FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Nichole Johnson
Director of media relations and communications
Capital University
(614) 236-6945
Cell: (614) 440-9158
Capital University, Central Ohio Council for Ethical Leadership Unite
To Advance Ethics Education, Advocacy
Symposium on the Economic Crisis Set for Nov. 10
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Capital University and the Central Ohio Council for Ethical Leadership have joined forces to advance and promote ethics and accountability education through the newly formed Council for Ethical Leadership at Capital University.
Taking advantage of a shared commitment to ethics education and ethical leadership, this mutually beneficial partnership will foster rich and diverse dialogue on relevant ethics and best-practice issues across many disciplines and professions.
“Central to Capital University’s approach to higher education is the belief that developing moral and ethical character and refining the values that guide decision-making are paramount to preparing people for meaningful lives and careers,” said Capital President Denvy A. Bowman. “Capital shares the Council for Ethical Leadership’s commitment to promoting ethical leadership through education, and our work will be strengthened by this union.”
“Capital’s involvement with the council is a synergistic solution to ensure that ethical leadership issues are addressed in the community,” said Jim Abrams, of Chester, Willcox & Saxbe and who serves on the council’s Executive Board. “The combination of Capital and the council provides the community with a great framework for keeping ethical leadership issues a top priority. Twenty-five years ago, the council brought together the community to deal with ethical issues. Combining the council’s work with Capital, where values and ethical decision-making are indelibly woven into the educational culture, ensures a continuation of the council’s mission.”
Situated in Capital’s School of Management and Leadership, the council’s mission is to promote ethical leadership and accountability through advocacy of best practices in ethics and through applied ethics education. Its mission will be accomplished through engaging and supporting dialogue on ethics-related issues and trends, promoting best practices in ethics and developing ethical leaders.
Business and ethics leaders from leading corporations and firms comprise the council’s membership, and the council will be aided by an Advisory Board comprised of senior ethics and compliance officers and managers from the private, public, for-profit and non-profit sectors.
“Capital University’s willingness to work with the council to address key ethical leadership issues is vital to the Central Ohio community,” said David Freel, a member of the council’s Executive Board and executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission. “As the public is well aware, some extreme and serious concerns about ethical leadership have emerged from both the private and public sector. Drawing attention to these issues and advancing ethical leadership education is exactly what we’re trying to do, and Capital University is a valued ally.”
The inaugural event for the Council for Ethical Leadership at Capital University will coincide with the council’s 25th anniversary celebration. True to the principals of free inquiry and civil dialogue embraced by Capital and the council, the event will be a respectful but candid discussion among legal and ethics scholars and industry experts about critical issues affecting the daily lives of people and businesses around the world – the global economic crisis.
The Symposium on the Economic Crisis is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, in Capital University’s Huntington Recital Hall, located in the Conservatory of Music. The topic recalls the council’s early days, when it was known as the Council for the Ethics in Economics. The event will feature a panel discussion among:
- Jim Coons, principal of J.W. Coons Advisors and chair of Gov. Ted Strickland’s Council of Economic Advisors;
- Michael Distelhorst, Capital University professor of law (legal, business and leadership ethics) and immediate past executive director of the Council for Ethical Leadership;
- Ohio Attorney General Nancy H. Rogers; and
- Peter Klingelhofer, consulting analyst in domestic equities, State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
Erick Zanner, who teaches economics at Capital’s School of Management and Leadership, will serve as moderator.
The symposium is the first in a series of activities the council will organize to promote educational and networking opportunities among Capital University, ethics professionals and the Central Ohio business and professional community. Calling on Capital’s distinguished community of scholars, which includes ethics scholars in many fields, the council also will sponsor an interactive discussion series themed around best practices in ethical leadership, forums like the quarterly Central Ohio Ethics Officer Breakfast Forum, an annual interdisciplinary summit on ethics and compliance issues, and other related activities.
For more information on the Council for Ethical Leadership at Capital University, including membership information, please visit http://www.businessethics.org/, e-mail businessethics@capital.edu or call (614) 236-7222.
Located in Columbus, Ohio, Capital University prepares students for meaningful lives and careers by helping them achieve their full potential educationally, professionally and personally through a strong core curriculum grounded in the liberal arts, and professional programs that develop specialized skills relevant in a global marketplace and reflective of a global community. Influenced by its Lutheran heritage, Capital University places great emphasis on the free, open and civil exchange of ideas, seeking out diverse perspectives, active participation in society, and leadership and service.
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