Chapter 6 Summary and Discussion Questions -- Jose Balduz

Chapter 6 – Building Character

Intro
Has the development of character by students as moral beings been neglected by colleges and universities? Stern regimes with elaborate rules of conduct have been abandoned. But many new courses on moral issues are being offered; these give students the chance to consider moral dilemmas and theories of ethics. They arose partly out of concern in the 1960s that the nation was losing its moral foundation. They are more common in professional schools than in undergraduate colleges, where their appropriateness and value is questioned. This seems odd when we see that academic dishonesty and confusion about ethical issues is on the rise among students, in (high) schools as well as in colleges. And at the same time, workplace pressures reward unethical behavior more than in the past. Finally, in a society that values moral freedom, students need the tools to make their own moral judgments.

Teaching Moral Reasoning
A “good liberal arts education” can no longer be considered sufficient for students’ moral development. Although that curriculum exposes students to moral issues and diverse views, it only rarely allows students to directly address moral dilemmas. The new courses on moral issues can help students recognize ethical problems before they become severe. They expose students to moral philosophies and careful analysis of moral issues, so they may more easily resolve problems when they arise. And they can apply these methods to avoid simple-minded relativism, and to gain understanding even in intractable situations. These courses are shown to positively affect students’ moral reasoning abilities, especially when theory and case discussion are combined.

It is equally important that students’ improved moral reasoning should lead to better behavior as human beings. There are reasons to believe this will generally follow: rationalizations become less acceptable, practice in an academic setting prepares the individual to withstand workplace and other pressures that cloud reasoning ability, ethical problems are more easily recognized, consequences of unethical behavior become more clearly unacceptable, self-serving arguments lose potency, common excuses fail to satisfy. As long as a person wants to act ethically, such instruction is bound to help.

Strengthening the Will to Act Morally
Courses in moral reasoning are not enough. Students must develop the will to act on their moral reasoning, to do the right thing. Various reasons exist for doing the right thing: empathy and concern for others, desire to gain approval, peer pressure sometimes, personal standards of conduct. How can a college help this come about? University leaders must take actions that match their lofty words. Academic standards must not be compromised for money or prestige. Administrative actions must be explained and must be ethically defensible. Unethical practices must be changed, not justified or explained away. In every way the actions of school personnel must conform to high moral standards. How coaches and the institution treat athletes, how disciplinary rules are enforced, whether rationales are provided for regulations, whether all rules and laws are enforced fairly and conscientiously, whether faculty or star athletes are exempted from obeying the rules: These influence strongly students’ views on the importance of moral behavior.

In every way possible the school should influence students’ propensity for morally correct actions. Peer pressure is not unknown to have this effect. Honor codes are more effective than proctoring of exams. Faculty actions in instances of cheating help students get a sense of fairness, so they do not feel compelled to cheat because “everybody does it.” Class discussions, workshops and other opportunities to see the world through the eyes of others help students to develop empathy and concern for the needs of others. Students must be shown the results of their irresponsible actions. Community service is a growing aspect of this effort. It can have a positive influence on students if feedback and reflection are part of the experience.

Concluding Remarks
Moral reasoning and the will to act ethically are closely connected. They grow from childhood and family experiences but can also be enhanced by education. Universities have begun varied efforts in this direction, and they seem to work. Still, much more can be done. More students should take a course on moral reasoning and take part in community service. Administrators should themselves act more ethically. The faculty must decide how important this is. Should learning moral reasoning and developing the will to act accordingly be optional for students, or should these be integral to their undergraduate education?

QUESTIONS

a) In a religious school like Mercer, do we still want to prepare our students to exercise moral freedom?
b) Should CLA offer and/or require a course on “moral reasoning”?
c) Bok finally calls on persons other than the faculty to action, to improve students’ education. What are the proper roles of faculty, staff and administrators in the area of moral education?
d) How well do our service-component courses achieve the goal of “building character”? Do any of our other courses also manage this?
e) How does Mercer University as an institution stack up, as a whole or in its parts, as an example of morally correct behavior?
f) What is one thing we can do, that we are not already doing, to influence our students towards moral/ethical behavior?