BOV Commitment to Excellence and Ethics
14 June 2003
The members of The Citadel Board of Visitors are dedicated to the principles of duty, honesty, loyalty, integrity, and accountability. These tenets define The Citadel's mission to prepare its graduates to be principled leaders in all walks of life by instilling core values in a disciplined academic environment.
In accepting the responsibility to serve the college to the best of our abilities, we are committed
TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC ADVOCATES FOR THE COLLEGE BY:
- Articulating and supporting its mission
- Defending its autonomy
- Maintaining loyalty to the college as a whole
- Evaluating periodically the Board's mission and functions
- To maintain the highest ethical standards by:
- Acting with honor and integrity
- Representing all of the people of South Carolina rather than favoring any particular interest, community or constituency
- Maintaining respect for the opinions of others
- Adhering to a conflict of interest policy to avoid even the appearance of impropriety
TO PERFORM OUR DUTIES RESPONSIBLY AND PROFESSIONALLY BY:
- Recognizing that authority resides with the Board as a whole and not its individual members
- Understanding that the Board's role is policy making and strategic in nature
- Supporting initiatives to enhance the public image of both the Board and the College
- Being fully informed regarding the role of the college in the state and in higher education and responding to the changing environments which affect the institution
TO ENCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS BY:
- Fostering openness and trust among the Board, the administration, the faculty, the Corps of Cadets, other students, the alumni, state government, and the general public
- Speaking one's mind at Board meetings while supporting policies and programs once established
- Communicating promptly to the President through the chairperson any significant concern or complaint and allowing the President to address the matter
- Recognizing that the Chair of the Board of Visitors serves as the authorized spokesperson for the Board and the President serves as the primary spokesperson for the College