegations.  Where the complaint is deemed frivolous and without merit, no further action need be taken.  If, however, the allegation may have merit, the Board in accordance with law shall initiate an investigation to gather facts upon which to base a conclusion as to the validity of the allegations made.
   Upon completing its investigation the Board shall prepare a report containing its findings and conclusions.  This report shall provide the basis for the Board to take appropriate action in accordance with law with respect to the allegations.
   
   (d) Whenver any College officer/staff or Board member is found to have violated these ethical standards, the Board shall take appropriate action.  For college officer/staff, such action may range from a letter of reprimand to the discharge of the involved College officer/staff but any such discharge shall be in accordance with procedures provided by law or contract.

D. Definitions:

1. College officer/staff means the Middlesex County College President, Vice Presidents, controller, Assistant to the President for Labor Relations and Administration, Director of Plant Operations, College Deans, director of Purchasing, director of the Computer Center and the Contract Manager.
2. Board member means a member of the Board of Trustees of Middlesex County College.

Approved: Board of Trustees
March 12, 1986

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