ASCSU CODE OF ETHICS

Last updated February 20, 2002


Sec. 1-1 POLICY

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Associated Students of Colorado State University that the proper operation of student government requires that officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible only to the students of the university; that no officer, employee or member of any standing committee or board shall permit any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, or engagement in any business transaction or professional activity to conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest; that public office will not be used for personal gain; and that the Associated Students of Colorado State University at all times shall be maintained as a nonpartisan body. To implement such a policy, the Associated Students of Colorado State University deems it advisable to enact a Code of Ethics for all officials and employees, whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid, to serve not only as a guide for official conduct of the student body’s public servants, but also as a basis for discipline for those who refuse to abide by its terms, the overriding interest being that officers and employees of the Associated Students of Colorado State University shall at all times strive to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Sec. 2-1 DEFINITIONS

The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings subscribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Employee means any person employed by ASCSU, including those individuals on a part-time basis but shall not mean any independent contractor hired by ASCSU.

Officer or official means any appointed or elected member of ASCSU and any appointed member of a board, commission, or committee set up by ASCSU.

Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) means the judicial, legislative and executive bodies of the student body of Colorado State University consisting of the President, Vice President, Supreme Court, Cabinet and the Senate.

Sec. 3-1 STANDARDS OF CONDUCT – OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

No officer or employee of ASCSU shall:

(A) Use their official position to solicit special privileges or exemptions for themselves or others that might reasonably tend to influence them in the discharge of their official duties, or grant in the discharge of their official duties any improper favor, service or thing of value;

(B) Grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any student, individual, student organization or group beyond that which is normally available to every other student, individual, student organization or group.

(C) Engage in any outside activities which will conflict with, or will be incompatible with their position as an officer of ASCSU, or the duties assigned to them in their employment with ASCSU.

(D) (1) No officer or employee of ASCSU, while acting in their capacity or in the course and scope of their employment, shall use the influence or prestige of their position or title as an employee or officer of ASCSU for or against any candidate for any elected office of ASCSU, but shall at all times maintain the nonpartisan policy of ASCSU.

(2) No officer or employee of ASCSU shall be prohibited from participating in any political process solely in his or her individual capacity as a private citizen.

(E) (1) No officer or employee of ASCSU shall knowingly perform or refuse to perform any act to deliberately obstruct the execution of ASCSU policy, rules or regulations, or the achievement of official ASCSU programs.

(2) No officer or employee of ASCSU shall use ASCSU supplies, equipment or facilities for any purpose other than the conduct of official ASCSU business, unless otherwise provided for by law, or ASCSU policy.

(3) No officer or employee of ASCSU shall engage in any conduct prejudicial to the government of ASCSU or that reflects discredit upon the government of ASCSU.

Sec. 3-2 ADDITIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT – SENATORS

In the event that any matter comes before the senate involving directly or indirectly the interest of a present student organization of any ASCSU senator or cabinet member or the interest of a student organization or entity who the senator has had membership in within the prior twelve (12) months, then that senator or cabinet member shall disclose the existence of such interest to the other members of the ASCSU senate and thereafter is encouraged to abstain from voting in the matter and refrain from attempting to influence the vote of any other senator.

No member of the ASCSU senate shall disclose to anyone other than another member of the ASCSU senate the substance, contents or subject discussed or deliberated upon during a closed or executive session of the ASCSU senate.


Sec. 4-1 SANCTIONS

(A) Sanctions may be imposed in accordance with these rules upon members who are found to have violated the code. In determining the kind of sanction to be imposed, the following factors may be considered: the nature of the violation, prior violations by the same individual, the willfulness of the violation, and any other factors which bear upon the seriousness of the violation.

(B) The following sanctions may be imposed singly or in combination at the conclusion of an investigation and/or hearing under these rules:

(1) Private Censure. A letter to the respondent, the respondents college council, and the complainant, indicating that the respondent has been found to have violated the Code of Ethics, that ASCSU disapproves of such conduct, and that, if it is repeated in the future, it may be cause for more serious sanctions.

(2) Impeachment (pursuant to Article VI of ASCSU Constitution)

Sec. 5-1 INITIATION OF PROCEDURES

(A) Proceedings against an individual for an alleged violation of the Code of Ethics may be initiated by the following methods upon receiving a written complaint from any source indicating that a violation may have occurred.

(B)(1) Senate Violations:

Complaints pertaining to code of ethics violations committed by members of the Senate shall be presented to the ASCSU Vice President.

(2) Executive Violations:

Complaints pertaining to code of ethics violations committed by members of the Cabinet shall be presented to the ASCSU President. If the violator is the ASCSU President or Vice President, complaints shall presented to the Supreme Court.

(3) Judiciary:

Complaints pertaining to code of ethics violations committed by members of the Judiciary branch shall be presented to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In the event that the violator is the Supreme Court Chief Justice, complaints shall be presented to the ASCSU President.

(C) Upon delivery of a complaint, the recipient shall meet with the said violator and discuss why the action of the individual was not appropriate. The complaint recipient shall inform the said violator that future violations can be considered negligent and can be grounds for impeachment. The complaint recipient shall notify the individual who filed the complaint that a contact was made. All communications between the said party and the complaint recipient shall remain confidential. All other disciplinary procedures that are not outlined in the document shall follow the guidelines set forth by the ASCSU constitution and the regulations of Colorado State University.

Passed by the Thirty-First Senate of the Associated Students of Colorado State University in Bill 3105 on February 20, 2002, by a vote of 22-1-0. Bill 3105 was signed by 2001-2002 ASCSU President Sean Mattox on February 22, 2002.