Institutional Integrity
Standard Nine
Standard Nine
Institutional Integrity
Introduction
High Ethical Standards
Western Nevada College administrators,
faculty, and staff are subject to numerous
institutional and Nevada System of Higher
Education policies requiring compliance
with high ethical standards. Similarly, the
college adheres to all federal laws and
guidelines pertaining to ethical standards for
institutions of higher education. WNC
Policy 1-2-1 provides that institutional
employees will abide by the Nevada Ethics
in Government Law, Code of Ethical
Standards (Nevada Revised Statutes
281.481). A consensual relationships policy
(WNC Policy 1-5-1) prohibits romantic or
sexual relationships between members of the
college community when one of the
individuals has direct professional power or
direct authority over the other. (Exhibits:
9.1; 9.2)
The Board of Regents has an Ethical Code
of Conduct for Regents (Board of Regents
Handbook, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 2), as
well as policies prohibiting conflicts of
interest in the employment of relatives
(Nepotism) (Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 7),
compensated outside professional services
(Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 8) (defining
“conflict of interest” to mean “any outside
activity or interest that may adversely affect,
compromise, or be incompatible with the
obligations of an employee to the
institution), and purchasing (Title 4, Chapter
10, Section 1). (Exhibit: 9.3)
WNC Policy 3-4-4 (Rationale) establishes
standards for student conduct, the penalties
Western Nevada College – www.wnc.edu
that may be imposed for the violation of
these standards, and the process that will be
followed in determining whether a violation
has occurred as well as the appropriate
sanction. The policy explains that “[the]
rules enforced by the College are designed
to protect individual liberties and other
values stated in the College’s Mission and
Goals, especially the commitment to
‘personal growth and development,
achieving their educational goals, advancing
in their careers, and coping with the
technical and social changes in our
society.’” Section 2 of the policy provides
that “[the] College expects its students to act
with integrity. Dishonesty, fraud, and failure
to respect the rights of others will not be
tolerated in a community that is dedicated to
the development of responsible individuals.”
(Exhibit: 9.4)
WNC Policy 3-4-5 establishes standards for
academic integrity and defines “academic
dishonesty,” including cheating, plagiarism,
multiple submission, fabrication, grade
tampering, and the failure to report a
violation. The policy sets forth hearing
procedures and possible sanctions. The
policy explains that “[students] at Western
Nevada College are expected to be honest
and forthright in their academic endeavors
because academic dishonesty disrupts the
learning process and threatens the
educational environment for all students.”
(Exhibit: 9.5) (9.A.1)
Policy Review and Evaluation
WNC Policy 1-1-1 establishes the
mechanism for the approval of new policies
or the amendment or modification of
1
existing policies. All such proposals for new
policies and revisions to existing policies are
submitted by appropriate college
committees, such as the Academic Affairs
Council, the Academic Faculty Senate, the
Administrative Faculty Senate, Classified
Council, and the Associated Students of
Western Nevada to the College Council.
The College Council is comprised of
campus stakeholders including the
President, the vice presidents of Academic
and Student Affairs, Finance and
Administration, and Human Resources and
General Counsel, the Academic Faculty
Senate chairperson, the Administrative
Faculty Senate chairperson, the Classified
Council chairperson, the Associated
Students of Western Nevada president or
representative, a division chair
representative, and a strategic planning
representative. New and modified policies
and procedures are recommended by a
majority vote of the College Council and
submitted for approval to the President.
The College Council adopts new policies
and revises existing policies on an ongoing
basis. Although there is no formal review of
existing policies on an annual basis, the
various stakeholders are apt to bring
proposals for adopting or revising policies
that they deem significant to the College
Council. During the 2008-09 academic year,
new policies were adopted regarding the use
of copyrighted materials, bias incident/hate
crimes, merit procedure for administrative
faculty at the top of their salary range,
computer workstation/network resources
use, and institutional student fees. A
number of policies were revised during this
period, including policies pertaining to
professional leave, classified tuition
reimbursement, facility use, and purchasing
procedures. Thus far in the 2009-2010
academic year, the college’s intellectual
property, contracts, vehicle usage
procedures, and accidents involving motor
pool vehicles policies were amended, and a
new policy was adopted pertaining to
intellectual property rights. (Exhibit: 9.6)
(9.A.2)
Accurate Representation to the
Public
Western Nevada College catalogs,
publications, and official statements in
writing and posted to its website reflect
accurate information regarding educational
opportunities, academic programs, specific
classes, and student responsibilities.
Additionally, information about admissions,
registration, financial aid, scholarships,
tuition and fees, FERPA, campus safety and
security, the student code of conduct, and
nondiscrimination policies is also available
on the website and in print publications.
Publications regarding other services
available to students, such as Counseling
Services, Disability Support Services,
Veterans Services, and the Student Crisis
Intervention Team are current and accurate.
