Bec Code of Ethics

Guidelines for Ethical Practice

The following guidelines represent a consensus of what constitutes ethical practice in the way a school conducts its affairs, both within its organisation and in dealings with other member higher education institutions/schools. If it is drawn to the attention of Bec that the guidelines have been breached, Bec could take investigative action.

Integrity of the higher education institute/school

• A higher education institute/school should meticulously carry out the promises and contracts made with any person, higher education institute,school, organisation, or the general public.
• A higher education institute/school should carefully avoid misleading or ambiguous statements about its work, situation or status.
• A higher education institute/ school should respect normally accepted conventions regarding confidentiality.

 

1. Recruitment practices

• The right of a person to visit and to consider employment in a higher education institute/school other than that in which they are currently employed without notifying the current employer should be respected.
• The right of a higher education institute/school to hold preliminary discussions about possible employment with a faculty Associate/higher education institute/school leader employed in another higher education institute/school without notifying such other higher education institute/school should also be respected.
• Contracts with faculty Associate/higher education institute/school leader should include a clause in which prospective employees certify that they are legally able to sign the contract and are not bound by any other employment contract.
• No higher education institutes/schools should attempt to influence a person to break a contract already signed with another higher education institute/school.

1. Employment practices

• The performance of professional personnel should be subject to regular evaluation, formal or informal, by the head of the higher education institute/school or their designated representatives.
• The performance of the head of the higher education institute/school should be subject to regular evaluation, formal, or informal, by the Board, a designated committee of the Board, or the owner of the higher education institute/school.
• Each higher education institute/school should have an established procedure for dealing with claims by a faculty Associate /higher education institute /school leader of unjust treatment or violation of their individual rights.
• In any instance in which a higher education institute/school has taken the decision to dismiss a faculty Associate/higher education institute/school leader or not to renew their contract, the faculty member/higher education institute /school leader should be given a fair period of notice and the reasons for the higher education institute /school’s decision. If the faculty Associate/higher education institute/school leader requests it, a hearing should be provided in accordance with established school policy.
• All faculty associates/higher education institute /school leader staff shall be employed under written contracts, which provide for adequate salaries, fringe benefits, and working conditions.

 

1. Transfer and enrolment of students

• The right of a student and their parents to visit and consider schools other than that which the student is presently attending is recognised, as is the right of such other higher education institutes/schools to hold preliminary discussions about possible admission without notifying the higher education institute/school of current attendance. However, a higher education institute/school should not itself knowingly initiate an attempt to enrol a student currently enrolled elsewhere.
• When a student is transferring from one associate higher education institute/school to another, and the first higher education institute /school notifies the receiving higher education institute/school that some financial obligation due to the former remains outstanding, the receiving higher education institute/school should delay admission of the student until a satisfactory arrangement to settle the account has been worked out.
• A higher education institute’s/school’s most important consideration in enrolling a new student should be the welfare of that student. Financial aid or any other advantage not regularly accorded to all students should not be offered in such a way as to influence the enrolment decision improperly.