LRC 163 (Annex)
714-895-8175
GWCAcademicSenate@gwc.cccd.edu
Academic Senate President
Damien Jordan
djordan@gwc.cccd.edu
Golden West College Faculty Statement on Professional Ethics and Code of Conduct
Faculty members recognize special responsibilities as professionals to advance learning and impart knowledge. Their primary responsibility to their subject is to maintain the high standards of their respective disciplines. To this end, faculty members devote their energies to developing and improving their scholarly competence. They accept the obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge. They practice intellectual honesty. Although faculty members may follow subsidiary interests, these interests must never seriously hamper or compromise their freedom of inquiry.
As educators, faculty members encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students. They hold before their students the best scholarly and ethical standards of their disciplines. Faculty members demonstrate respect for students as individuals and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and mentors. Faculty members make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to ensure that their evaluations of students reflect each students true merit. They respect the confidential nature of the relationship between faculty and student. They avoid any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students. They acknowledge significant academic or scholarly assistance from students. They protect students academic freedom.
As colleagues, faculty members have obligations that derive from common membership in the community of scholars. Faculty members do not discriminate against or harass colleagues. They respect and defend the free inquiry of associates. In the exchange of criticism and ideas, faculty members show due respect for the opinions of others. Faculty members acknowledge academic contributions of others and strive to be objective in their professional judgment of colleagues. Faculty members accept their share of responsibilities for the governance of the college.
As members of an academic institution, faculty members seek above all to be effective educators and scholars. Although faculty members observe the stated regulations of the institution, provided the regulations do not contravene academic freedom, they maintain their right to criticize and seek revision. Faculty members give due regard to their paramount responsibilities within their institutions in determining the amount and character of work done outside it. When considering the interruption or termination of their service, faculty members recognize the effect of their decision upon the program of the institution and give due notice of their intentions.
As members of their community, faculty members have the rights and obligations of other citizens. Faculty members measure the urgency of these obligations in the light of their responsibilities to their subject, to their students, to their profession, and to their institution. When they speak or act as private persons, they avoid creating the impression of speaking or acting for the college. As citizens engaged in a profession that depends upon freedom for its health and integrity, faculty members have a particular obligation to promote conditions of free inquiry and to further public understanding of academic freedom.
Academic Senate, Golden West CollegeRevised and Adopted by the Academic Senate, April 14, 2015 December 6, 2011 (adapted from the 2009 statement of the American Association of University Faculty)
