Ethics at Rutgers

Rutgers, the premier public research university in New Jersey, is a steward of the public trust. As university and public employees we must take care to exhibit the highest ethical standards of conduct in carrying out our duties and to avoid rigorously any conduct that might produce even the appearance of the misuse of our Rutgers positions to further our own personal interests.

The New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law, which is generally applicable to all Rutgers employees, was amended and strengthened in 2006. The amended statute emphasizes the need to educate public employees in ethical standards. Accordingly, Rutgers is implementing an education program on ethics and all faculty and staff are urged to cooperate and participate in this effort. As part of this program of education and information, Rutgers employees are provided with the Rutgers Code of Ethics, and the Rutgers Plain Language Guide to Fundamental Ethics and Conflicts Rules Established by State Law, Federal Law and University Policy. We have tried to make the materials as clear and inclusive as possible. Nevertheless, for each of these provisions, there will be instances in which their applicability to particular circumstances will be uncertain. In these cases, you may email your inquiry for advice.

This website contains links to relevant informational material, including key documents and forms most employees will need to complete on an annual basis. The Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University Human Resources, and the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel are available to discuss the new ethics requirements upon request.

This is a major initiative and a serious endeavor which is a priority area for Rutgers. I look forward to working with all of you in the implementation of this ethics education program.

Dr. Philip Furmanski
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Rutgers University Ethics Liaison Officer