Wharton class teaches students ethics

In an academic environment where many students say grades, profits and competition prevail, Legal Studies 210 has a different message -- be nice. Not only is the message different, but the class is different. There are few all-nighters for the "ethics course" because discussion is a large portion of the grade. Legal Studies 210 is part of Wharton's "Societal Environment" section, two of three classes which are required for graduation. The course has been taught since the mid 1970s, but only recently became part of the bracket requirement. "It's a very popular course," Wharton freshman Adam Illfelder said. But some students say the ethics course does not "fit in" with the money-making mentality some feel is taught in other Wharton classes. "My management class was more about profit maximization," Wharton freshman Robert Leuchs said. "A lot of times, ethics go against profit maximization." Illfelder echoed Leuchs' sentiments. "The common joke is that it's an oxymoron, that you can't have corporate ethics," Illfelder said. "I think it's a step that the administration takes to improve the reputation of business." But, Diana Robertson, a legal studies professor who teaches a section of the course, insists the course is not a response to any type of negative reputation. "We didn't implement the course as a direct response to insider trading scandals, or any other business scandal," she said. She added that the goal of the course is to raise awareness of ethical issues in business decision-making, provide a framework for analyzing the issues and create a forum for students to discuss them. Topics include consumer product safety, affirmative action, sexual harassment, whistle blowing and conflicts of interest. Ultimately, the hope is that Wharton students will be more ethical coming out of the course. "In an indirect way we are trying to get students to make better ethical decisions," she said. Although the class seems to be removed from Wharton's alleged competitive atmosphere, students still insist the business school is high pressure. "[The course] is really laid back, but the [Wharton classes] are kind of competitive," Wharton freshman Max Berry said. The course is geared toward business issues, but Barry said it applies to students as well. "In order to gain an advantage over other students, people will cut corners and forget about ethics," he said. Robertson, however, said business people can be both ethical and competitive. Robertson is currently involved in a program to incorporate ethics into other parts of the business curriculum. So far, she has had moderate success. "There are some professors that are very receptive to introducing ethics, other professors less so," she said. Whether the class's concepts are applied or undermined in other Wharton classes, Robertson said that ethics is an issue that is here to stay. "Wharton has one of the longest standing ethics courses and we're very proud of that," she said.