Ohio Administrative Code › Title 3358:16 - Terra State Community College › Chapter 3358:16-1 - Board of Trustees › Section 3358:16-1-02 - Conflict of interest

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
A conflict of interest exists when the
				personal or professional interests of a trustee affects his or her ability to
				be objective. As trustees are likely to be affiliated with many organizations
				in their communities, both on a professional and a personal basis, it is not
				unusual for an actual or potential conflict of interest to arise. This policy
				defines how the governing board of trustees of Terra state community college
				define how the college interprets a conflict of interest and what steps are
				expected to be taken to deal with such conflicts when they occur.
Terra state community college board of
				trustees will carry out the mission of the College in accordance with the
				strictest ethical guidelines and conduct themselves in a manner that fosters
				public confidence in the integrity of the Terra board, its processes, and its
				accomplishments.
Terra board members must, at all times,
				abide by protections to the public embodied in Ohio's ethics laws, as found in
				Chapters 102. and 2921. of the
								Revised Code
								
								, and as
				interpreted by the Ohio ethics commission and Ohio courts. Members must conduct
				themselves, at all times, in a manner that avoids favoritism, bias, and the
				appearance of impropriety.
A general summary of the restraints
				upon the conduct of all board members as well as employees includes, but is not
				limited to. those listed below. No board member shall:
(A)
								Solicit or accept
			 anything of value from anyone doing business with the college:
(B)
								Solicit or accept
			 employment from anyone doing business with the College, unless the trustee
			 completely withdraws from college activity regarding the party offering
			 employment, and the board approves the withdrawal;
(C)
								Use his or her
			 public position to obtain benefits for the official or employee, a family
			 member, or anyone with whom the official or employee has a business or
			 employment relationship:
(D)
								Be paid or accept any form of compensation for personal
			 services rendered on a matter before, or sell goods or services to, Terra state
			 community college;
(E)
								Be paid or accept any form of compensation for personal
			 services rendered on a matter before, or sell (except by competitive bid) goods
			 or services to, any state agency other than Terra state community college,
			 unless the trustee first discloses the services or sales and withdraws from
			 matters before the Terra board that directly affects officials and employees of
			 the other state agency, as directed in
								section
			  102.04  of the Revised
			 Code;
(F)
								Hold or benefit from a contract with, authorized by, or
			 approved by, the Terra state board of trustees (the ethics law does accept
			 limited stockholdings, and some contracts objectively shown as the lowest cost
			 services, where all criteria under
								
								section
			  2921.42  of the Revised Code are
			 met);
(G)
								Vote, authorize, recommend, or in any other way use his
			 or her position to secure approval of a Terra state community college contract
			 (including employment or personal services) in which the official or employee,
			 a family member, or anyone with whom the official or employee has a business or
			 employment relationship, has an interest;
(H)
								Solicit or accept
			 honoraria (see division of sections (H)
								
									102.01
								
								and
			  102.03(H)   of
			 the Revised Code):
(I)
								During public service, and for one year after leaving
			 public service, represent any person, in any fashion, before any public agency,
			 with respect to a matter in which the trustee personally participated while
			 serving with Terra state community college:
(J)
								Use or disclose
			 confidential information protected by law, unless appropriately authorized:
			 or
(K)
								Use or authorize the use of his or her title, the name
			 "Terra State Community College." or "TSCC." or the college's logo in a manner
			 that suggests impropriety, favoritism, or bias by the trustee, official, or
			 employee.
For purposes of this
				policy:
"Anything of value" includes anything
				of monetary value, including, but not limited to: money, gifts, food or
				beverages, social event tickets and expenses, travel expenses, golf outings,
				consulting fees, compensation, or employment. "Value" means worth greater than
				de minimis or nominal.
"Anyone doing business with Terra State
				Community College" includes, but is not limited to: any person, corporation, or
				other party that is doing or seeking to do business with, regulated by. or has
				interest before Terra state community college.
Every Terra state community college
				board member or employee required to file a financial disclosure statement must
				file a complete and accurate statement with the ethics commission by
				April
									
									fifteenth of each year. Any member or employee appointed or
				employed after February 
									
									fifteenth and required to file a financial disclosure
				statement must file a statement within ninety days of appointment or
				employment.
(L)
								In order to comply with this policy, it is expected
			 that:
(1)
									If a
			 trustee has an interest in a proposed transaction with the College in the form
			 of a significant personal or organizational financial interest in the
			 transaction or holds a position as trustee, officer, director or staff member
			 in such organization, he or she must make full disclosure of such interest
			 before any discussion or negotiation of such transaction.
(2)
									Any trustee who
			 has a potential confiict of interest with respect to any matter coming before
			 the board or a committee shall not participate in any discussions of or vote in
			 connection with the matter unless invited to respond to questions or provide
			 factual information by the board or committee chair.
(3)
									Any trustee who
			 gains privileged information by virtue of his or her role as a trustee shall
			 not use that privileged information for personal or professional gain.
This policy shall be distributed to
				trustees upon their appointment to their term. A signature in the designated
				area of this policy will indicate the trustee's agreement to abide by this
				policy to the best of his or her ability for the time allotted to the
				appointment as a governing board trustee for the college.
I have read the above statement of
				policy regarding conflict of interest and agree to abide by this policy to the
				best of my ability in my role as a governing board trustee for Terra state
				community college.
Signature:_____________
Date:______________