Policies & Procedures

Policy: 7005

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 employees of the College and complies with the requirements of all statutes pertinent to the College, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law and the Local Government Ethics Law. Violations of this code of ethics may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Definitions

When used in this policy, the words and terms shall 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.

• “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 employee’s domestic partner; other persons for whom the employee is legally responsible; and anyone who stood in loco parentis (acting in place of a parent and assuming the parent’s rights, duties, and responsibilities) to the employee as a child.
• “Interest” means any personal, financial, economic, property, or other concern amounting to a right, advantage, share, or portion benefiting either directly or indirectly an employee or a closely related person, 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.

The standards of ethics for College employees are as follows:

• Employees will not have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, 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.

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

• Employees will not act in their official capacities in any College matter in which the employee or a closely related person of the employee has a direct or indirect financial interest that might reasonably be expected to impair the employee’s objectivity or independence of judgment.

• Employees 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 to the College.

• Employees 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 Trustees know or have reason to believe, is offered for the purpose of influencing the discharge of their duties as an employee. Nevertheless, employees, during the course of their official duties, may accept meals that are offered as part of a meeting or event so long as all attendees of such meeting or event are also provided such meals. However, in the event that a sponsor of a meeting has pending with the institution a matter on which the employees must act in the exercise of their duties, during the time that the matter is pending, the employees will not accept any meals from any such sponsor.

• Employees will not knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion among the public, having knowledge of the employees’ acts, that they may be engaged in conduct violative of their trust as public employees.

• Employees will 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 before other public agencies. Nothing in this policy will preclude an employee from appearing on behalf of a student, employee, or employee organization of the College.

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

• Employees will not engage in sexual or romantic (amorous) relationships with students for whom the employee has a professional responsibility as an employee of the College, regardless of position/title. Additionally, employees will not engage in sexual or romantic (amorous) relationships with those involving a direct report/supervisory level position.

References:

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

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