Policy No.
CODE OF ETHICS FOR MEMBERS OF
Article I
PREAMBLE
The Tennessee Board of Regents is charged
by statute with governance of the universities, community colleges, and
In undertaking the duties of the office,
a Regent shall make the necessary commitment of time and diligence to carry out
the Regent’s public governance responsibilities. A Regent must regularly attend and
actively participate in board and committee meetings and special
assignments.
Individual members of the Board enjoy
equal rights with all other members: the right to vote, the right to participate
fully in all considerations before the Board, the right to enter motions and to
submit recommendations, and all rights and privileges afforded the Board by law
and regulation when sitting in deliberative session. As individuals when not participating in
meetings of the Board or any of its duly constituted committees, members enjoy
the same rights and privileges of any citizen of the State of
When participating in meetings of the
Board or its duly constituted committees, members are responsible for the entire
System. They are responsible for representing the entire System without regard
for any congressional district or area of the State or for any individual
institution or school with the State.
Members are enjoined from espousing the cause of any one institution or
school over the interests of others or the System as a whole. (Bylaws III.3)
Article
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CODE OF ETHICS
POLICY
Section I. – Conflict of
Interest
A conflict of
interest occurs when the personal interests, financial or otherwise, of a Regent
actually or potentially diverge from the Regent’s obligations as a Board
member.
A. It is a conflict of interest for any
person or any company with whom such person is an officer, a director, or an
equity owner of greater than 1% interest to bid on any contract for products or
services for a governmental entity if such person or a relative (spouse, parent,
sibling, child) is a member of the board having responsibility for letting or
approving such contract.
(
B.
Each
Regent will abide by the Board’s Conflict of Interest Policy
C.
A
Regent shall not use the authority, title, or prestige of the office to solicit
or otherwise obtain a private financial, social, or political benefit for the
Regent or any other person which would be inconsistent with the public
interest.
D.
A
Regent shall abstain from any deliberations or vote on a matter which the Regent
identifies as a conflict of interest.
(TBR Appendices 6:06:00:00, ByLaws IV.
7(b))
Section II -
Gifts and Expenses
A.
No
Regent shall accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm,
or corporation to whom any contract for the purchase of materials, goods,
supplies, equipment or services for the Board or its member institutions may be
awarded any money or anything of value or any promise, obligation, or contract
for future awards or employment.
(
B. Regents serve without
compensation. However, they are
entitled to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred while representing the
Board in their official capacity. (TBR Appendices 6:06:00:00,Bylaws
III.4)
Section III –
Financial Disclosure
Each Regent shall, upon appointment to office and annually each January
thereafter, file the financial interest disclosure form in Policy
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COMPLIANCE
Section I –
Disclosure Requirements
Persons who believe that a conflict of interest may exist either
personally or with respect to another person covered by the ethics policy shall
make a written disclosure of the facts and circumstances surrounding the
situation. For members of the
Board, disclosure should be made to the General Counsel (TBR Policy
Section II –
Review of Disclosures
Disclosures made under Section I by or about a member of the Board of
Regents shall be evaluated by the Board or a duly appointed committee
thereof. A member of the Board
making a self disclosure shall not be entitled to vote regarding the disposition
of the disclosure. (TBR Policy
1:02:
Section III –
Hearing
An appointed Board member accused of a material violation of this Code of
Ethics is entitled to a due process contested case hearing in accordance with
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-8-204(c).
Section IV –
Removal
Upon a finding in a contested case hearing that an appointed Board member
materially violated the Code of Ethics, the appointed Board member may be
removed from the Board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board membership. (
Source
Date: