Policies & Procedures

Policy: 1003

This code of ethics is intended to establish guidelines and standards of ethical behavior in order to ensure the public’s confidence in the conduct of business and operations of the College. It is applicable to all members of the Board of Trustees, including the College President who serves as a non-voting ex-officio member. It complies with the requirements of all statutes applicable to the College, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law, the Local Government Ethics Law, and State of New Jersey Executive Orders.

Upon notification of the appointment or reappointment of a Trustee, the President of the College will provide the Trustee with a copy of this Code of Ethics. Annually, each Trustee is required to file electronically a Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) as required by N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.6 Local Government Ethics Law (LGEL). The FDS discloses the nature of any financial interests or business relationships which the Trustee has may have in relation to the College or for which the member is otherwise required to disclose.

Violations of this Code of Ethics may constitute cause for removal of a Trustee pursuant to law or imposition of other sanctions determined by the Board of Trustees.

Definitions:

When used in this policy, the terms and meanings will be defined as follows, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

• “Board” means the Board of Trustees of Rowan College of South Jersey.
• “College matter” means any application, award, bid, claim, contract, license, proceeding, resolution or transaction made by, to, against, or with the College, or which requires any official action by the Board, officers, or employees.
• “Employee” means any person compensated for full- or part-time employment services rendered to the College.
• “Member” means all who serve on the Board of Trustees, including the President of the College who serves as a non-voting ex-officio member.
• For the purpose of this policy, “closely related” is defined to mean spouse; domestic partner; mother; father; sister; brother; biological, adopted, or foster child; stepchild; legal ward; grandparent, grandchild; first cousin; aunt; uncle; niece; nephew; mother-in-law; father-in-law, sister-in-law; brother-in-law; daughter-in-law; son-in-law; grandparent-in-law; grandchild-in-law; or corresponding relatives of the member’s partner; other persons for whom the member is legally responsible; and any member who stood in loco parentis (acting in place of a parent and assuming the parent’s rights, duties and responsibilities).
• “Interest” means any personal, financial, economic, property, or other concern amounting to a right, advantage, share or portion inuring either directly or indirectly to a Trustee or to a closely related person of a Trustee, either singly or in affiliation with any person or party as defined in this policy.
• “Person or party” means any natural person, association, corporation, estate, partnership, proprietorship, trust, or other legal entity.
• “Indirectly” means through a closely related person, business associate, or professional organization.

Guidelines and Standards:

Trustees should devote time, thought, and study to their College duties and responsibilities in order to provide effective and creditable service.

As individuals, Trustees have no legal authority outside of the meetings of the Board and should conduct themselves accordingly with College employees, local citizens, and all facets of the local community.

An important function of the Board is to establish the policies and goals of the College and to audit the performance of the administration in the fulfillment of these policies and the progress toward accomplishing institutional goals. However, Trustees should leave the content of educational programs and college business to the President and College administration in order to maintain the autonomy of the institution.

The standards of ethics for College Trustees are as follows:

• Trustees will not have any interest, financial or otherwise, directly or indirectly, or engage in any business or transaction or professional activity, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of their duties to the College.

• Trustees will not use their official positions to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for themselves or others.

• Trustees will not hire an employee to whom they are closely related nor participate in, directly or indirectly, decisions involving a benefit such as, but not limited to, a promotion, compensation, work assignments, or other working conditions.

• Trustees will not act in their official capacities in any College matter in which the Trustee or a closely related person of the Trustee has a direct or indirect financial interest.

• Trustees will not undertake any employment or engage in any business, transaction, service, or professional activity, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to impair their objectivity or independence of judgment in the exercise of their official duties as Trustees.

• Trustees will not accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, favor, service, or other things of value under circumstances from which it might reasonably be inferred, or which the member knows or have reason to believe, is offered for the purpose of influencing the discharge of their duties as a Trustee. Nevertheless, Trustees, during the course of their official duties, may accept meals offered as part of a meeting or event so long as all attendees of such meetings or events are also provided with such meals. In the event that a sponsor of a meeting has pending an issue with the institution in a matter on which the Trustees must act in the exercise of their duties, the time during which the matter remains pending, the Trustees shall not accept any meals from any such sponsor.

• Trustees will not knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion among the public, whereby the public having knowledge of the Trustees’ acts, that members may have engaged in conduct in violation of the publics’ trust as official members of the Board of Trustees.

• Trustees, or any member or employee of a firm or corporation with which the Trustees are affiliated, shall not appear or negotiate on behalf of a party unaffiliated with the College in any matter before the College, or in any cause or proceeding involving the College.

• Trustees will not use, or allow to be used, via the member’s public office, or any information not generally available to members of the public which the Trustees receive in the course of or by reason of their office, to secure financial gain, unwarranted privileges, advantages or employment for themselves, a closely related person, or others with whom the Trustees are associated.

References:

N.J.S.A. 52:13D-12 et seq., New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law

N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq., Local Government Ethics Law

State of New Jersey Executive Orders