Dear UCCS community,

Are you comfortable to handle tough ethical situations you encounter? Do you feel safe in speaking up at your workplace or in the classroom? Would you like to gain confidence in ethical decision-making and leading others to create a culture of integrity?

This fall, we offer diverse opportunities for students, educators, and the community to explore these questions and build skills for ethical decisions, ethical leadership, and creating an ethical culture. As a member of the UCCS, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS College of Business is a resource for you.

In September, the UCCS community explored accountability at the fourth EthicsFirst event with Sam Silverstein as the keynote speaker, an interactive workshop, and panel discussion.  PGA Golf students traveled to New Mexico State University to compete in the GMG Cup and apply the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Principles to the game of golf. Students at Western Colorado University took part in the first Business-Engineering Ethics Boot Camp culminating in an ethics case presentation.

The UCCS Ethics Club - the UCCS chapter of Student Center for the Public Trust (SCPT) held a kick-off event, and have fun activities planned for the fall semester. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students to attend events and consider an officer position. If you are involved with another student organization and want to explore ethics, contact us to collaborate on an event or activity!  Attention all students! The SCPT Ethics in Action Video Contest is open for the 2022 competition and is a fantastic way for students to show ethical problem-solving using media.

This month, the 2021-2022 Ethics Roundtable Series begins with an October 6 discussion on Ethics & Compliance in Business. A 2020 Global Business Ethics Survey finds that when an Ethics & Compliance program is strong, employees are better prepared to handle situations that could lead to misconduct. Students from the summer pilot class on Ethics & Compliance in Business will lead discussion on best practices to create a program to increase psychological safety and speaking up culture.

The College of Education is offering a Careers in Student Affairs Institute featuring ethical decision-making in higher education. All are welcome to join!

We are looking forward to the ethics case competition on October 23 on the UCCS campus. We have teams from UCCS and southern Colorado competing! If you want to form a team, let us know! The Rocky Mountain Region Ethics Bowl on November 13 has gone virtual and looking for UCCS undergraduate students to join a team.

Looking forward to November, there are exciting events planned. Register for those events that are attractive to you and share with your colleagues.

Have a healthy October,

Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, Ph.D.
Director, Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program at UCCS College of Business