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Message from the Director: testing Emory's moral atmosphere

“Emory University’s mission lies in two essential, interwoven purposes: through teaching, to help men and women fully develop their intellectual, aesthetic, and moral capacities; and through the quest for new knowledge, and public service, improve human well-being.” (From the Mission Statement of Emory Univesity, emphasis added.)

Recently, when asked to characterize Emory and its special strengths, many faculty and students at Emory described it as a generous and caring community. In conversations with consultants regarding Emory’s image and reputation, many faculty said that ethical commitments and practices constitute one of the distinctive qualities of Emory. They said that people here treat each other with regard and consideration, and that generally fairness and thoughtfulness mark the University’s culture.

On the other hand, from focus groups the Center for Ethics conducted last year, it is clear that many Emory faculty and students—and presumably, many administrators and staff—are only vaguely aware of the strong ethical vision and pledge quoted in the sidebar. Apparently we don’t do enough to make students, faculty and staff aware of these purposes as we recruit and hire, or as we recruit and orient new students. We have few if any culture-marking symbols, visible reminders, or prideful affirmations of the special role of ethics and moral orientation that derive from Emory’s traditions and that influence its present and future commitments. And we do little to evoke commitment to our core values.

We are in a time in this society where moral relativity, impersonal irresponsibility, and dishonest practices are more and more common. We are in a time that requires attention, intention, and systematic effort to create and maintain a strong moral atmosphere. What does this mean for Emory?

Let me suggest some areas in which Emory’s mission and its commitments to ethics, and to a strong moral atmosphere, could be made a more tangible reality:

• Emory could make much more of its honor code than we presently do. Research comparing our approach to those of Duke University, Davidson College, Wake Forest University, the University of Virginia, and others, reveals that we have a significant opportunity—and challenge—to strengthen this vital area of student self-governance and faculty oversight. Emory could develop and implement an Honor Code that articulates more explicitly the meanings of academic and community integrity. We could develop an Honor Code Signing Ceremony for entering students and faculty at the opening fall Convocation.
• In all the recruitment literature Emory sends to guidance counselors and high school advisors we can highlight the moral mission of Emory and provide literature to describe the ways we work to promote and recognize academic integrity, leadership, ethical values and service.
• We can build into the core of the welcoming and orientation process of students in each of Emory’s schools the affirmation and demonstration of behaviors that express the moral mission of Emory, and of the expectations that go with it. We can shape an identifying logo or brief statement of Emory’s ethical mission and place it on each student, faculty and employee’s ID card, and make it conspicuous in Emory’s literature, its catalogues and other publications.
• We could shape the freshman seminar program around courses in leadership, service and practical ethics, and make discussion of character and ethical responsibility central in case studies and literature used in residence hall programs and discussions.
• Emory can offer students and staff practical training for leadership in conflict resolution. We might build into the residence hall environments an emphasis on core ethical norms for behavior and models for adjudicating differences.
• Emory could create positive incentives—and clear sanctions—to encourage fraternities and sororities to retrieve the moral and ethical standards built into their founding documents, and updated in more recent years. Why not encourage Greek life to provide leadership and rewards for strong leadership, for ethical practices, and for character development?

  I hope these reflections stimulate our moral imaginations. There is much to be proud of in the ethos and community of Emory University. But we can be better! An approach that involves Presidential leadership, Emory student leaders, administrators, staff and faculty working together on strengthening Emory’s moral atmosphere can help move a fine university toward being a greater one.

  Why not go for the best in terms of the ethics of our shared life together, and of the moral development of our students, just as we are going for the best in terms of academic standards and professional excellence? Why not, together, help Emory realize more fully the quality of moral community that our mission statement envisions and embraces?

  [ Posted by James Fowler at September 1, 2001 03:55 PM | More Opinion articles ]
  
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