Indiana State University Newsroom

WHAT: Indiana State University's first conference on "Ethics and Corporate Responsibility"

WHEN: Monday, March 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Indiana State University's Hulman Memorial Student Union (5th and Chestnut)

WHO: The conference is being planned and executed by Networks, President's and Gongaware scholars, all in their junior year of study at ISU. Networks Scholars are students majoring in any areas pertaining to financial services (finance, marketing, insurance, etc.). Gongaware Scholars are students studying insurance and risk management. President's Scholars are the top scholars at ISU.

CONFERENCE AGENDA:

9-9:50 a.m. Registration and welcome

10-10:50 a.m. Break-Out Session I:

*"Handling an Ethical Crisis" by William J. Wilhelm, assistant professor and business education, information and technology program coordinator for Indiana State University's College of Business (specializations include business education and business ethics)

*"Corporate Social Responsibility" by Jeff Taylor, president, Pearson, Inc.

*"Sarbanes-Oxley" by Larry S. Boulet, chair of the board of directors of the Indiana State University Foundation, on board of directors for Century Reality Trust

11-11:50 a.m. Conference Topics:

*Accounting: Taxes - where do you draw the line between aggressive and fraudulent?

*Finance: Martha Stewart - What went wrong and how it affected her

*Insurance and Risk Management: Ethics of Genetic Testing

*Management and Human Resources: The Employment of Illegal Immigrants

*Management Information Systems: Personal Piracy - Example: Downloading Music

*Marketing: Truth in Advertising - Lies or Advertising?

*Operations Management & Analysis (OMA): The "Robotization" of the Workforce

Noon-12:50 p.m. Lunch and Keynote Speaker:

Christopher Bauer of Bauer Coaching & Bauer Ethics Seminars As a clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of clinical and consulting experience, Bauer brings a unique perspective to ethics training and consulting. He really knows what makes people tick. He has seen how individuals can learn to manage matters of ethics more effectively -- and manage in general.

1-1:50 p.m. Conference Topics:

*Accounting: Detecting Fraud

*Finance: Stock Options and Executive Compensation

*Insurance and Risk Management: Compensation for Brokers

*Management and Human Resources: International Outsourcing

*Management Information Systems: Privacy and Security - Spying on employees via phone conversation, email and more

*Marketing: Truth in Sales - Pharmaceutical Sales

*Operations Management & Analysis (OMA): Unions

2-2:50 p.m. Break-Out Session II:

*"Servant and Ethical Leadership" by Josh Phillips, store manager, Starbucks

*"Whistle blowing" (TBD)

*"Ethics Across the Borders" by Arthur L. Sherwood, assistant professor of management, Indiana State University College of Business; senior fellow of leadership development for Networks Financial Institute at Indiana State University.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Since September, junior President's, Networks and Gongaware Scholars have been hard at work planning ISU's first free conference on "Ethics and Corporate Responsibility." Conference planning and logistics are part of the scholars' junior year objectives - to enhance both their experiential learning opportunities and leadership skills.

Based on results from a survey last year of employers in the banking, insurance and securities industry, Indiana State University's Networks Financial Institute (NFI) learned that ethics is considered one of the top skills that new college hires should possess. While employers deemed it important for new hires to have a solid education based on traditional curriculum, there was an intense and emerging interest in "soft skills," particularly in the areas of business ethics and financial services-specific coursework.

For more information about the conference, visit ISU's Networks Financial Institute Web site at www.networksfinancialinstitute.org.

QUOTES:

"All of our Networks seminars have been about ethics in business and in life, and once we knew we were planning this conference, we were able to tie all of that together. This conference covers all areas within the College of Business, so we can learn more about other areas. For instance, there's a session on ethics in genetic testing, and that's something I am studying in my health insurance class right now."

Danielle Thompson Terre Haute junior and Networks Scholar Insurance and Risk Management and Business Administration major

"The problem that was placed in front of them (students) was immense, and at first I think they wondered if they were going to be able to do it. But, in the end, they will have accomplished something beyond everyone's expectations. I've never seen anything completely student driven that's of this magnitude.

"Whether they know it yet or not, they are becoming more savvy at ethics and the topic of ethical dilemmas. How do you make good, solid ethical decisions? I think they know now that it's not as easy and black and white, right or wrong."

Art Sherwood Assistant Professor of Management Member of the College of Business? Leadership Development Team

CONFERENCE CONTACTS: Art Sherwood, assistant professor of management and a member of the College of Business' leadership development team, (812) 237-2094 or mfarthur@isugw.indstate.edu; or Danielle Thompson, junior Networks Scholar, dthompson12@indstate.edu.

WRITER and MEDIA CONTACT: Maria Greninger, associate director, Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, (812) 237-4357 or m-greninger@indstate.edu