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PREAMBLE
Status of the Code of Ethics for the Museum of Missing History
This Code of Ethics for the Museum of Missing History (“the Museum”) has been prepared by Martin Murphy, executive director. It is the statement of ethics that governs the work of the Museum and it reflects principles generally accepted by the international museum community (see SOURCES).
A Minimum Standard for the Museum of Missing History
This Code represents a minimum standard for the Museum. It is presented as a series of principles supported by guidelines of desirable professional practice.
CODE OF ETHICS
Legal Compliance
The Museum of Missing History’s board of trustees, staff and volunteers comply with all applicable laws, regulations and international conventions.
Personal and Professional Conduct
In their dealings as representatives of the organization, the Museum of Missing History’s board of trustees, staff and volunteers act professionally with honesty and integrity. They treat each other and the Museum’s constituents fairly and with respect. Members of the board of trustees, staff and volunteers are responsible for being aware of and complying with the Museum’s policies that address their conduct.
Conflict of interest
The Museum of Missing History’s board of trustees, staff members, and volunteers act in the best interest of the Museum rather than in furtherance of personal interests or the interests of third parties, such as friends and family. Decisions about the Museum and the use or disposition of its assets are made solely in terms of the benefits to the Museum and are neither influenced nor appear to be influenced, by any private profit, personal gain, or outside benefit for staff, board members, and volunteers; their friends and family members; or the organizations with which they are affiliated.
Specifically, the Museum of Missing History will take no financial interest in any object. Persons employed by or volunteering for the Museum of Missing History are prohibited from taking a financial interest in any object listed in the Catalogue of Missing Objects (COMO) while working for the Museum or for one full year after leaving the Museum.
Further, members of the Museum’s board of trustees, staff and volunteers are prohibited from dealing in art, antiques or any other historically important object. Dealing is defined as speculative buying with the intent to sell at a profit.
Board of Trustees
The Museum of Missing History has an active board of directors that sets the Museum’s mission, strategic direction, and policies; and has oversight of its finances and operations. The board ensures that its members and the staff act for the benefit of the Museum and its public purpose with integrity and honesty; that the Museum’s resources are responsibly and prudently managed; and that the Museum has the capacity to carry out its programs effectively. The board also supervises, evaluates, and determines appropriate compensation for the executive director, and ensures that the Museum is fair and inclusive in its employment policies.
Staff
All staff members are responsible for understanding the duties of their positions and executing those duties to the best of their abilities. The Museum of Missing History promotes a working environment that values respect, fairness, and integrity. Its human resource policies are fair, establish clear expectations, and provide for meaningful and effective performance evaluation. Open communication among staff is highly valued.
To help all staff members meet their potential and to sustain the Museum and encourage its growth, the senior staff model professional conduct and provide leadership, clarity, and respect for individuals and for diverse points of view.
Volunteers
The Museum of Missing History’s volunteers are often the face of the organization to their peers and the public. When acting on behalf of the Museum, volunteers understand their duties and execute them to the best of their abilities. They convey the mission and goals of the Museum, and as its representatives, refrain from promoting their own institutions or businesses.
Integrity
The Museum of Missing History supports the need of scholars and museums to locate important objects and information for preservation and study and is committed to improving its organizational effectiveness, programs, products, and services. It strives to provide the field, the media, and the public with content that is accurate, clear, and informed.
Inclusiveness and Diversity
To enhance its effectiveness, the Museum of Missing History promotes inclusiveness, and its board of trustees, staff, and volunteers strive to ensure that the diversity of the scholarly community and the larger public are reflected in its programs and committees. The Museum promotes diversity in its hiring, retention, promotion, and board recruitment efforts and in the programs it develops for its constituencies.
Fiscal Responsibility
The Museum of Missing History manages its funds responsibly and prudently by:
- drawing from its endowment funds consistent with donor intent and to support the endowment’s public purpose;
- ensuring that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable, and appropriate to fulfill its mission;
- generating financial reports and annual independent audits that are accurate, complete, and accessible in all material respects.
Fund-Raising and Business Practices
The Museum of Missing History is truthful in its fund-raising solicitation materials. It handles information about donations with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law, expends funds consistent with donor intent, provides appropriate acknowledgement and recognition. The Museum discloses whether those seeking donations are Project board members, volunteers, employees, or hired solicitors.
In all cases, and for the protection of the good name of the organization and its members, the Museum may only enter into agreements with reputable organizations whose image, product, and services do not conflict with its mission or values.
Disclosure
The Museum of Missing History provides comprehensive information about the Museum and responds in a timely manner to reasonable requests for information. Basic data about the Museum’s operations—such as the Form 990, annual reports, audited financial statements, program reports, and policies—are available to the public.
Confidentiality
The Museum of Missing History’s board of trustees, staff, and volunteers may have access to confidential and privileged information about the Museum, its members, and other constituents. Loyalty to the Museum and to the field requires that individuals with access to such information comply with privacy and confidentiality policies and treat all information responsibly and appropriately.
Specifically, while access to confidential information is restricted to certain employees of the Museum, all employees and volunteers must sign a confidentiality agreement regarding any information that they learn from their work with the Museum that is not public knowledge. This includes, but is not limited to, ownership of objects or terms of their sale or other transfer.
Use of this Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics of The Museum of Missing History is a living document, designed to be disseminated, used, and updated. The Museum’s Board of Trustees will establish a schedule for regular review of the code and its dissemination. Project staff will:
- incorporate the code into its staff handbook and board and committee orientation materials
- review the code during new employee orientations
- post the code the Museum’s public Web site at www.missingobjects.org
- disseminate the code to all Project volunteers via the appropriate vehicles
SOURCES
This code of ethics draws from a number of sources including:
Museums Association’s (UK) “Code of Ethics for Museums”
American Association of Museums’ “Code of Ethics for Museums”
American Association of Museums’ “Curators Code of Ethics (1996)”
International Council of Museums’ “Code of Ethics for Museums”
Approved by The Museum of Missing History Board of Trustees, March 9, 2006
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