Business Students, Faculty Examine The 'Value Of Values'
Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business will focus on the "value of values" Oct. 6-10 during the school's fifth annual Ethics Focus Week. A "Who's Who" of people from the business and academic worlds will participate in special events, lectures and classroom activities centering on issues of business ethics.
"Obviously, business ethics is more than a one-week subject," said Dr. Terry Maness, dean of the business school. "Our approach is to weave the integrity issue into our curriculum throughout the year, but we choose to give ethics heightened emphasis for this special week to amplify awareness of the issue."
Events will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, with a dinner for graduate business students on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center. Dr. Donald Schmeltekopf, The Hazel and Harry Chavanne Professor of Christian Ethics in Business and Provost Emeritus, will speak on "The Moral Context of Business." For more information, contact the graduate programs office at (254) 710-3718.
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, students and faculty are invited to watch and discuss the film "Bigger Than Enron," a revealing look at why the Enron scandal is considered a small manifestation of a much larger problem and why investors should be concerned. The film will be shown at 3:30 p.m. in room 403 of the Cashion Academic Center (HCB 403).
On Thursday, Oct. 9, ethics officers from corporations such as Shell, Entergy, Waste Management, Texas Instruments and AMEC will visit several classrooms, leading discussions with students about best business ethics practices from a real-life perspective.
On Friday, Oct. 10, David Miller, executive director of the Center for Faith and Culture at Yale Divinity School, will hold a lecture for faculty on "Teaching Business Ethics." Miller's lecture will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center.
Miller also will deliver the keynote address - "Faith and Work: Opposing Forces or Complementary Resources?" - at a noon luncheon for business graduate students, faculty, community business leaders and media in the fifth floor Cashion Room. Space is limited. To make reservations, contact Barbara Wiedman by Wednesday, Oct. 1, at (254) 710-4773.
Also on Friday, the business school will host the "Roundtable on Integrity in Financial Reporting," a spirited discussion on ethical issues with a panel of well-known experts, including:
Frank Brod, vice president and controller, Dow Chemical Co.
Robert Kueppers, national managing partner of risk, professionalism and regulatory affairs, Deloitte & Touche LLP
Mark McCollum, senior vice president and chief accounting officer, Halliburton
David Miller, executive director, Center for Faith and Culture, Yale Divinity School
Charles Nieimeier, member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Erle Nye, chairman and CEO, TXU Companies
"We will be posing some very provocative questions to our guests," said Dr. Bill Thomas, professor of accounting and holder of The J.E. Bush Professorship in Accounting. "We expect this year's roundtable discussion to be just as lively and - yes, even entertaining - as last year's was," referring to the intense exchange of views that occurred in November 2002.
The roundtable will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the fifth floor Cashion Room.
Ethics Focus Week activities are made possible by the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Endowment for Christian Ethics in Business and the Ben H. Williams Distinguished Speakers Series.
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
Contact information to interview visiting corporate ethics officers is available upon request. The schedule detailing which ethics officers will be visiting specific classes is available upon request.
Seats for media will be provided at the Roundtable on Integrity in Financial Reporting.