Ethics

Section Manager and Section Staff

As an elected Section Manager of the American Radio Relay League, you are responsible to the members in your section for the effective operation of its Field Organization. Your selection of section-level assistants, the manner in which you supervise their activities, and how you conduct your relation with members will influence not only how those members feel about you, but to a considerable extent will influence how they feel about ARRL itself.

As great as your responsibility to your section membership may be, because of your position as a highly visible elected official of the organization you have at least as great a responsibility to the League itself. Your actions can affect the reputation of the organization outside your section -- not only in the U.S. and Canada, but throughout the world. For that reason, while you do not have as direct a role in the development of ARRL policy as do the League's officers and directors, many of the same considerations apply to you as to the officers and directors of ARRL as regards ethical conduct and contacts with officials of the Federal Government.

It is the purpose of these guidelines to assist you in maintaining an ethical standard of conduct which will bring credit to yourself and to the American Radio Relay League.

What is ethics? According to Webster, it is the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation. Perhaps Dr. Albert Schweitzer's definition would appropriately amplify Webster: "In a general sense, ethics is the name we give to our concern for good behavior. We feel an obligation to consider not only our own personal well-being, but also that of others and of human society as a whole."

In your service as a section manager, your sense of ethics must guide you in a pattern of behavior that will be beyond reproach.

You are an elected official of ARRL, an amateur radio organization -- your decisions must be for the good of ARRL and its members and there should be no opportunity for criticism that your decisions have benefited you or any small circle of your friends. You will be reimbursed for the expenses necessary to carry out your responsibilities, to a limit that is based on the population and the geographic size of your section. Up to that limit, you have considerable discretion in the use of these funds. This money comes from the members who have chosen to support our association, and there must be no suspicion that even one cent has been used to your personal advantage, or that you have paid the expenses of those who are not entitled to such reimbursement.

Furthermore, as a custodian of membership money, you have the obligation to spend that money wisely and without excess.

Similarly, when you travel in an official capacity to a hamfest or convention, your expenses are reimbursed with money that comes from the membership. It is not proper, therefore, to permit your name to be entered in any prize drawing or lottery.

In your appearances at hamfests and conventions, and in your on-the-air activity, you will be measured by everything you do not as an individual amateur, but as a representative of the American Radio Relay League. You must bend over backwards to ensure that your conduct cannot be faulted.

As specific examples, on-the-air campaigning for elective office, your criticism of other League officials, and/or using your position to promote your personal ideas, may not be appropriate, and are not sanctioned by ARRL.

It is not our intent, however, to outline every conceivable situation or every facet of ethical behavior. We have listed above some of the general areas of consideration. An even more general consideration is that ethical behavior is simply common sense. If you understand that as an ARRL official you have been placed upon a pedestal in amateur radio, then you will realize that you must be circumspect in your behavior, and beyond reproach in every aspect of your conduct. You will serve the American Radio Relay League with honor.

If you have a question or concerns about ethics in the South Texas Section please e-mail the Manager of the Field Services Department of the American Radio Relay League.