Institutional Code of Ethics

Ethical behavior is often defined as "right" or "good" behavior as measured against commonly accepted rules of conduct for a society or profession. The ethical person is often described as one who is fair, honest, straightforward, trustworthy, objective, moral, and unprejudiced. The consistent exercise of integrity is the cornerstone of ethical behavior.

MiraCosta College is comprised of professionals who are dedicated to promoting a climate that enhances the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each individual within the college community. Employees are committed to protecting human rights and pursuing academic excellence.

MiraCosta College employees seek to model ethically responsible behavior for students and colleagues and expect ethical behavior from others at all times. In fulfillment of their obligation to the student, employees do the following:

• Promote freedom of inquiry and expression in the pursuit of learning
• Avoid intentionally suppressing or distorting subject matter relevant to the student's progress
• Ensure that the student has access to varying points of view
• Make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety
• Avoid intentionally embarrassing or disparaging the student
• Avoid disclosing information about students obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law
• Are sensitive to ethics issues in measurement and evaluation both in and out of the classroom and including but not limited to the following factors:
  • Orientation of students to the purposes and results of testing
  • Insurance against risks of stereotyping due to possible instrument limitations with regard to socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural factors
  • The insurance of adequate qualification of employees responsible for the administration, scoring, and interpretation of instruments
  • Maintenance of test security
  • Insurance against risk of over-reliance on test data and over-interpretation of results.

(Source: MCCCD Board Policy/Administrative Procedure 3050)