Code of Ethics for Faculty and Staff
I. Introduction
This Code of Ethics is meant to be a living document that best reflects the culture and values of Bentley College. It describes standards of conduct and integrity that are consistent with the mission and ethical values embraced by the college’s mission statement.
The Code of Ethics is intended to guide faculty and staff in identifying and resolving issues of ethical conduct that may arise in the course of their various transactions and relationships with each other and the wider community. This code supplements but does not supersede the rights and obligations of faculty and staff under the law. There are several formal college policies and procedures in place that are referred to in this document that may be found on the policies page , the on-line Faculty Manual, and the on-line Student Handbook. Everyone should be familiar with these.
A faculty or staff member confronted with an ethical dilemma may seek out a number of institutional resources for assistance in its resolution. The first person to contact will usually be the immediate supervisor or department chair. If for any reason that is unsuitable, they may seek advice from any of the following:
- The College Ethics Committee*
- The Department of Internal Audit
- Audit Committee of the Board
- The Department of Human Resources – Executive Director
- The Department of the President’s Office – Special Assistant to the President / EEO/Ombudsman
It is not the purpose of this Code of Ethics to address every situation, but merely to make each faculty and staff member aware of the general scope and application of business ethics in an institute of higher learning. The basic policies and guidelines set forth in this Code of Ethics policy may result in differences of opinion as to what actions are and are not ethical in particular situations. Each faculty or staff member can and should make basic ethical decisions himself or herself, and can and should consult with his or her manager or department head on difficult or questionable decisions. Each faculty or staff member should feel free to contact the Executive Director of Human Resources or the Special Assistant to the President directly to discuss any situation about which there could be differences of opinion or legitimate exceptions to the guidelines contained herein.
__________________
* The College Ethics Committee is chaired by the College Ombudsman and consists of the Director of the Center for Business Ethics, two faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate, and two staff members recommended by the Ombudsman and approved by the President.
II. Compliance with the Law
College faculty and staff shall comply in good faith with all lawful requirements, both domestic and international, applicable to Bentley College. Any uncertainty about the application or interpretation of legal requirements should be referred to the employee's manager, or department head or the Executive Director of Human Resources, or the Special Assistant to the President, or the Director of Internal Audit.
III. Use of College Resources and Assets
It is expected that faculty and staff will be efficient and economical in their use of college resources, and not permit the abuse of these resources by others. Faculty and staff are reminded that college property is to be used for the business of the college, though limited, reasonable, private use is acceptable at the discretion of the employee’s manager.
IV. Consulting
The college encourages faculty to consult as part of professional development and enhancement of the institution’s reputation. Faculty should refer to the on-line Faculty Manual for specific policies and guidelines.
Staff may also engage in limited consulting activities so long as they enhance their professional development and/or the reputation of the institution, and do not interfere with the performance of their responsibilities. Staff members should obtain the approval of their immediate supervisor before beginning any consulting activities.
V. Harassment and Discrimination
Bentley College is committed to fostering an environment that supports respect for individual and academic freedom and in which all members of the community can pursue careers and study free from any type of harassment or discrimination. Harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin ethnicity or disability status undermines the fundamental principles of the college and is not acceptable behavior. The details of the college’s harassment policy may be found in the policies section and in the on-line Faculty Manual.
VI. Confidential Information
College faculty and staff are required to respect individuals’ rights to privacy and to treat as confidential all information supplied to them on that basis. Bentley prohibits disclosure and discussion of confidential information obtained from official records, either during or after employment with the College (unless an employee is authorized to do so). Such information includes:
- personal and official information about students, such as academic and judicial records, which should be treated in accord with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act as amended (the Buckley Amendment).
- financial information about students
- personal and financial information about past, current and prospective donors, as well as information about specific gifts and donations from alumni and other friends
- information regarding the college’s business transactions
- the personnel records of college employees, except as may be required by law
- the opinions, advice and decisions made by discussants during the faculty evaluation process and the Promotion and Tenure process or in regard to performance appraisals of members of the staff.
VII. Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists when a faculty, staff member, or a member of their family is in the position to benefit personally, directly or indirectly, from his or her dealings with an organization or person conducting business with the college. Confidence in the college and its employees is put at risk when the conduct of an individual involves, or appears to involve, a conflict between his or her private interests and those of the institution. Faculty and staff members have an obligation to avoid all situations in which their personal interests conflict or could be construed as being in conflict, with those of the college. Such avoidance includes placing oneself in a situation that may compromise the faculty or staff member’s objective professional judgment (e.g. having a family member in a class, in a reporting relationship, or in a business relationship with Bentley).
VIII. The Use of Technology
The college provides Bentley faculty and staff with access to a variety of technologies, including personal computers and printers, network infrastructure, the Internet, e-mail and voice mail, for use in the ordinary performance of their duties. Detailed policies on the use of these technologies are maintained in the on-line Faculty Manual and the Employees Users Guide to Information Technology . In addition, every employee who logs in to the college's network resources is required to review and agree to the Code for Ethical Computer Use.
In general, technology should be used for college-related business including teaching, research, administration, and communication with colleagues. The college recognizes and supports the occasional use of technology resources for personal purposes, providing it does not disrupt the system, and expects all employees to respect the priority of business over incidental use. An individual may only use accounts, files, software, and computer resources authorized under his/her password and must take all reasonable precautions (e.g. prevent unauthorized access to accounts or data by others) both within and outside the Bentley community. Employees must not make unauthorized copies of copyrighted software or data.
