> Home > Presidential Memorandum > 1979-31 Codes of Ethics in Personnel & Review Processes and Policy on Leaves and Honors Committee

PM 79-31  [Part I]

1/26/79

President Donald R. Gerth

Code of Ethics in Personnel and Review Processes (Part I)

[Policy on Leaves and Honors Committee (Part II)]

Code of Ethics in Personnel and Review Processes

Confidentiality in personnel and review processes is fundamental to the maintenance of their integrity.  Accordingly, the following Code of Ethics does apply:

1. No member of a committee, who has access to faculty personnel files, personal resumes or professional award or grant application information and is therewith making judgments, evaluations, and recommendations*, or is otherwise placed in confidence in personnel matters, shall divulge that information to or discuss the substantive deliberations of the committee with anyone outside the committee except as authorized by the rules regulating that process.  The above rules shall not prohibit the free and open discussion of general procedures and criteria used by the various committees, as long as such disclosures do not reveal information identifiable with specific individuals.

2. Therefore, no non-committee member shall solicit such information from the committee members, or attempt to influence, or exert pressure on committee members, outside the prescribed process.

3. Only the committee chair or an appropriately designated committee member shall serve as spokesperson for the committee when public reports are made or in response to inquiries made by applicants or faculty whose materials are being or have been reviewed.

*This is intended to mean, but not be limited to, RTP Committees, Leaves and Honors Committees, appointment screening committees, the Committee on Administrative Appointments and Review (CAAR) [no longer exists], grievance committees, and TSA Review Committees [no longer exist].