Class Hours
Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-3:15 - 010 Morrill Hall

Office Hours
Tuesday and Thursday 8:30-11:00 a.m. and any other time by appointment.  Feel free to call at any time to set up an appointment or just stop by.  The best way to reach me is by e-mail at the above address.

Required Reading
Reading for the course is from three sources: Right and Wrong, by Thomas I. White, is available at the bookstore. Cases and articles are included in a course packet that can also be purchased at the bookstore.  (One copy is also on reserve.)  Readings from the packet are marked with a (P) below.  Readings marked with an “R” are on reserve in the library.  Reserve reading can also be accessed from the reserve desk’s web site.

I will expect you to have read the assignments carefully before coming to class.   If you have not, you will not be in a position to actively participate in class discussions and that will affect your grade.  You should expect to spend a minimum of three hours reading and preparing for each class.

Course Objectives
At the end of the semester you will: (1) understand ethical theory and be able to use it in decision making; (2) understand the roles of both law and ethics in establishing boundaries on individual and organizational actions; (3) be familiar with the ethical and legal issues related to some of today’s controversial moral questions; (4) recognize the consequences of actions on various groups, such as consumers, employees and community members, and in various contexts, such as international development; (4) have been exposed to diversity issues, and in particular the obligations imposed by law, ethics and personal responsibility on treatment of people of a different race, religion, nationality, gender, or sexual preference.

 
Grading
Grades will be calculated as follows:
Exam #1                               25%
Position Paper/Presentation   25%
Exam #2                               25%
Final paper                           25%
                                           100%
 

Class Participation and Attendance
The size of the class and the nature of the material make this an ideal opportunity for active learning, discussion, and participation.  It is my expectation that you will attend class regularly and participate actively in discussions and classroom activities.

Class participation and attendance are not mathematically calculated into your grade.  However, they do affect your grade as follows: Consistent and positive contribution to class discussion will result in an increase in your grade by one-half of a grade (e.g. from B- to B; B+ to A-; etc.).  Consistent failure to attend and contribute to class discussion will have the opposite result.

Position Paper
Each student will be assigned to a group to take a pro or con position on one of five issues: tobacco advertising; affirmative action; whistleblowing; civil unions; or drug testing.  In addition to writing a short paper (5-10 pages) on the subject, you will present and defend your position with your group in class on the date indicated in the syllabus. There will be no extensions granted for the presentations.  You must present on the date indicated on the syllabus.  You will receive more details on this assignment during the second week of class.

Final Paper
In lieu of a final exam, you will be required to submit a 8-10 page paper on an issue related to one of the last three subject areas covered in the course: diversity; international development; or social responsibility.  A list of possible topics will be distributed later in the semester.  However, you are encouraged to select your own topic based on your own interest.

You will also be given occasional ungraded, in-class writing assignments.

Academic Honesty
Strict compliance with the UVM policy is an expectation.  A breach of the policy will be handled according to the procedure described in the Cat's Tale.

Exams must be taken on the date and time indicated.  Papers are due at the start of the class in which your presentation is made.  The final paper is due by noon on Wednesday, May 9.  Late papers will be graded down one full grade for each 24-hour period they are late.
 

Jan. 16  Introduction/Overview

Jan. 18  Ethical Theory, Part I: Developing an Ethical Yardstick
Assignment: White, Chapters 1 and 2

Jan. 23  Ethical Theory, Part II: Consequentialist Theory
Assignment: White, Chapter 3

Jan. 25  Ethical Theory, Part III: Act-Oriented Theory
Assignment: White, Chapter 4

Jan. 30  Ethics and the Law, Part I: The Common Law--Duty to Keep Promises (contract law); Duty to Do No Harm (tort law)
Assignment: Cohen v. Cowles Media (P); Eimann v. Soldier of Fortune (P)

Feb. 1  The Common Law (cont.)--Duty to Rescue (Video)
Assignment: Soldano v. O’Daniels (P)

Feb. 6  Ethics and the Law, Part II: The Constitution and Speech--Freedom of Speech; Hate Speech
Assignment: “Freedom of Speech” (P); Village of Skokie v. National Socialist Party (P); “Hate Crimes Violate the Free Speech Rights of Victims” (P); “Racist Speech Should be Protected by the Constitution” (P);

Feb. 8  The Constitution and Speech (cont.)-- Commercial Speech
  Assignment: “Commercial Speech” (P); “Should Tobacco Advertising Be Banned?” (R)
 
Feb. 13  Presentation on Tobacco Advertising

Feb. 15  Ethics and the Law, Part III: The Constitution and Equality--Equal Protection; Affirmative Action
Assignment: “Affirmative Action or Reverse Discrimination” (P); “Racial Justice and Affirmative Action” (R)

Feb. 20  Presentation on Affirmative Action

Feb. 22  Exam #1

Feb. 27   Workplace Ethics, Part I: Employment-at-Will; Wrongful Discharge; Whistleblowing
Assignment: “The Duty of Loyalty” (P); “Does Blowing the Whistle Violate Company Loyalty?” (R)

Mar. 1  Presentation on Whistleblowing

Mar. 6  Town Meeting Day Recess

Mar. 8  Workplace Ethics, Part II: The Employee's Right to Privacy; Drug Testing (Video)
Assignment: “The Right of Privacy” (P); “Should Concern for Drug Abuse Overrule Concerns for Employee Privacy?” (R)

Mar. 13  Presentation on Drug Testing

Mar. 15  Diversity, Part I: Race and Gender Discrimination
Assignment: Texas v. Burdine (P); Griggs v. Duke Power (P)

Mar. 20/22 Spring Break

Mar. 27  Diversity, Part I (cont.)

Mar. 29  Diversity, Part II: Age Discrimination (Video)
Assignment: Metz v. Transit Mix (P); Western Air v. Criswell (P)

Apr. 3  Diversity, Part III: Disability Discrimination
Assignment: Chalk v. U.S. District Court. (P); “Access Activism” (P)

Apr. 5  Diversity, Part IV: Sexual Harassment (Video)
Assignment: “Gender and Power” (P)

Apr. 10  Presentation on Civil Unions/Same Sex Marriage
Assignment: State v. Baker (R); “Should Same Sex Marriage Be Lawful?” (R)

Apr. 12  Exam #2

Apr. 17  International Development, Part I: International Human Rights/Conflicts of Norms
Assignment: “The International Business System, Multinationals, and Morality” (R);

Apr. 19  International Development, Part II
Assignment: “Corrupt Contexts, Cultural Diversity and International Business” (R)

Apr. 24  International Development, Part III (video)
Assignment: Cont.

Apr. 26  Ethics and the Community: Social Responsibility
Assignment: “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits” (P); “Corporate Social Responsibility Benefits Business”(P); Dodge v. Ford (P); Smith v. Barlow (P)

May 1  TBA

May 9  Final Paper Due