The following Code of Ethics applies to all employees of Montclair State University in accordance with New Jersey Administrative Code 9A:3 and New Jersey State Annotated 52:13D-12 et seq.:
- No employee should have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, or engage in any business, transaction or professional activity that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his/her duties in the public interest.
- No employee should engage in any particular business, profession, trade or occupation that is subject to licensing or regulation by a specific agency of state government without promptly filing notice of such activity with the Executive Commission on Ethical Standards.
- No employee should use or attempt to use his/her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for him/herself or others.
- No employee should act in his/her official capacity in any matter wherein he/she has a direct or indirect personal financial interest that might reasonably be expected to impair his/her objectivity or independence of judgment.
- No employee should undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, that might reasonably be expected to impair his/her objectivity and independence of judgment in the exercise of official duties.
- No employee should accept any gift, favor, service or other item of value under circumstances from which it might be reasonably inferred that it was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him/her in the discharge of official duties. Nevertheless, employees, during the course of their official duties, may accept meals that are offered as part of a meeting or event so long as all attendees of such meeting or event are also provided such meals. In the event that a sponsor of a meeting has pending with the University a matter on which the employees must act in the exercise of their duties during the time that said matter is pending, the employees shall not accept any meals from such sponsor.
- No employee should knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion among the public having knowledge of his/her acts that he/she may be engaged in conduct in violation of his/her trust as a public employee.
- No employee should use or allow to be used his/her public office or employment or any information not generally available to members of the public for the purpose of securing financial gain for him/herself or others with whom he/she is associated.
- No employee, nor any partnership, business entity or corporation in which he/she has an interest, nor any partner, officer or employee of any such partnership, business entity or corporation, shall agree to or actually represent, appear for, or negotiate on behalf of any person or party other than the University in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any state agency.
- Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to prohibit an employee from representing, appearing for or negotiating on behalf of, or agreeing to represent, appear for or negotiate on behalf of any person or party other than the University in connection with any proceeding: pending before any court of record of this state; in regard to a claim for worker’s compensation; in connection with the determination or review of transfer inheritance or estate taxes; in connection with the filing of corporate or other documents in the Office of the Secretary of State; before the Division of Civil Rights or any successor thereof; before the New Jersey State Board of Mediation or any successor thereof; before the New Jersey Public Employee Relations commission or any successor thereof; before the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund Board or any successor thereof solely for the purpose of filing a notice of intention pursuant to NJSA 39:6-65; or before any state agency on behalf of a county, municipality or school district or any authority, agency or commission of any thereof, except where the state is an adverse party in the proceeding and provided he/she is not holding any office or employment in the state agency in which any such proceeding is pending.
Please contact the University’s Ethics Liaison Officer, Katie Comanto, with any questions or concerns regarding employee ethical obligations.
Reporting Ethical Concerns
A critical piece of our commitment to the highest ethical standards, honesty and integrity in the service of our entire University community is ensuring our employees’ adherence to the New Jersey Uniform Ethics Code.
We’ve partnered with ClearView Connects to provide the University community with the ability to comfortably and anonymously report suspected violations of the Uniform Ethics Code through an independent, third-party organization at any time of the day or night.
Ethics Reporting Hotline: 855-895-6781