Mission Statement

The mission of the Center for Ethics in Public Life is to promote the highest standards of ethical conduct in public service so as to ensure honest and accountable government that preserves the public trust and serves its citizens with fairness, civility and good conscience.

Vision Statement

The vision of the Center for Ethics in Public Life is to advance the principles of honest, open government that enables citizens to be informed participants in the democratic process and to promote the value and practice of governance based on the merits of issues, free from favoritism, prejudice or conflict of interest.

Purpose

The work of the Center is informed by the following purposes:

  1. To educate state and local elected and appointed officials about the provisions of the Missouri constitution and statutes governing the ethical conduct of public officials, and to inform such officials of interpretations of Missouri's ethics laws rendered by the Missouri Ethics Commission or by Missouri courts.

  2. To educate candidates for public office on the provisions of Missouri's campaign finance laws, and to promote ethical practices in the conduct of election campaigns.

  3. To ensure that Missouri's ethics laws will enhance public trust and confidence in the political process and the integrity of public service.

  4. To promote ethical decision-making and personal integrity in the conduct of executive officials, legislative bodies, and boards and commissions, and to foster dialogue among elected officials and public administrators concerning best practices and prevailing standards in governmental ethics.

  5. To research, explore, and articulate ethical issues and the dynamics of ethical decision-making in the context of public policy, public administration, and the deliberations of legislative bodies and boards, and to serve as a clearinghouse for information concerning subjects of ethical concern in the public arena.

  6. To foster constructive public participation in the political process and encourage citizen interest in government service.

  7. To implement any other strategies that contribute to higher standards of behavior in public life and instill motivation for developing the competencies to engage in ethical conduct.

  8. To utilize the resources of the UMSL community (students, faculty and administration) in the furtherance of knowledge about ethics in public life. As a public research institution with an urban land-grant mission, the University provides an ideal environment in which to provide education and research on issues in public ethics

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