Ethics Week focuses on culture of excellence
Article By: Denise Ray
The University of North Georgia (UNG) will be participating in Ethics Awareness Week, a University System of Georgia (USG) initiative, from Nov. 7-13.
"Chancellor Sonny Perdue's focus on excellence derives from two big themes: transparency and accountability," Dr. Rose Procter, director of UNG’s TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership, said. "We are promoting a culture of excellence, and feeding into that are transparency and accountability."
The TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership assists in the coordination of Ethics Awareness Week across all 26 USG institutions, and Procter also serves as the associate director of ethics and compliance for the USG.
Perdue will host "The Chancellor's Chat" on Nov. 7 to kick off Ethics Week. His guest will be Dan Cathy, chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A. Viewers will be able to access the live-streamed conversation.
While we are setting aside a week for this awareness event, maintaining a culture of accountability and integrity is a responsibility that requires our attention 24/7, 365 days a year.
Dr. Sonny Perdue
USG chancellor
In a letter to the USG presidents, Perdue wrote, "I believe strongly that we can do no less than act in the best interests of students and the state to fulfill our mission to move Georgia forward. This means adhering to stringent ethical guidelines and complying with the policies and governing laws that require good ethics, honesty and action."
Perdue added that although the event is a weeklong emphasis, the culture of accountability and integrity is a year-round duty.
"While we are setting aside a week for this awareness event, maintaining a culture of accountability and integrity is a responsibility that requires our attention 24/7, 365 days a year," Perdue said. "This awareness event is an important reminder to all USG employees of the value of upholding an ethical culture, maintaining the public's trust, and being good stewards of the resources entrusted to the USG's care."
"Chancellor's Chat" is not the only system-wide event. There will be an ethics and compliance panel of which Procter is the moderator. Panelists for the 11 a.m. to noon Nov. 10 panel include Ron Carucci, co-founder and managing partner of Navalent; Dr. Juanita Hicks, USG vice chancellor of human resources; and Dr. Sri Ramamoorti, associate professor of accounting at the University of Dayton.
To cap the week, UNG will host the Regional Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Nov. 12 on its Gainesville Campus. During this one-day, multi-institutional collegiate competition, teams compete in a debate-style ethical decision-making event around 15 regional cases. The top teams will advance to the national competition sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.
"I am so pleased that we again have the opportunity to raise awareness and promote a culture of ethical behavior and decision-making here at UNG. I hope the UNG community will engage in the multiple opportunities to participate in these events," Charlotte Wade, UNG's chief compliance officer, said.
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