The Montana Post Secondary Educational Opportunities Council (MPSEOC) is dedicated to providing the best educational information to students and educators. In this regard, the Council requires that representatives adhere to the following principles and regulations. If the regulations are violated, MPSEOC may impose sanctions as defined by the listed procedures.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1. Representatives shall be defined as individuals who are professional, salaried staff members of the institutions that they represent. Others may accompany professional admissions staff members, if they are well trained and if they abide by the same principles and regulations expected of the professionals. However, these may not be existing high school students even if they have already enrolled or applied. Absolutely NO high school students are able to be behind the table at any time during the fair. The institutions remain responsible for anyone representing them.
2. We highly recommend sending a representative that has strong experience working with transfer students. Representatives shall represent only one institution and shall be trained to provide as much information about that institution as possible.
3. Representatives shall provide a service to students by assisting them in matching their interests and abilities to the appropriate institutions that will enable them to best achieve their educational and career goals.
4. Representatives shall conduct themselves in a manner, which promotes an interest in the welfare of the student and will not attempt to coerce or reward the student into attending their institution. This includes having a great respect and offer support of the hosting institution's existing academic programs and offerings.
5. Representatives shall be considerate of the student, the student’s family and the student’s school when providing information.
6. Representatives will bear in mind that, for the high school age persons and for existing college students, a primary objective is the completion of their high school educational requirements and / or current college program. Contacts with prospective students shall be done in such a manner as to not be disruptive to this objective.
REGULATIONS
1. Representatives shall be prompt and shall attend all programs for which the institution has contracted. If an emergency should arise which would prevent attendance at a program, the MPSEOC Executive Director and/or the site coordinator involved must be notified. Any cancellation after the contract payment deadline will result in the forfeit of said fees.
2. Representatives shall abide by the following rules related to their assigned table(s), displays and distributed information:
· Representatives must remain behind their tables to distribute information. Due to limited space no more than three (3) people are allowed to be behind a table at one time. The Montana Corporate Sponsor Association (MCSA) sanctioned booth may have one representative per member financial institution represented behind their booth.
· Representatives may distribute only factual information to students.
· The only audiovisual equipment permitted is the use of one laptop computer per table with a self-contained power source.
· Representatives may not distribute any gimmick items such as calendars, combs, pens, pins, pencils, candy, shopping bags, etc.
· Pens and pencils with the institution’s name printed on them may be used by recruiters but cannot be deliberately distributed during the fair.
· Posters with factual information may be distributed, however no posters shall be displayed in or near the room(s) assigned to the tour representatives. No posters, blankets or displays may be used as a backdrop behind the table.
· No weapons are permitted on site during a MPSEOC sanctioned fair.
· No display material may stand above 18 inches above the table, with exception to the MPSEOC sanctioned booth.
· Representatives may not distribute gifts of any kind to site coordinators, counselors, parents or students during the fairs.
3. Recruitment, presentations and visitations of students and high schools during the MPSEOC Fall Tour shall be restricted to the scheduled program locations only. That is, there shall be no visits by any representatives from any institution participating in the MPSEOC Tour to any high schools participating in that week’s program.
4. Representatives must refrain from all disparaging comparisons of any other agency, including secondary, post secondary or similar institutions and their programs, personnel and services.
SANCTIONS
Sanctions will be imposed if a representative violates the above stated principles. These sanctions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Loss of opportunity to participate in the Fall Tour.
2. Denial by individual high schools to make contacts with their students at their high school during school hours.
3. Written notification of reported violations from the MPSEOC Executive Director to the appropriate individuals, which may include high school counselors, high school administrators, appropriate administrators of the violating institution and/or appropriate governing boards of the violating institution.
PROCEDURES
1. During the Tour, the regional and/or site coordinators shall act as observers, monitoring any violations of the regulations, informing violators of the regulation(s) being violated, and requesting compliance with the Code of Ethics. Coordinators will also submit a report of the violation to the MPSEOC Executive Director, which indicates the violation as well as the violator’s response to the coordinator’s request.
2. Within 30 working days of receipt of the reported violations, the MPSEOC Executive Director shall notify the appropriate administrators of the violating institution. The violating institution shall have 30 working days to respond in writing to the complaint.
3. After receiving a response to the complaint, the MPSEOC Executive Director may dismiss the complaint or decide that a sanction is appropriate and will inform the violator of the decision in writing within 30 days.
4. If a sanction is imposed, the violator has the right to a hearing before the Board of Directors at the next quarterly meeting. The hearing shall be informal but shall allow opportunity for both sides to present evidence. The Board shall render a final decision in writing within 30 days from the conclusion of evidence.
5. The violator may appeal the final decision of the Board of Directors. In that instance, the entire MPSEOC membership shall, at its next general or special meeting, consider the appeal and render a decision by majority vote. The decision can affirm the Board’s decision, modify it, or remand the issue back to the Board for additional action.
Please read these terms carefully. If you have questions, please contact Amy.Leary@MontanaColleges.com or 406.531.3531.
