Academic Ethics: Towards a Coherent Concept

Most academic institutions, particularly universities, now have formal codes of conduct relating to interpersonal relations, formally constituted procedures and formally appointed officers to oversee and deal with complaints and grievances. The sphere of academic ethics may be seen either as wider or narrower than the focus of such policies. Most writing on the subject focuses on individuals or categories of person, so many papers have been written on the rights and duties of professors, administrators and students. But people should start with the university as an institution. Promotion is an example of an area where people tend to confuse substance with procedure. Most institutions realize the importance of having well-honed policies covering tenure and promotion. One area to which professors do pay attention and on which much is written is the curriculum. It is widely recognized as being part of our professional role to consider what subjects should be studied and in what way.