College of Business awarded $1.25 million ethics grant

The UCCS College of Business was awarded a $1.25 million grant this week to help further instill a high standard of ethics in students attending the university.

Venkat Reddy, dean, College of Business announced the grant from Denver-based Daniels Fund during a Tuesday press conference at the Daniels Fund offices in Denver. That press conference was webcast and viewed at Dwire Hall by an audience of Colorado Springs media, local business leaders and College of Business faculty and staff.

“The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative offers us an opportunity to further our vision of building successful futures by enhancing integration of ethics throughout our business curriculum. With the assistance of our college, campus, community and consortium partners we look forward to fostering a culture in which ethical behavior is encouraged and expected,” Reddy said. 

Eight universities across the Rocky Mountain region will collaborate on the initiative to strengthen principle-based business ethics education for students in the partnering schools, explained Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund.

“Corporate scandals involving ethical misconduct have damaged stakeholder confidence and increased pressure for businesses and other organizations to establish clear standards for ethical conduct,” explained Childears. “This crisis in business ethics is a serious concern for all of us and creates the opportunity to strengthen management education and to elevate the importance of business ethics curricula,” she added.

Business school deans from all eight universities took part in the official announcement of the program in Denver. The deans will form a consortium that will leverage the achievements of the individual business schools to further strengthen and expand ethics education in the region. At UCCS, Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, assistant professor, Business, will direct the Daniels Ethics Initiative. She plans a broad range of efforts within the College of Business, throughout the campus, and in the greater Colorado Springs community.

The initiative includes two universities with existing business ethics programs supported by the Daniels Fund: the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, and the University of Wyoming College of Business.

The other six universities will share equally in $7.5 million in grant funding for the initiative. The universities that will each receive $1.25 million grants, paid over five years, are Colorado State University, New Mexico State University, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, University of New Mexico, University of Northern Colorado and University of Utah.

The universities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming will collaborate on developing programs designed to instill a high standard of ethics in business school students. The initial grant and ongoing support for the initiative is provided by the Daniels Fund, a private foundation established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, who was widely recognized for his ethics and integrity in business.

“Bill Daniels considered achieving a reputation for integrity and being ethical in business as the greatest accomplishments in his life,” continued Childears. “This initiative honors his commitment to honesty and integrity by advancing principle-based ethics as the standard for doing business in our society,” she added.

Bill Daniels established the Daniels Fund to operate the Daniels Fund Scholarship Program and the Daniels Fund Grants Program in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. His estate transferred to the Daniels Fund when he died in March, 2000, making it one of the largest foundations in the Rocky Mountain region. Visit www.danielsfund.org for more information.

-- Tom Hutton