Dean's speech headlines ND's annual Ethics Week
By GEOFFREY BRODIE
News Writer
Turning out ethical as well as successful graduates has long been the major goal of the Mendoza College of Business.
Dean Carolyn Woo emphasized this and more in her lecture "What Ethics Week means to the Mendoza College of Business," which Wednesday in the Jordan Auditorium.
Woo's lecture headlines Ethics Week 2001, which began Monday with a series of daily lectures and one panel session. A wide variety of subjects ranging from personal behavior to confronting investment advisors were represented.
Ranked as the top ethics program in the nation by Business Week magazine, the College of Business has more than enough reason to reflect on the meaning of the week and showcase their own accomplishments in the area at the same time.
"Ethics Week is about who we are," said Woo. "It is about the Notre Dame value system."
Notre Dame as a whole has always been concerned with the teaching of moral and social responsibilities to its students. Success is not always defined by just financial gain.
"Success is not what we achieve, but how we achieve," said Woo. "We want students to find the dignity or soul of their profession, and care about the rules involved with it."
But the goals of the college involve much more than just ethics. According to Woo, the objective to "raise life's big questions in a young adult's mind" has been another recurring issue emphasized by the college's faculty.
"If we only emphasized ethics, we would be failing our students," stated Woo.
That is why providing a vigorous workload, instructing value based thinking, instilling a sense of community and becoming technologically savvy are all goals of the College's curriculum.
Later in the lecture, Woo spoke of the importance of trustworthiness, and how it is the top attribute the faculty are trying to instill in their students. This is due to the current trend of unethical practices in the business world today and the tolerance that has grown in society for such actions. Extreme views of tolerance have often lead to feelings of unaccountability.
These practices can also end up being illegal, and are "playing with fire," according to Woo.
When business practices become a legal matter, it begins to involve society as a whole. The interdependence between the business world and society is quite strong. Strong values are needed to keep the relationship balanced.
"Values are needed for the economy to run properly," said Woo. "One cannot succeed on a narrow view of self interest."
Woo concluded the lecture by reaffirming the importance of the week to Notre Dame business students and how the College will continue to emphasize its ethical teachings.
"Ethics week is about our tradition, faith, mission, and hope."
All News Stories for Thursday, February 15, 2001
