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Faculty and Staff Handbook

Institutional Code of Ethics

A. Purpose

To provide a code of ethics for all trustees, officers and employees of William Paterson University. The code establishes guidelines and standards of ethical behavior in order to assure the public’s confidence in the conduct of business and operations of the institution.

B. Scope of Authority and Application of the Code of Ethics

In addition to this code of ethics, the trustees, officers and employees of William Paterson University are expected to fully comply with all applicable provisions of N.J.A.C. 9A:3-1.1 et seq. (Institutional Code of Ethics), N.J.S.A. 52:13D-12 et seq. (New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law) and N.J.A.C. 19:61-1.1 (Rules: Executive Commission on Ethical Standards) which comprise the statutory and regulatory bases for this code of ethics.

C. Policy

The following code of ethics is applicable to all members of the Board of Trustees, officers and employees, including student employees of William Paterson University.

1. No trustee, officer or employee should have any interest (financial or otherwise, direct or indirect) or engage in any business, transaction or professional activity that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his/her duties.

2. No trustee, officer or employee should use or attempt to use his/her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for him/herself or others.

3. No trustee, officer or employee should act in his/her official capacity in any matter wherein he/she has a direct or indirect personal financial interest that might reasonably be expected to impair his/her objectivity or independence of judgment in the exercise of their official duties.

4. No trustee, officer or employee should undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, that might reasonably be expected to impair his/her objectivity and independence of judgment in the exercise of official duties.

5. No trustee, officer or employee should accept any gift, favor, service or other item of value under circumstances from which it might be reasonably inferred that it was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him/her in the discharge of official duties. Nevertheless, a trustee, officer and employee, during the course of his/her official duties, may accept meals which are offered as part of a meeting or event so long as all attendees of such meeting or event are also provided such meals. In the event that a sponsor of a meeting has pending with the institution a matter on which the trustee, officer or employee must act in the exercise of his/her duties, during the time that said matter is pending, he/she shall not accept meals from any such sponsor.

6. No trustee, officer or employee should knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion, among the public having knowledge of his/her acts, that he/she may be engaged in conduct violative of his/her trust as a public trustee, officer or employee.

7. No trustee, officer or employee should use or allow to be used his/her public office or employment or any information not generally available to members of the public for the purpose of securing financial gain for him/herself or others with whom he/she is associated.

8. No trustee, officer or employee shall knowingly himself/herself, or by his/her partners or through any corporation in which he/she owns or controls more than 1% of the stock, or by any other person for his/her use or benefit or on his/her account, undertake or execute any contract, agreement, sale or purchase of the value of $25.00 or more made, entered into, awarded, or granted by any State agency, except as provided in the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law. A trustee, officer, employee can only contract with a State agency if the contract is (a) made after public notice and competitive bidding or which pursuant to N.J.S.A 18A:64-56 may be made without public advertising for bids or (b) is a contract of insurance entered into pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27B-62. The contract must have prior approval of the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards.

9. Notwithstanding the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law and section eight above, any faculty or staff member or his/her partners or any corporation or firm in which he/she controls more than 1% of the stock, assets or profits may enter into a contract or agreement with the University, where the contract or agreement is for the development of scientific or technological discoveries or innovations in which the University has a property right, if the faculty or staff member receives approval to do so in accordance with the administrative procedure adopted for this purpose as specified in University policy.

10. No trustee, officer or employee, nor any partnership, firm or corporation in which he/she has an interest, nor any partner, officer or employee of any such partnership, firm or corporation, shall represent, appear for, or negotiate on behalf of, or agree to represent, appear for or negotiate on behalf of, any person or party other than the University in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any State agency, except as provided in N.J.S.A. 52:13D-16.

D. Reporting Outside Employment (Full-time Employees)

Employees must annually disclose outside employment and/or business interests to the president or his designee. Employees may not engage in outside employment which occurs at a time when the employee is expected to perform his/her assigned duties at the University or diminishes that employee's efficiency in performing his/her primary work obligation. The Office of Human Resources will maintain and furnish forms.

 

E. Employment of Family or Household Members

To avoid issues of favoritism and potential conflict, no employee shall act in his or her official capacity in any University matter where a family member of the employee has a direct or indirect interest that might reasonably be expected to impair the employee's objectivity or independence of judgment. Family members are defined as spouses, children, parents or siblings residing in the same household or cohabitants with whom there is a financial relationship. Direct interests include, but are not limited to, initial employment, retention, job classification, salary, performance appraisals and work assignments. No employee shall directly supervise a member of his or her own family. It is the intent of the University to avoid instances that could be influenced by the family relationship in hiring, performance evaluation, promotion, reclassification, discipline, grievance or dismissal processes.

F. Accountability and Oversight

Any employee who violates the Code of Ethics may be subject to sanctions in accordance with the Conflicts of Interest Law (N.J.S.A 52:13D-12 et seq.). In addition to the above, University employees who violate this Code of Ethics are subject to disciplinary action by the University and the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards. Under the direction of the president, the Provost and Executive Vice President is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.

Each trustee, officer and employee shall sign a receipt indicating the date on which the Code of Ethics was received and acknowledge that he/she is responsible for reading the Code and is bound by it. Receipts shall be maintained in the employee's personnel filed pursuant to N.J.A.C. 19:61-2.2.

Any trustee, officer or employee can seek clarification of the Code's provisions from the Director of Employee Relations, Allison Boucher, the University's ethics liaison officer, or from the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards.