DIXIE STATE COLLEGE OF UTAH

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL


Section: 2-Organization

Policy No: 1
Approved: 4/16/95

Policy: BOARD OF TRUSTEES: ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

2-1 BOARD OF TRUSTEES: ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.1 Appointed members of the Dixie State College Board of Trustees (Board) are representatives of the citizens of the State of Utah.

1.2 Ethical Responsibilities: The Board of Trustees of Dixie State College commits itself to the highest ethical conduct. The Board shall:

1.2.1 Recognize that its primary duty is to represent the entire community and state.

1.2.2 Accept the concept that each Board member is only one member of an educational team and has no authority except as a member of the Board in a legally constituted meeting.

1.2.3 Assure the opportunity for high quality education for every student, with the fiscal limitations of the College.

1.2.4 Vote on official actions only in public sessions.

1.2.5 Maintain confidentiality of privileged information.

1.2.6 Delegate authority to the President to serve as the Board executive and professional advisor and confine Board action to policy determination, planning, overall approval and evaluation, and maintaining the fiscal stability of the College. The execution of policies established by the Board is the function of the President.

1.2.7 Insure an atmosphere in which controversial issues can be presented fairly and in which the dignity of each individual is maintained.

1.2.8 Respect the Office and in no way misuse the power inherent in the Office.

1.2.9 Support the President in decisions that conform to professional standards and Board policy.

1.2.10 To take action on matters only after having considerations and recommendations of the President.

1.3 The Board affirms its responsibilities to:

1.3.1 Encourage all employees, by group representation of employees, to avail themselves of all administrative remedies and procedures before requesting Board involvement.

1.3.2 Except in unusual circumstances, follow channels for communication, whereby requests for material from employees for any Board action will be transmitted to the Board through the President and that Board members will request information and action through the President.

 1.4 The Board acknowledges the concern of faculty and employees of the College in certain matters relating to possible misinterpretation of Board members' roles and functions. In so acknowledging such concerns, the Board affirms the following:

1.4.1 That the sole authority for action with which it is vested resides in its activities as a Board, and that as individuals, the members of the Board have no authority to mandate action on the part of the College. This policy shall, however, in no way restrict individual Board members from full and complete access to the campus and to a complete range of inquiry to the President, who will obtain information from the College employees for the Board members so that they may be more fully informed and may properly exercise their responsibilities as voting members of the Board.

1.4.2 That all employees of the College be advised that the hiring, assigning, transferring, terminating, or discipline of personnel of the College will be handled according to established personnel policies through the Office of Human Resources.

1.4.3 That the Board recognizes the First Amendment, freedom of speech principle, as fundamental to the operation of the College and that no employee of the College shall be subjected to economic or professional sanction for expressing his/her opinion in open meetings of the Board.

 1.5 The members of the Board recognize their responsibility to adhere to the Code of Ethics.