Sample Letter — Career Services
Dear [college/name, title of recipient],
As a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), I would like to share with you a position paper written by my professional association's ethics committee, the NACE Principles for Professional Conduct Committee, and approved by the NACE Board of Directors.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers is a professional association of corporate human resource professionals engaged in college relations and recruitment and college student personnel professionals engaged in career services and career counseling. The members of this unique association have a common concern and commitment: the full and successful career development and growth of college students and future employees.
The association's three central ethical precepts are:
- "Maintain an open and free selection of employment opportunities in an atmosphere conducive to objective thought, where job candidates can choose long-term uses of their talents that are consistent with personal objectives and all relevant facts;
- Maintain a recruitment process that is fair and equitable to candidates and employing organizations;
- Support informed and responsible decision making by candidates."
Ethical Considerations of the Commercialization of Career Services and College Student Recruitment Functions draws attention to a continuing ethical dilemma for career services professionals that centers on corporate sponsorship/funding of career center operations.
Such funding can be problematic in that there is a potential for offering preferential treatment for some companies, denying some employers equal access to our graduate population, and discouraging an open job market for our students.
This paper does not suggest that colleges desist from pursuing their funding goals. Rather, it urges career centers, in the face of such challenges, to ensure that students continue to receive the full measure of service and attention that they deserve and that employers who recruit our students be given equal access to our graduates.
In creating this position paper, NACE recognizes that the pressures to meet college institutional needs create a difficult dilemma. Regardless, NACE urges all its members to focus on the values upon which our association is based and act in the best interest of their commonality—America's college students and future corporate employees.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further, please feel free to call me.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Title
