Assessment of Professional Ethics Among Administrative Secretaries in Rivers State University

This research assesses the level of professional ethics awareness and practice among administrative secretaries in Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, located in the South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Professional ethics in secretarial practice encompasses principles such as confidentiality, honesty, conflict of interest avoidance, and adherence to institutional codes of conduct, all of which are essential to maintaining the trust and integrity of university administration. The study employs a descriptive survey design, targeting 90 administrative secretaries and executive assistants across the university's faculties and administrative units. A structured questionnaire instrument, developed from established professional ethics frameworks, is used for data collection. The study is theoretically grounded in the Social Contract Theory and the Virtue Ethics Model, with reference to literature published between 2020 and 2024. It examines the gap between stated ethical awareness and observed practice, exploring factors such as peer pressure, institutional enforcement, and ethical leadership. Recommendations target the Rivers State University Registrar's office and the university's staff development committee. Keywords: professional ethics, administrative secretaries, Rivers State University, institutional conduct, office management