The Ethical University

Book excerpt: Universities and colleges across the United States have become hotbeds of administrative, academic, financial, and sexual scandals. Each new case erodes the societal recognition of the value of higher education systems. It is clear that in order for these institutions to reclaim their respected status requires an examination and rebuilding of the ethical foundations of higher education. This book gathers faculty and administrators from highly respected schools to examine the current situation and mark directions for change. Chapters address such topics as privacy, shared governance, grievance procedures, accountability, adjunct instructors, student athletes, campus policing, pedagogy and rubric review, libraries and access to information, aging faculty, international students, secrecy and public relations, and the corporatization of universities. Reviewing the challenges and opportunities that face higher education, this book argues that what holds institutions together over time are the values, principles, and traditions that contribute to moral character and lay a foundation for institutional integrity. Contributors: Michael Boylan, Cher Weixia Chen, Zenon Culverhouse, Darin Dockstader, Cora Drozd, Robert Labaree, Jonathan Liljeblad, Matthew Mahrt, Rita Manning, Glen Miller, Melissa L. Miller, Charles P. Milne Jr., Laura Nader, Alison Dundes Renteln, Paul Renteln, Steve Sanders, Wanda Teays, Rosemarie Tong