Section VI - Employment Matters

VI B 16

Employee Conduct - Code of Ethics

To describe the College's Code of Ethics policy for employees

1. Application
   
   This Code of Ethics is applicable to all employees of the College.
   
   
2. Definitions
   
   When used in this policy, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
   • "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 of Trustees, officers, or employees.
   • "Employee" means any person compensated for full or part time employment services rendered to the College.
   • "Immediate family member" means the spouse, natural or adopted child, grandchild, parent, or sibling of the employee.
   • "Interest" means any personal, financial, economic, property or other concern amounting to a right, advantage, share or portion inuring either directly or indirectly to an employee or to an immediate family member of an employee, either singly, or in affiliation with any person or party as defined herein.
   • "Person or party" means any natural person, association, corporation, estate, partnership, proprietorship, trust or other legal entity.
     
     
3. Standard of Ethics
   1. No employee shall 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 the employee’s duties to the College.
   2. No employee shall act in his or her official capacity in any College matter in which the employee or an immediate family member 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.
   3. No employee shall undertake any employment or engage in any business, transaction, service, or professional activity, whether
      compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to impair the employee’s objectivity or independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties to the College.
   4. No employee shall accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, favor, service, or other things of value under circumstances from which it might be reasonably inferred, or which the employee knows or has reason to believe, is offered for the purpose of influencing the employee in the discharge of his or her duties to the College.
   5. No employee shall knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion among the public having knowledge of the employee’s acts, that he or she may be engaged in conduct violative of his or her trust as a public employee.
   6. No employee shall use, or allow to be used, his or her public office or employment, or any information not generally available to members of the public, which the employee receives in the course of or by reason of the employee’s office or employment, to secure financial gain, unwarranted privileges, advantages or employment for himself or herself, his or her immediate family members, or others with whom the employee is associated.
   7. No employee shall engage in a romantic or sexual relationship with either a student or an employee for whom he/she has a professional responsibility as a teacher, advisor, evaluator, or supervisor.
   8. No employee shall use, or allow to be used, the resources of the College (i.e. computers, programs, telecommunications equipment, offices or office equipment, and supplies) to secure financial gain for himself or herself or any other person or party. No employee shall conduct business or other interests at the College that is not directly related to the mission of the College.
   9. No employee shall supervise another employee anywhere in his/her chain of supervision that is a member of his or her immediate family. It is the intent of the College to avoid instances that could be influenced by the family relationship in hiring, performance evaluation, promotion, reclassification, discipline, grievance, or dismissal processes.
   10. No employee shall act as an agent or representative of Randolph Community College in any capacity or enter into contracts on behalf of the College without the knowledge, approval, and authorization of the College.
       
       
4. Disclosure of Potential Conflict
   
   At first knowledge of a transaction involving the College that reasonably could give rise to a conflict of interest, an employee shall disclose to the President the precise nature of the interest or involvement of the employee or the employee’s immediate family member in any College matter to be considered by the Board of Trustees or College administration.
   
   
5. Enforcement
   
   Violations of this Code of Ethics may constitute just cause for disciplinary action or termination, as determined by the College.

Adopted: 07/17/2008