Standard Eleven

INTEGRITY

Description

Boston University has upheld high standards of ethics and integrity since its founding as the Newbury Biblical Institute in 1839. These standards cover all aspects of the University’s relations with students, faculty, staff, alumni, external agencies and organizations, and the public. Boston University has also established well articulated and widely distributed rules that members of the BU community are expected to follow, which in all respects meet or exceed applicable legal requirements. Boston University’s commitment to integrity encompasses commitments to free academic inquiry, financial integrity, nondiscrimination, and proper public disclosure.

Boston University’s statement on academic freedom applies to all faculty members; evidence that it is put into practice can be found in the most recent report of the Faculty Council Committee on Academic Freedom. Like preceding years, the 2007–08 academic year “passed without apparent controversies at Boston University regarding freedom of teaching, research, and public citizenship.”

Particular attention is paid by the administration to its obligations concerning right-of-privacy issues and to the confidentiality of records relating to students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Boston University has recently undertaken an examination of the scope of its discretionary communications to parents and guardians under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) with a view toward achieving the proper balance between promoting each student’s growth and independence as a responsible adult while still preserving the University’s ability to communicate to parents serious status changes such as academic probation, suspension, and expulsion. Further, Boston University administrators have always been aware that it is sometimes necessary to release private student information that is otherwise protected by FERPA in the event of a health or safety concern that poses a threat or danger to the student or to others. Recent changes to federal regulations regarding FERPA’s implementation clarify that reasonable decisions by administrators to disclose information in the event of a health or safety emergency will generally be upheld. Boston University has always placed a premium on responding swiftly and appropriately to a student in crisis and the regulatory changes will allow us to continue to put safety first.

Behind the rules, policies, laws, and codes—as well as their promulgation and equitable enforcement—lies an understanding that the ethos of an institution largely depends on the extent to which individuals in positions of authority and responsibility are judged to be persons of exemplary character and embodiments of the institution’s mission and purposes. Accordingly, Trustees, Overseers, administrators, and academic leaders are held to high ethical standards.

The usefulness of periodically assessing these standards can be seen in the Code of Ethical Conduct adopted by the Board of Trustees in June 2005, which underscored Boston University’s commitment to ethical conduct and compliance with the law. The Code of Ethical Conduct sets forth basic standards of ethical and legal behavior; provides a confidential means of reporting known or suspected ethical or legal violations; and helps prevent and detect wrongdoing. The Code of Ethical Conduct applies to all Boston University Trustees, Officers, and employees, and complements the University’s Conflict of Interest policy. It is administered by the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the Office of Internal Audit performs routine and special audits of all University offices and is involved in the review of conflict disclosures. Boston University as a whole undergoes regular financial audits by certified public accountants and by government auditors.

Boston University is committed to equality of opportunity and nondiscrimination in all aspects of its operations. As a federal contractor, BU’s employment programs comply with federal requirements relating to nondiscrimination and affirmative action. For individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination, procedures are in place that will allow them to file complaints without risk of retaliation or retribution. In the past decade, there have been no findings of unlawful discrimination in employment against Boston University by any state or federal court or agency.

Policies and procedures relating to the conduct of faculty members are presented in the Faculty Handbook. Standing and ad hoc faculty oversight committees work to develop and refine such policies and procedures. They also play a critical role in reviewing and investigating any infractions. Rules and procedures relating to both staff and faculty members are published and distributed as appropriate. For instance, all members of the BU community who have access to the University’s computing system receive a copy of the “Conditions of Use and Policy on Computing Ethics.”

Rules and procedures governing student conduct—including fraternities, sororities, religious groups, and other student organizations—are contained in the Code of Student Responsibilities, published annually in the Boston University Lifebook. In addition, each school and college publishes its own expectations concerning student conduct. Admonishments against plagiarism are articulated in class and on syllabi at the start of each semester.

Procedures relating to conduct and ethics are deliberately designed to provide all parties with a fair hearing; to exonerate those who are unjustly alleged to have engaged in misconduct; and to result in appropriate action being taken against those who are found to have committed an infraction of the rules. Individuals found guilty at the initial review may have certain internal rights of appeal. In matters relating to academic misconduct, individuals may appeal up to the provost.

In addition, Boston University publishes a “Grievance Procedure” in the Faculty Handbook, and has a standing committee on grievances. The Lifebook clearly outlines students’ right to petition for a hearing before the Board of Student Conduct (a three-person panel of faculty, students, and administrators) and to appeal to the University Provost. Students with grievances unrelated to disciplinary matters are encouraged to present their concerns to administrators. Some members of Boston University’s staff are represented through one of five collective bargaining units, which have contractual grievance procedures. Grievance procedures also exist for all non-represented employees.

This report is evidence of Boston University’s honesty and integrity in its interactions with the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE), and provides a forthright account of BU’s good faith efforts to uphold CIHE’s Eleven Standards and all other applicable policies and requests.

Appraisal

Boston University is diligent in upholding its rules of conduct and strives to administer all policies with consistency and fairness. In the past, fraternities have had their recognition withdrawn following infractions of the Code of Student Responsibilities; on rare occasions, staff and faculty members have been dismissed for cause. The BU community fully understands that the University will act vigorously to enforce its written codes of ethical conduct. In April 2006, President Robert A. Brown reaffirmed the importance of ethical conduct by issuing a President’s Statement of Commitment to Ethical Conduct.

The newly created Office of the Associate Vice President for Research Compliance provides oversight of research activities on both campuses, and has already established a comprehensive training program in Responsible Conduct of Research that surpasses the recommendations of the National Institutes of Health.

In the past decade, Boston University has taken several steps to develop and refine its standards. Policies related to integrity and ethical conduct that have been adopted or amended since the last reaccreditation cycle cover such areas as copyright, patents, computing ethics, responsible conduct of research, confidentiality (e.g., the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), investigator’s conflicts of interest, family and medical leave, solicitation and acceptance of vendor gifts, and maternity leave for faculty.

Projection

Further steps are in place to ensure that Boston University will continue to hold its members to the highest standards of ethical conduct. The Office of the Associate Vice President for Research Compliance is developing mechanisms to routinely review and audit labs and research activities. The Office of the Associate Provost and Vice President for Research is designing a process for reviewing and evaluating centers and institutes. Application of the disclosure requirements regarding conflicts of interest has been greatly expanded.

Boston University has made a concerted effort in recent years to establish more inclusive and transparent processes to develop policies that have a broad application across the University. How best to communicate all necessary policies and procedures to the appropriate constituencies remains a challenge in an academic setting as complex as BU. To ensure ready access to this information, Boston University has established a centralized web-based repository, which is described in more detail in STANDARD TEN: PUBLIC DISCLOSURE and which gathers in one place all rules and procedures related to ethical conduct.