Code of Ethics

BASIC BELIEFS Service Associate members of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials are committed to conducting themselves within the highest standards of professional and personal ethics, to continuing ongoing professional growth and development and to developing these beliefs in others with whom they work.

Members assume the responsibility for providing professional leadership in their respective fields. This responsibility requires members to maintain standards of exemplary personal and professional conduct. To these ends, service associate members subscribe to the following standards.
 

ETHICAL STANDARDS
In all activities, members in good standing of Illinois ASBO shall:
  • Make the well-being of all members and guests, a fundamental value in all decision making and actions.
  • Fulfill professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and foster mutual respect between all members and guests.
  • Support the principle of due process and protect the civil and human rights of all individuals.
  • Obey all local, state and national laws.
  • Implement the policies and administrative rules and regulations of the employing organization.
ETHICAL CONDUCT
In all activities, members in good standing of Illinois ASBO shall demonstrate their adherence to the standards set forth above by:
  • Actively supporting the goals and objectives of the Association and organizations with which they work.
  • Interpreting the policies and practices of the Association fairly and objectively.
  • Assisting fellow members, as appropriate, in fulfilling their obligations and goals of the Association.
  • Supporting a positive image of the Association and educational institutions.
  • Maintaining confidentiality of non-public data and information.
EXPECTATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY 
In the conduct of business and discharge of responsibilities, each member will:
  • Conduct business and transactions honestly, openly and with integrity, dignity and decorum.
  • Make an appropriate effort to disclose potential conflicts of interest involving relationships between the firm and any school district employees or public officials.
  • Refrain from unprofessional behavior and / or negative comments towards or at another member and their organization, including in the use of social media and websites.
  • Never accept or offer illegal payment for products or services rendered.  Never solicit members for donations at or during association sponsored events.
  • Actively support the Associations professional development activities aimed at improving school business management and encourage colleagues to do likewise.

GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTATIONS: Seminars and Annual Conference Sessions 
  • Presenters representing vendors are not to market/advertise their particular products at presentations. Presentation content and materials distributed may be proprietary but must be made available to all participants. This is to protect presentations from becoming marketing venues for particular products or services and also to ensure that other vendors attending presentations are not excluded from receiving any handouts that are distributed.
  • The only presentations that may promote the sale of a certain program or service are those that are highlighting services or programs created by Illinois ASBO. These programs currently include; Procurement Card (p-Card), the Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund (ISDLAF+), and the Illinois Energy Consortium (IEC).
     
  • Attendees at presentations who represent a product or service associated with the topic of the presentation are expressly prohibited from entering into competitive or confrontational questioning of presenters. In addition, a presenter is prohibited from making disparaging remarks about competitors or marketing via the audience or grandstanding to deliver a message regarding their particular product or service. This applies both during and after a presentation. Attendance should be for professional development and not for competing with other attendees or presenters. This is to keep our presentations from becoming combative settings where presenters or attendees are challenged regarding their products or services.
     
  • Moderators at presentations are given the authority to ask any member of the audience to leave the session if they become combative with presenters or attendees. In addition, if a vendor is a presenter and uses the presentation as an arena to "sell" their product or services, the Moderator has the authority to stop the presentation if the presenter refuses to modify the content of their presentation. The Moderator will report such actions to the Executive Director for follow-up. 
     
  • In the event a member, other than those identified in #4 above, identifies an inappropriate member practice or behavior, the proper response would be to first discuss that issue with the member. If that does not resolve the issue, then notify the Executive Director or Assistant Executive Director.
     
  • Violations and/or repeated violations may result in exclusion of those individuals or their companies from participating in future presentations, exhibiting, and possibly membership in the Association.
 
 
Regulations and Guidelines for Service Associate or Other Vendor Participation in Illinois ASBO Professional Development Presentations 
(Seminars and Annual Conference Sessions) 
The following regulations have been established to protect our presentations from becoming marketing venues for particular products or services. In addition, to ensure that if registered and participating vendors are part of the audience, that they are not excluded from receiving any handouts that are distributed by competing vendor presenters. Any vendor presenter who violates these regulations may be excluded from presenting at future presentations, in addition, to loss of membership in the Association.
 
Regulations for Vendor Presenters:
Presentations are not intended as a marketing venue for particular products or services, but as a general educational venue. Presenters representing vendors are not to market or advertise their particular product at presentations. Presentation content and materials distributed may be proprietary but must be made available to all participants. Competitive vendors attending presentations shall not be excluded from receiving handouts that are distributed.
 
Regulations for Vendors Who Register and Attend Presentations: 
Vendor attendees who represent a product or service associated with the topic of the seminar are expressly prohibited from entering into competitive or combative questioning of presenters In addition, a presenter is prohibited from making disparaging remarks about competitors or marketing via the audience or grandstanding to deliver a message regarding their particular product or service. This applies both during and after a presentation. Attendance should be for professional development. It should not become a combative forum where other attendees or presenters are challenged regarding their products or services.
 
Moderators of Presentations: 
Moderators at presentations are given the authority to ask any attendee in the audience to leave if they become combative with presenters.
 
Exception: The only presentations that may promote the sale of a certain program or service are those that are highlighting services or programs currently created and/or sponsored by Illinois ASBO. These programs currently include: Procurement Card (p-Card), Forecast5, US Communities, the Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund (ISDLAF+), and the Illinois Energy Consortium (IEC).