College Sports Communicators Code of Ethics

College Sports Communicators Code of Ethics was revised in February 2022 with the approval of the Executive Board of Directors.

Code of Ethics

With the belief that professional behavior is one of the most important obligations of a member, the College Sports Communicators Code of Ethics has been adopted by the association's Executive Board of Directors as a helpful guide in understanding what constitutes excellence and integrity in how we represent ourselves in the workplace. As responsible advocates for the profession, CSC is committed to ethical practices and the ethical conduct of everyone affiliated in the organization.
 
Preamble

College Sports Communicators Code of Ethics provides a foundation of core values intended to guide the association and the professionals it represents.
 
The Code, by design, summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the organization's core values and establishes specific standards intended to guide the members and national staff as representatives of the athletics communications profession. This is a living document that will be adjusted throughout the life of the organization.

Members of the College Sports Communicators (CSC) should be committed to the ethical discharge of their jobs in dealing with student-athletes, coaches, colleagues, the public, the media and the institutions they serve.

The reputation of the membership, the profession and the organization depends upon the proper ethical conduct of all individuals. We will set an example for each other, as well as other professionals, by our constant pursuit of the ethical standards of performance, professionalism and conduct.

The CSC Executive Board of Directors retains the right to levy consequences on members in violation of this Code of Ethics (including but not limited to barring them from member events and functions or expulsion from the organization).

Membership in CSC is a privilege, and those who do not uphold these standards should not be part of CSC. Ethical practice should be everyone's consistent concern and this Code has been developed to assist the membership with this pursuit.
 
Professional Values

CSC presents these universal core principals of the organization for its membership as an industry standard for professional practice in athletics communications. These are fundamental beliefs that serve as a basic guide for the day-to-day decision-making processes of our Executive Board of Directors, staff and members. As a member of CSC, one should aspire to the following core professional values:

Advocacy
  • Be responsible advocates for the profession; CSC relies on its members to advance the standards the organization represents. Those professionals who represent athletics communications serve the interests of the various entities by acting in a professional manner.
 
Expertise
  • To build credibility, intercollegiate athletic communications professionals must acquaint themselves with the latest technology and trends.
 
Fairness
  • Intercollegiate athletic communications professionals should maintain integrity and deal fairly with colleagues, media, student-athletes, coaches, athletics staff and the public, respecting the right of all to free expression.
 
Honesty and Trustworthiness
  • In all aspects of their jobs, intercollegiate athletic communication professionals must adhere to the highest standard of integrity, accuracy, transparency, reliability and honesty in representing their interests to colleagues, the public, media, student-athletes, athletics staff and their institutions.
 
Harassment and Discrimination
  • CSC strongly disapproves of behavior, words or actions that discriminate against, harass or imply hostility toward others as individuals or groups.
 
Independence and Citizenship
  • Members of CSC are accountable for their actions and provide objective counsel to everyone they represent. Members should be committed to legal compliance and civil responsibility.
 
Loyalty
  • With the best interests of the public in mind, intercollegiate athletic communication professionals shall remain faithful to those institutions or governing bodies they represent while also respecting the right to free expression.
 
Relationships with Colleagues in the Profession
  • CSC members should promote respect and honesty among colleagues while preserving an ethical climate in all working relationships. To build trust, members should put a priority on the timely sharing of needed or requested information. It will be considered improper conduct to express public opinions or spread malicious and unfounded rumors about a member or colleague. Members should operate with an expectation of being honest and accurate in all communications. In addition, members are encouraged to resolve conflicts in private as opposed to taking their concerns to social media platforms.
 
Respect of Confidentiality
  • A core value of trust in all working relationships means the appropriate protection or safeguarding of confidential and private information.
 
Freedom and Disclosure of Information
 
Core Principle
Intercollegiate athletic communication professionals must be committed to presenting accurate and truthful information at all times in telling the stories of their athletics department, their coaches and their student-athletes.
 
Intent
  • Maintain integrity and create honest relationships with colleagues, coaches, media, student-athletes, conference office, governing bodies and external stakeholders.
  • Provide strategic advice related to all communication strategies that impact the direction and decisions of their athletics department.
Guidelines
  • Act promptly to correct false reports and communicate them to all appropriate parties.
  • Avoid misleading practices and avoid omitting factual information.

