Article VIII, Section 3 of the Constitution of the National Association provides for the establishment of the Professional Standards Committee. Until 1988, the Committee was comprised of 36 members, appointed for staggered, three-year terms, plus a member representing each of the Institutes, Societies, and Councils, totaling 45 members. The representatives of the Institutes, Societies, and Councils are appointed by their respective presidents for one-year terms. Show As a part of its overall review of the Association, NAR's Structural Audit Committee recommended that the Professional Standards Committee be enlarged to 87 members, to provide for at least one representative from each State Association. Because enlarging the Committee requires a constitutional amendment, the Structural Audit Committee's recommendation came before the Board of Directors and the Delegate Body during the 1987 Convention, and was approved. As a result, since 1988, the Professional Standards Committee has been comprised of 100 members. The Professional Standards Committee meets during each of the regularly scheduled meetings of the National Association. NAR's Constitution specifically provides:
An Interpretations and Procedures Subcommittee of the Professional Standards Advisory Board is comprised of approximately 15 members of the full committee. This Advisory Board generally meets twice a year for two consecutive days to intensively consider the issues presented by Board Members and Member Boards. The Advisory Board makes recommendations to be considered by the full Professional Standards Committee. A recommendation by the Interpretations and Procedures Advisory Board is simply that—a recommendation. The Professional Standards Committee may accept, reject, or modify a recommendation, as appropriate. One of the Committee's most important responsibilities is to ensure that the Code of Ethics is interpreted and understood in a uniform, consistent fashion nationwide. Interpretation of the CodeEvery member of the National Association has the right to request an interpretation or clarification of the meaning and intent of the Code of Ethics. Many of these requests for information are handled by staff who refer them to existing Standards of Practice, Case Interpretations, Statements of Professional Standards policy, or to the pertinent sections of the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual and Professionalism in Real Estate Practice, or to other relevant policies. If an un-addressed issue arises, or if it appears that existing policy may merit reconsideration, the issue, together with any necessary background information and documentation, is generally placed on the agenda for an Interpretations and Procedures Advisory Board meeting. If the Advisory Board determines that a matter has potentially national implications, it is considered and a recommendation is made for the full Professional Standards Committee to consider the issue during its next meeting. If a matter is unique and not likely to occur with any degree of frequency, the Advisory Board will provide staff with the necessary guidance to prepare a response to that question. The ethical obligations of REALTORS® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE®s are expressed through:
Proposed amendments to the Articles of the Code of Ethics must be noticed to all Member Boards and approved by the Board of Directors and the Delegate Body of the National Association during the Annual Convention. Standards of Practice may be established, amended, or rescinded by the Board of Directors of the National Association during any of the regularly scheduled meetings. Case Interpretations require the approval of the Professional Standards Committee and do not require the Board of Directors' approval. Code of Ethics EnforcementThe mediation, grievance, ethics, and arbitration procedures established in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual undergo continuous review and scrutiny. Many procedural questions directed to the Professional Standards Committee are answered by staff and counsel on the Committee's behalf. Staff responses are based on existing policies previously approved by the Committee and on the advice of NAR legal counsel. However, if staff is unable to respond to a question, or if the Member or Board raising the question does not agree with staff's response, the question is referred to the Professional Standards Committee for consideration. Similarly, many valuable suggestions and recommendations that refine and improve the procedures in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual are provided by State Professional Standards Chairs, and by other Board members and Executive Officers. Such suggestions and recommendations are received, analyzed by staff and counsel, and with the Chair's approval, placed on the Committee's agenda for consideration. If approved, the recommendations are bulletined to Member Boards and State Associations and incorporated in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual when it is updated. The Professional Standards Committee also considers the comments and suggestions of Board and State Association legal counsel to ensure that the procedures in the Manual remain consistent with developing law trends. Professional Standards and Mediation Training Programs and MaterialsOn a continuing basis, the Professional Standards Committee establishes various programs and provides training materials and assistance to Member Boards and State Associations. Among the materials are: The NAR Association Leadership Development group offers many learning resources, including: The National Association staff who support the Professional Standards Committee are also available to participate in training programs sponsored by State Associations, as available resources permit. The National Association has two online ethics training courses offered through nar.realtor which meet the learning objectives and criteria of Statements of Professional Standards Policy #47 (New Member Code of Ethics Orientation) and #48 (REALTOR® Code of Ethics Training For Existing Members). Access these courses online: Four brochures are available as four-panel self-mailers designed to be personalized with your board’s or association’s name, address, and telephone number. See below for details on each.
Additional training course materials, agendas, outlines and other resources are available in the Professional Standards Training Guide. Additional resource: Code of Ethics Bookmarker. Summary
|