A vote on Indiana University’s first-ever trustee Code of Conduct was delayed after a trustee raised concerns during the June 12 board meeting.
The board proposed a draft code, which would be the first code since the university’s founding in 1820.
WFIU/WTIU News obtained the proposal through a public records request.
Trustee James Bopp, Jr. raised concerns that the draft was not made public or independently reviewed prior to deliberation. He also criticized the language used in the draft, including the vague reference to the spirit of the law.
“I take the First Amendment very seriously, and I take fiduciary responsibility very seriously,” Bopp said. “There would be nothing more damaging to this board than a complaint by someone against another over whether or not he obeys the spirit of the law.”
A section called Obeying the Law and Reporting Misconduct reads, “All Trustees shall comply with and conduct themselves in accordance with the spirit and letter of all federal, state and local laws and regulations, as well as Indiana University policies.”
Bopp moved to send the document to a committee for improvement.
Following the discussion, the board agreed with Bopp and approved sending the code to committee. It will likely be voted on at the board’s next meeting Sept. 11.
