In the popular movie series "Pirates of the Caribbean," there is a pirate code that influences how pirates behave in unclear situations, with a running joke about whether the code is either a set of rules or guidelines for behavior. Codes of conduct in any social group or organization can have much the same feel; they can provide clarity and direction but with the question about which elements are rules and which are guidelines. Thus, there is a difference between social mores (more centrally held norms whose violations elicit a strong response), folkways (less centrally held norms whose violations engender a weaker response), and formal rules. All are part of the formation of accepted norms for behavior. However, not all rules are followed perfectly nor are they necessarily expected to be. A classic sociological example is the posted speed limit for automobiles. It may be a formal rule, but many treat it as a guideline, driving at or above the posted maximum but not under its limit. In other areas of life and work, expectations may never be written down, but trouble awaits anyone who violates the unwritten rules. The point of these examples is that such codes and norms exist across all human organizations. The central task is to find out the status of rules and norms within one's profession, institution, and position. This is especially true for positions in organizations that have multiple stakeholder groups whose perceptions can influence the effectiveness and role set of the given position. Higher education, with its bevy of stakeholder groups, is such an enterprise; almost all of these groups interact with academic deans and can help, constrain, and shape their behavior. Given the confusions that can arise, this article is devoted to detailing an empirically driven code of conduct for academic deans.