All WNC publications are reviewed and
updated annually by Information and
Marketing Services and the offices
responsible for providing specific services.
Class schedules are reviewed and printed
more frequently. There is a greater
likelihood of some inaccuracies in printed
class schedules, as classes may be added to
or deleted from the schedule depending
upon enrollment. However, the online class
schedule is kept current at all times.
(Exhibits: 9.7; 9.8; 9.9; 9.10; 9.11; 9.12)
(9.A.3)
Avoiding Conflict of Interest
Western Nevada College administrators,
faculty, and staff are subject to numerous
institutional and NSHE policies prohibiting
conflicts of interest. As mentioned earlier
(9.A.1), WNC employees must abide by the
Nevada Ethics in Government Law, Code of
Ethical Standards. These standards prohibit
a public officer or employee from accepting
“any salary, retainer, augmentation, expense
allowance or other compensation from any
private source for the performance of his
duties as a public officer or employee.”
Similarly, they prohibit a public officer or
employee from using “governmental time,
property, equipment or other facilities to
benefit his or her personal or financial
interest.” Finally, they prohibit a public
officer or employee from seeking “other
employment or contracts through the use of
his official position.”
WNC Policy 3-1-1 prohibits actual and
potential conflicts of interest pertaining to
sponsored projects and defines “conflict of
interest” as “any situation in which an
employee of WNC uses, or is in a position to
use, his or her influence and authority within
WNC to advance his or her own personal or
financial interest, or the personal or financial
interest of his or her immediate family.”
WNC Policy 7-4-1 prohibits conflicts of
interest in purchasing, such as where a
regent or other employee of the Nevada
System of Higher Education becomes a
contractor or a vendor for the purchase of
supplies, equipment, services, and
construction. WNC Policy 4-1-3 prohibits
college employees from hiring or causing to
hire or supervising relatives within the third
degree of consanguinity or affinity, except
with the written approval of the appointing
authority. WNC Policy 4-5-1-9 prohibits
conflicts of interest in the performance of
compensated outside professional services.
(Exhibits: 9.13; 9.14; 9.15; 9.16) (9.A.4)
Academic Freedom
NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 2 sets forth the
system policy regarding Academic Freedom
and Responsibility. The policy explains that
institutions of higher education are
conducted for the common good and not to
further the interests of individual members
of the faculty or the institution and that the
continued existence of the common good
depends upon the free search for truth and
knowledge and their free expression.
The board’s policy clearly states that
“[freedom] in teaching is fundamental for
the protection of the rights of the teacher in
teaching and of the student in learning.” A
member of the faculty “has freedom and an
obligation, in the classroom or in research,
to discuss and pursue the faculty member’s
subject with candor and integrity, even when
the subject requires consideration of topics
which may be politically, socially or
scientifically controversial.” A member of
the faculty may not be subject to censorship
or discipline for expressing opinions or
views which are controversial, unpopular, or
contrary to the attitudes of the NSHE
community. Conversely, a member of the
faculty is responsible for the maintenance of
appropriate standards of scholarship and
instruction. Academic freedom extends to all
institutional faculty and to the invited guests
of the system.
The rights and responsibilities articulated in
NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 2 are
embodied in Western Nevada College’s
mission and goals. (Exhibit: 9.3) (9.A.5)
Strengths
Challenges
Recommendations
Supporting Documentation
Exhibits
9.1
9.10
WNC Policy 1-2-1: Nevada Ethics in Government Law
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/1-2-1.php
WNC Policy 1-5-1: Consensual Relationships
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/1-5-1.php
NSHE Board of Regents Handbook
http://system.nevada.edu/Board-of-R/Handbook/
WNC Policy 3-4-4: Student Conduct
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-4-4.php
WNC Policy 3-4-5: Academic Integrity
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-4-5.php
WNC Policy 1-1-1: Policy and Procedure Development at WNC
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/1-1-1.php
Western Nevada College 2009-2010 Catalog
http://www.wnc.edu/files/catalogs/2009-2010_catalog.pdf
2008-2009 Academic Program Guide
http://www.wnc.edu/files/catalogs/2008-2009_apg.pdf
WNC 2009 Fall Schedule (non-course information)
http://www.wnc.edu/files/schedules/wnc_schedule_fall09.pdf
Counseling Services publications
9.11
Veterans Services publications
9.12
Student Crisis Intervention Team publications
9.13
WNC Policy 3-1-1: Conflict of Interest Pertaining to Sponsored Projects
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/3-1-1.php
WNC Policy 7-4-1: Conflict of Interest
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/7-4-1.php
WNC Policy 4-1-3: Nepotism
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/4-1-3.php
WNC Policy 4-5-1-9: NSHE Board of Regents Policy For Compensated Outside
Professional Services
http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/4-5-1-9.php
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
9.14
9.15
9.16