Ethics and the Academy Course

Who gets admitted to selective universities and why? Who should benefit from university resources? When controversies erupt, what values should guide their resolution? This course addresses enduring ethical questions on campus. By exploring the values (e.g. justice, equality) that underlie campus debates (about free speech, admissions, intellectual property, etc.) participants will gain insight into their role at the university, reflect on the norms that shape their training, and learn to recognize how campus policies reflect inherent institutional values.

By participating fully in this course, you will:

Candidly reflect on ethical issues that arise in all facets of campus life.
Analyze how values that underlie ethical issues on campus (e.g., equality, justice, fairness, diversity) sit in tension with competing ideas about the purpose of the university.
Engage in ethical reflection about students’ roles and commitments as members of the academic community.
Learn about Stanford policies and norms that bear on students' experience as researchers, students, and instructors.
Cultivate a supportive network through which students can candidly reflect about ethical controversies.