Code of Expectations
for the

Montana Board of Regents
of Higher Education

1.    The Board of Regents expects its members to value service above self.  The Board expects high standards of ethical conduct and requires all members to conduct themselves at all times in a manner that reflects honor upon the Montana University System.

2.    Regents must avoid any conflict of interest with respect to the fiduciary responsibility.  There must be no self-dealing or any conduct of private business or personal services between any Regent and the Montana University System unless procedurally controlled to assure openness, competitive opportunity, and equal access to inside information.  When a conflict issue is disclosed, the Regent involved must abstain from voting or promoting the discussion between Board members.

3.    This Board of Regents is non-partisan in the sense that:

• Our positions and decisions are based on the Board’s mission, and not on partisan factors.

• We do not lobby one another regarding upcoming votes, but sharing one's concerns or positions is appropriate and encouraged.

• We do not engage in tit-for-tat support of one another’s issues.

• We embrace public interests and avoid acting from ideological interests.

• We are not bound to any particular university system campus or geographic area. 

4.     We each take personal responsibility for making decisions in the long-term best interests of students and the people of Montana.

5.     We each take personal responsibility for holding a long-term and statewide view in our decision-making, even at the expense of personal or narrow constituent interests.

6.    We each take personal responsibility for coming to meetings prepared for Board actions.

7.    Once Board decisions are made, we will each stand behind them, even if we disagree-though we may explain the nature of our disagreement, if asked.

8.     We view the Student Regent as one who is equal to other Regents.  The Student Regent has a first and foremost responsibility to represent students in the Montana University System.

9.    We each take personal responsibility for respecting one another’s opinions enough to let them be spoken and understood.

10.   We do not sit on bad feelings or misunderstandings. We each take personal responsibility for talking about problems directly, and as soon as possible, with the person(s) involved.  When necessary, we will take "recess" to do this.

11.   We each take personal responsibility for staying focused and on time, and we accept the role of the Chair in helping us do this.

12.   We each take personal responsibility for speaking the truth as we see it, even when it is hard to do so.

13.   We open this set of Board expectations for review and possible revision, annually after appointment of new Regents.

14.   We invite the Governor and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to endorse this set of expectations each year.