Excerpted from National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Standards and Guidelines For Academic Advising posted via electronic media on February 21,1994
All persons involved in the provision of advising services to students must maintain the highest standards of ethical behavior. Academic advisors must develop and adopt standards or ethical practice addressing the unique problems that face personnel in that area. The standards must be published and reviewed by all concerned. In the formulation of those standards, ethical standards statements previously adopted by the profession at large or relevant professional associat ions may be of assistance and must be considered.
Certain ethical obligations apply to all individuals employed in the academic advising program, for example: All advisors must ensure that confidentiality is maintained with respect to all communications and records considered confidential. Unless written permission is given by the student, information disclosed in individual counseling sessions must remain confidential. In addition, all requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment) must be complied with and information contained in students' educational records must not be disclosed to third parties without appropriate consent, unless one of the relevant statutory exceptions applies. A similar dedication to privacy and confidentiality must be applied to research data concerning individuals.
All advisors must be aware of and comply with provisions contained in the institution's human subjects policy and in any other institutional policy ethical practice.
All academic advisors must ensure that students are provided access to services on a fair and equitable basis. Advisors must avoid any personal conflict of interest so they can deal objectively and impartially with persons within and outside the institution. In many instances, the appearance of a conflict of interest can be as damaging as an actual conflict. Whenever handling funds, all staff must ensure that such funds are handled in accordance with established and responsible accounting procedures.
Academic advisors must not participate in any form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined to include sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, as well as other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature if "(1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, academic progress, or any other outcome of an official nature, (2) ... is used as the basis for such decisions or outcomes ..., (3) ... has the purpose or effect of unreasonable interfering with an individual's work performance or creating and intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment." 29 Code or Federal Regulations, C.F.R., Section 1604.11 (a).
All academic advisors must recognize the limits of their training, expertise, and competence and must refer students in need of further expertise to persons possessing appropriate qualifications.
Advisors must recognize the limits of their competence and perform only those functions for which they are qualified.
Advisors must ensure the accurate presentation of information to the public, students, parents, colleagues, and subordinates. Brochures, student handbooks, and other materials prepared for open distribution must accurately represent the institution's goals, services, programs, and policies.
Advisors must not counsel or aid students in circumventing institutional policies or regulations. When confronted with situations in which students have violated or circumvented established policy or norms, the advisor is obliged to address the issue and refer students to the appropriate agency accordingly.