Board of Directors

BP 2715 Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice

The Board commits itself to the highest ethical conduct and to carry out its requirements under state and federal laws. Each Board member will sign the PCC Code of Ethics as follows.

I, ______________________, as a member of the PCC Board of Directors, hereby agree to:

  1. Govern and evaluate the College to best meet the educational interests of the entire community college district, regularly review and analyze the College Mission, and maintain equitable success for all students as a primary focus.
  2. Commit the time necessary to be an informed and active Board member, review agendas and materials prior to meetings, and actively participate in professional development & educational workshops, conferences, or other opportunities.
  3. Act with civility and dignity, respect diversity and differences of perspective and style on the Board and among staff, students, and the community, and promote equity & inclusion in a spirit of collaborative Board discussions and teamwork.
  4. Operate openly with trust and integrity, adhere to the law and spirit of open meeting laws, and encourage active public participation to ensure opportunities for a diverse range of community views to inform Board deliberations.
  5. Affirm authority rests with the Board as a whole with individual Board members to abide by formal Board votes, unable to direct any PCC employee to act, and forbidden to speak for the Board (unless authorized by the Board to do so).
  6. Recognize the Board Chairperson as the official Board spokesperson relating to formal/legal matters and agree to bring potential meeting agenda items or substantial request for new information to the Board Chair or Vice Chair.
  7. Refrain from using College or Board materials or staff resources to communicate on any issue not approved and/or authorized by the Board (unless writing recommendation letters for current or former PCC employees or students).
  8. Maintain strict confidentiality of information shared and discussions occurring during Board Executive Sessions, as required by Oregon statute, as well as to build trust by respecting confidentiality in all other matters shared in confidence
  9. Prevent conflicts of interest and the perception of conflicts of interest, resist pressures to personally benefit myself or anyone close to me, and request only legitimate reimbursement of expenses while advocating for public education.
  10. Understand Board duties and powers set forth in Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 341, abide by Board-adopted policies and procedures, and periodically evaluate Board effectiveness and the College President to the best of my ability.

For a clearly defined statement addressing behavior that violates Board member standards of ethical conduct, see: BP 2356 “Board Censure”.

Adopted: November 2021

NWCCU Standard 2.D.2
ORS 244.010 to ORS 244.400

This policy replaces Board Policy B203 Board Code of Ethics