Today marks the first day Eastern employees can take the ethics test.

Students wouldn’t drive without a driver’s license, so why would they work without taking the ethics course? All state employees are required to complete the course including state Senators, State Representatives, Eastern’s Board of Trustees and the governor.

Since the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act was signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2003, all state employees are required to take this test annually. Within the University, employees are required to take it once every fall.

Sandy Bowman, Eastern ethics training adviser, wants to emphasize the importance of reading the course thoroughly. It is the same as if students, faculty and staff were in class or studying for a test.

Take your time, she said. Along with expressing importance of reading and carefully looking over the material, Bowman has some helpful ways to pass the course successfully. Bowman suggested taking the test as soon as you can.

It is just easier to get in there and get it done, she said.

Don’t login to take the course and then walk away for lunch and come back later to finish, she said. The purpose of this course is to make sure that employees are aware of what they can and cannot do.

“We couldn’t give you a speeding ticket without telling you what the speed limit is,” Bowman said. “This course allows employees to know what is right and wrong and to make an informed decision.”

There are two types of courses that are taken depending on employment. People working full-time or more than fifty percent such as faculty, staff, and graduate assistants, take the course starting today until Nov. 2. The training is online at www.etcc.il.gov.

For student employees and everyone employed less than fifty percent, the course is available at any time during the calendar year.

The training is taken by booklet located at www.eiu.edu/~ethics. If a student is unsure about which version he or she needs to complete, they should contact their advisor or Bowman at 581-6402.

Just as driving without a license is against the law, being a state employee or being employed at the university and not taking the ethics course is illegal.

As long as the state provides the information it is up to everyone to make their own informed decision on how they want to act, Bowman said.