Use of computers, electronic mail, the network, or the internet for inappropriate or illegal purposes such as commercial sales, practical jokes, the intentional breaking of security, the sending of abusive or offensive material, and chain letters, is expressly prohibited.
IX. Gifts, Entertainment, Travel
Faculty and staff shall not furnish expensive gifts or provide excessive entertainment or benefits to people on behalf of the college. Those employees whose duties require it may furnish reasonable gifts and entertainment (defined as less than $100 in value) if such gifts are not cash, if they may not be interpreted as a bribe, are made in accordance with accepted business practice and do not contravene any law.
Faculty and staff shall not accept or solicit any gifts or benefits for themselves that might be interpreted as an attempt to compromise or influence them in carrying out their duties. Gifts of reasonable value (less than $100 in value), such as those generally used for promotional purposes by the donor, or modest entertainment or acts of hospitality, may be accepted.
The college’s detailed policy on travel and reimbursement is maintained by the Purchasing and Contract Services Department and resides on the departmental web page.
X. Intellectual Property
Bentley College respects the ownership of intellectual material governed by copyright laws. Faculty and staff are expected to comply with the copyright laws and provisions of the licensing agreements that apply to software, printed and electronic material. For specific guidelines consult Bentley College’s copyright policy.
All research, consulting and development activities conducted under the auspices of Bentley College that may result in patents should be discussed in advance with the Dean of the Undergraduate College.
Use of the college’s seal and letterhead is restricted to college business. Questions regarding use of the seal and letterhead should be referred to the Office of Publication and Communication.
XI. Political Activity and Dealings with Public Officials
Faculty and staff shall not use college funds or other resources and assets as contributions to political parties, candidates or campaigns. All dealings with public officials should be conducted in a manner that does not compromise the integrity and reputation of the official, the employee or the college.
XII. The Use of Human Subjects in Research
Bentley College encourages the use of research to advance the forefront of knowledge. When such research requires the use of human subjects (for reasons such as obtaining data, studying the reaction of individuals to various stimuli, testing the relationship between individuals and factors in their environment) researchers should be cognizant of the need to protect their subjects. Any research involving human subjects should contain two essential components: 1) the selection and achievement of morally acceptable ends and 2) a morally acceptable means to those ends.
Researchers should be particularly cautious whenever the design of the research allows results to be identified by individual subject and when the results are potentially damaging to a subject’s reputation, employability, emotional well being, financial standing or human dignity. In such cases, participation in the study should be strictly voluntary and the participant given information regarding their potential personal risk. The participants should not be coerced or receive unjustifiable pressure to join the study. Potential benefits of such research should clearly outweigh any potential harm. Support and approval for such projects should be obtained in advance from department chairs and/or other managers.
Bentley maintains an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to comply with Federal regulations related to the use of human subjects in Government-sponsored research. Questions about the IRB or about policies and procedures in this area may be referred to the Director of Sponsored Programs.
XIII. Violations
Ethics Code Procedure for Alleged Violations
When procedures for addressing alleged ethical violations are covered in Bentley College publications, such as the on-line Faculty Manual or the policies section, these procedures shall be followed. The following process applies when the College has not mandated other remedies. At any stage of the process, a faculty or staff member may be represented by legal counsel at their own expense.
- First Notice
The administration, as represented by the College Ethics Committee, shall notify a faculty or staff member in writing when a violation of the Code of Ethics is alleged. The notification shall include the specific section of the code in contention. The College faculty or staff member has ten days thereafter to respond to the allegation and to state his or her intent to stop the violation. The notice will spell out what steps will occur as a consequence of the alleged violation and what remedies the employee has for a defense. Should the alleged violation require adjudication, the nature of the adjudication will depend on the seriousness of the alleged violation, with some issues resolved through departments and divisions and others requiring a full College hearing. In all cases the process will begin within ten calendar days of the initial notification. - Second Notice
In the event the alleged violation continues and/or the faculty or staff member fails to respond in writing within ten days, the administration shall give a second notice of the alleged violation, and outline the adjudication process that the College shall follow. This notice shall include the time, place and date if the case is to have a formal hearing. The hearing shall begin within ten calendar days of the faculty or staff member’s receiving the second notice, unless extended by mutual consent. - Administrative Hearing
The faculty or staff member found to have violated the Code of Ethics shall have the right to a review of the findings and process within 15 days of the adjudication, unless extended by mutual consent. During this time no formal action may be taken by the administration regarding the alleged violation of the Code of Ethics. - Appeal of Administrative Ruling
The faculty or staff member accused and found to have violated the Code of Ethics may be represented by legal counsel at their own expense at this hearing. If the appellate review finds no violation of procedure or process, then the Administration may take whatever action it deems appropriate from a formal reprimand up to termination.
Violations of the Code of Ethics policy will be referred to senior management by the College Ethics Committee, with recommendations for appropriate action. The decision and recommendations would go to the President of the College for review. This process may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from employment at Bentley College.
XIV. Conclusion
We hope that the principles set forth herein will make faculty and staff realize that the purpose of this Code of Ethics is to promote the highest possible standards of business conduct.
