Codes of Ethical Conduct for Higher Education

Course Description:

The main objective of this session is to make sure you understand the importance of a code of conduct for higher education and the benefits of abiding by your school’s code. By the time the session is over, you should be able to understand how federal law influences your school’s code of conduct, your responsibility to your school, such as exhibiting ethical conduct and avoiding conflicts of interest, your responsibility to the school community, such as treating others with respect and dignity while avoiding discrimination and harassment, and your accountability for upholding the school’s code of conduct, including reporting any violations of the code.

Why “Codes of Ethical Conduct for Higher Education” Matters:

• It is the umbrella for the entire school community, connecting diverse, isolated groups with a common set of professional expectations.
• Fundamentally, a code of conduct should guide policies, practices, and decision making on behalf of the school. It sets the tone of the whole school community by defining clear standards for conduct.
• Most schools enact a code to protect the educational goals—to ensure the school succeeds in its mission of providing a successful academic experience.
• The language used in most codes of conduct is crafted to promote honesty, integrity, and respect for others, as well as respect for school resources.
• The code also generally offers processes for handling code violations. A code of conduct does not, however, enforce or replace public laws or other rules and regulations at your school.

Key Points:

• A code of conduct should guide policies, practices, and decision-making on behalf of the school.
• Honesty, respect, and integrity are common principles that form the groundwork for most codes of conduct.
• The entire school community is unified by the code of conduct.