Examples of Improper Conduct
  • Using your position to obtain gifts in exchange for information or for access to—dealing with media outlets, other schools, coaches, community, external stakeholders (fans, alumni, consumers, etc.) or gambling entities.
  • Disseminating information that becomes detrimental to others' careers or reputations.
  • Knowingly releasing information that is wrong or knowingly giving misleading information—publicly or privately.
  • Deceiving the public through misleading information, false statistics and omission of facts in their role as the organizational communicators.
 
Safeguarding Confidences; Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
Core Principle
Professional trust requires appropriate protection of confidential and private information and the use of integrity in dealing with this information. To build the confidence of the media, public, external stakeholders and community, CSC members must avoid real, potential or perceived conflicts of interest.
 
Intent
  • To instruct members on the importance of safeguarding the privacy of student-athletes, coaches and others connected to the day-to-day activities of your professional position and avoid conflicts that may be misperceived.
 
Guidelines
  • Loyalty to the organization, athletic administration, student-athletes and coaching staffs is imperative. No confidence should be violated, regardless of how insignificant it might appear. Above all, avoid negative assessments of, and comments to the following: university officials; fellow staff members; media; colleagues inside and outside of the athletic communications profession and external stakeholders.
  • Build trust by avoiding situations that may conflict with the interest of the organization or one's ethics.
  • Offer to address these issues privately when situations of this nature arise.
  • Act in the best interest of the employer.
  • Disclose any existing or potential conflicts of interest immediately.
  • Encourage others around you and other members of the athletic communications profession to act accordingly.
Examples of Improper Conduct
  • Supplying false or misleading information to the public, media or fellow member.
  • Betraying a trust and supplying information in contrary to privacy laws.
  • A member represents a conflicting organization and uses the information to better his/her interests.
 

Enhancing the Profession
Core Principle
Intercollegiate athletics communications professionals, videographers, graphic designers, social media managers will strengthen trust in the profession to include the general public, media and those within the athletics community.
 
Intent
  • Build respect and credibility by delivering consistent work that supports the mission of the athletic department and university.
  • Improve, adapt and expand the skills and knowledge to execute the duties of the profession.
  • Develop best practices and procedures, strategic initiatives and crisis communications plans to support and enhance the activities of all institutions.
 
Guidelines
A member shall:
  • Acknowledge there is a sincere obligation to protect and enhance the profession.
  • Remain informed and educated about practices in the profession to ensure ethical conduct.
  • Always be mindful of the fact that members represent an institute or organization of higher learning and conduct should be of utmost importance.
  • Pursue professional development activities.
  • Mentor staff members to teach best practices and build future leaders in the profession.
  • Disclose all conflicts of interest both internally and externally from the department.
  • Actively promote and recruit talented and diverse individuals to the profession to ensure the viability and longevity of communications roles
  • Uphold the statutes of this code.
  • Mentor and aid other members about the code and responsibilities.
  • Report ethical violations when appropriate.
 
Examples of Improper Conduct
  • Participation in organized gambling activities.
  • Cheering for one's team should not occur where it detracts from one's professional duties and role.
  • Failure to demonstrate honesty and integrity in keeping statistics.
  • Using social media or other public platforms to criticize officiating, coaches and student-athletes from opposing teams.
  • Using social media or other public platforms to criticize a peer or colleague.
  • Using social media or other public platforms to criticize athletics administrators at any institution.
  • Using social media to criticize national governing bodies.
  • Taking full credit for work that is not wholly one's own.
 
Diversity & Inclusion Value Statement
"As leaders in the intercollegiate athletics landscape, College Sports Communicators seeks to foster and encourage environments that embrace equality, diversity and inclusion. As an organization, CSC is committed to education, discussion, advocacy and programming to establish and sustain an equitable, inclusive and diverse culture within the membership and the institutions it serves."
 
Note: Bud Nangle, former longtime Sports Information Director at Northern Illinois and College Sports Communicators Hall of Famer, created the original Code of Ethics in 1974. It was updated in 2021-22 by a sub-committee of the Advocacy Committee along with members of the CSC staff.