Whether it's small-time scams such
as bogus travel agents or monumental
frauds such as Enron Corp., corporate
scandal is a hot topic of discussion at
the University of Nevada Reno.
"The reports in the first week are
impressive," said Mike Reed, dean of
UNR's College of Business
Administration. "There have been
conversations from freshmen to
MBAs. And good conversation is half
the battle."
The university offers a class on
business ethics, and most other classes
touch on the subject.
"I teach international management
and there is always an ethics component
in the course, especially in relation
to how it is handled in different
countries," said Yvonne Stedham, professor
of management at UNR, who
recently conducted research comparing
ethics in the United States with those
in Brazil and Russia.
In addition, the university invites
industry people to speak during the
school year. This year will be no
exception and the list will include
lawyers and business and finance people
who will speak specifically on the
recent scandals, said Reed.
But it's too early to implement any
permanent changes in the college's
curriculum, though that may happen
in the future. "Formal change doesn't
happen that quickly," said Stedham.
"But, informally, it is absolutely being
discussed.
