John Sanchez, a soft-spoken associate professor in Penn State's College of Communications, teaches aspiring journalists the importance of news media ethics. Aside from his willingness to help them discern the difference between what may be ethically right and wrong, one thing about him is evident: his great love for his rich heritage and culture. Sanchez is an American Indian and a member of the Apache Nation who grew up visiting his "Grampo" on the reservation. He remains immersed in his culture and works to carry on and educate others about the traditions of his ancestors. One way he does this is through the annual "New Faces of an Ancient People Traditional American Indian Powwow," which he and his wife, Victoria, oversee, and which is co-hosted this weekend (April 14-15) by the State College Area School District and Penn State. (more)
The Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State is developing a set of resources to help faculty, students, staff, administrators, and other members of our community to sort through the complex ethical issues they face. The first of these, "Resources for Ethical Deliberation," is now available at http://rockethics.psu.edu for public use. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members may find it useful to have a guide to aid them in making these difficult discussions as productive as possible. (more)
While the University community continues to cope with the gravity and complexity of issues related to the Jerry Sandusky allegations, several Penn State professors have integrated it into the classroom to help students share their thoughts about the issues and learn from them, too. (more)
Nominations for the Rock Ethics Institute's Fifth Annual Stand Up Award are due by Jan. 17. The Stand Up Award honors undergraduate students who have exhibited ethical leadership. Any faculty, staff, student, or community member may nominate a student for the Stand Up Award. (more)
"If what we see on the screen or read has no implications, then why do we weep when we are exposed to an emotionally wrenching story? Are our tears not real? Could it not be argued that we create a moral climate through our fictional creations, and if that is the case, then would we not feel uneasy if suddenly our stories became ones in which the right and the good was consistently disregarded and defeated? I think more than unease, we would feel shared despair. The world is a distressing place. It harbors great sorrow and great suffering. There are many forces that obviously would dismantle such enlightenment as we've created for ourselves; there are many forces that would enslave, exploit and destroy. If we allowed ourselves to live in an imaginative universe in which such forces were vindicated, then surely our lives would be bleak, that we'd be in a prison of ice, a place to which no light would be admitted."
-- Alexander McCall Smith, speaking Monday (April 11) in Schwab Auditorium during the 2011 Crawford Lecture of the Rock Ethics Institute, on the topic, "How Are We to Live Our Lives? An Evening with Alexander McCall Smith." Smith is emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and best-selling author of more than 60 books, most notably the internationally acclaimed "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, which rapidly rose to the top of the bestseller lists throughout the world. The film adaptation of the first book in the series premiered on HBO in 2009. (more)
An expert with nearly 20 years of communications and corporate marketing experience will present a lecture that emphasizes the importance of public relations professionals in shaping the ethical behavior of organizations during a March 26 visit to Penn State's University Park campus. (more)
A respected journalist who leads a cross-disciplinary specialization in the coverage of issues related to Latinos and the U.S.-Mexico border at Arizona State University will present the annual Oweida Lecture in Journalism Ethics at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Kern Auditorium on Penn State's University Park campus. (more)
From Watergate to the 9/11 Commission, Richard Ben-Veniste has pursued truth, justice, and accountability from the U.S. government. The famed Washington, D.C. trial attorney will visit Penn State Law to speak on ethics in government on Oct. 19. The public is welcome to attend. "Richard Ben-Veniste has played a unique role in our nation's recent political history," said Penn State Law professor Lance Cole, who co-directs the Center for Government Law and Public Policy Studies. "No one is better qualified to provide an insider's analysis of the greatest government ethics issues of our times." (more)
Eleven deans from leading business schools will meet with corporate leaders at a symposium hosted by American Express and the Penn State Smeal College of Business on Thursday, Sept. 23, in New York City to forge a new partnership in promoting business ethics in academia and corporate America. Participants will discuss ways to deepen their curricular and cultural investments in the ethical leadership development of business students. Corporations and business schools will share ideas, challenges and best practices in preparing young professionals to lead with integrity in today's workplace. Discussion topics will include academic integrity initiatives, business ethics curricula and programmatic efforts to create, sustain and strengthen ethical cultures among business students and in corporate ranks. (more)
As the House of Representatives gears up for public trials of Reps. Charles B. Rangel and Maxine Waters, Penn State Law professor Stanley Brand provides an insider's analysis of Congressional ethics trials. Brand is former general counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives and is now the Distinguished Fellow in Law and Government at Penn State Law, where he is the on-site director of the Semester in Washington Program. As part of his private legal practice he represents members of Congress in ethics matters. (more)
