The Citadel BOV Commitment to Excellence and Ethics
The Board of Visitors (BOV) has 14 voting members. These members include the governor, the adjutant general, the state superintendent of education, and 11 graduates of The Citadel. The members of The Citadel BOV are dedicated to the high standards of honor, duty and respect. These tenets define the College’s mission to prepare its graduates to be principled leaders in all walks of life by instilling core values in a disciplined academic environment. The BOV Commitment to the standards of Excellence and Ethics is as follows.
In accepting the responsibility to serve the college to the best of our abilities, the BOV’s promise of excellence and ethics includes the commitment:
To be enthusiastic advocates for the college by…
- Articulating and supporting its mission
- Defending its autonomy
- Ensuring we are free from undue influence from political, religious, or other external bodies and protect the institution from such influence
- 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, duty and respect
- Representing all of the people of South Carolina rather than favoring any particular interest, community or constituency
- 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
- Making reasonable and responsible decisions consistent with the spirit of integrity in all matters
- Maintaining respect for the opinions of others
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 any significant concern or complaint and allowing the President to address the matter
- Recognizing that the Chair of the Board of Visitors, or his designee, serves as the authorized spokesperson for the Board, after consensus is sought from the Board and/or the Executive Committee. The President, or his designee, serves as the primary spokesperson for the College