November 3, 2022
Columbus State University and the University System of Georgia (USG) are committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct in pursuing their mission of knowledge creation. Fulfilling this mission requires integrity, good judgment and dedication to public service from all members of the CSU community. Each year, the CSU and the USG underscore this commitment through Ethics Awareness Weekwhich this year begins on Monday, November 7. Programs throughout the week will remind faculty, staff, students, and the wider community of the university’s commitment to an ethical culture and its shared ethical values and expectations.
Ethics Awareness Week is part of a comprehensive ethics and compliance program for all USG employees. This program includes a system-level ethics policy and code of conduct, onboard ethics training, periodic ethics refresher training, and compliance audits.
In addition to employee-focused programs, CSU will host community events to build on its ethics programming by promoting activities related to our system-wide shared core values of integrity, excellence, accountability and respect.
“We welcome the opportunity to educate our students, faculty, staff, and the CSU community about our collective role in upholding the highest standards of ethical and legal conduct in academic and business activities and why these efforts are critically important,” said Craig Burgess. , who, as CSU’s general counsel, leads efforts for College Ethics Awareness Week.
Activities planned by Burgess and other professionals in conjunction with CSUs Office of Legal, Ethics and Compliance raise ethical awareness, reinforce the principles of recognizing employee hard work, and promote our shared values of Stewardship, Prevention, Integrity, Accountability, Inspiration, and Trust.
Campus and community activities planned for the week include:
Monday, November 7: Ethics and why it matters: An in-depth look at the impact of ethics on our roles as academic leaders, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Synovus Center for Commerce and Technology Auditorium, Main Campus
- Promote a culture of excellence: A virtual discussion between USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue and Chick Fil A President, Dan Cathy. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. To join the virtual chat.
- The ethics of student recruitment and retention: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Synovus Center for Business and Technology Auditorium, Main Campus
Tuesday, November 8: “Why it matters” session, Conquering Contracts: Top 10 Ways to Energize the Contracting Process, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
- The ethics of fundraising and community outreach: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Synovus Center for Business and Technology Auditorium, Main Campus
Wednesday, November 9: Session “Why it matters”, Delegation of power: A Look at the CSU Chair’s New Global Delegation of Authority Policy, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., virtual session
Thursday, November 10: Session “Why it is important”: Part IX – Pregnancy and parenthood: Best Practices for Working with Waiting Students, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Virtual Session
- Driving an ethical culture: A virtual USG roundtable, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., To subscribe to the discussion.
- I can’t believe they let them talk on campus: AStudent-Led Discussion on the Role of the First Amendment, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., Davidson Center Auditorium, Main Campus
Friday, November 11: “Why It Matters: Campus Safety” session: A discussion on the responsibilities of the Clery law, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Virtual session
- Ask and you shall receive: Get the answers to your legal, compliance, ethics, and information security questions from members of the Legal, Ethics, and Compliance team, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., Schuster Student Success Center, Room 130, Main Campus
For links to virtual sessions and details on activities and panels, visit https://www.columbusstate.edu/legal-affairs/ethics/awareness-week.php.
As part of its commitment to ethical practices, Columbus State University offers members of the university, businesses, and surrounding communities several ways to report possible fraudulent activity by its Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline—a confidential and independent service provided by a third-party provider. Additionally, employees can submit reports anonymously online or call 877-516-3424, toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with concerns or suggestions for improvement related to CSU or any another institution in the University System of Georgia.
