Taking a Position of Influence
I
Western Tech is anxious to upgrade its status as a
first-rate research institution. So, the Office of Research has
just announced a summer faculty fellowship program. Faculty may
now submit proposals for research projects they wish to
undertake. Fellowship awards are $6000 for two months of
research in the summer.
You teach in the department of Engineering Technology at
Western Tech. Although you are well known nationally for your
research, your heavy teaching load has prevented you from
undertaking a major project you have been interested in for
some time. So, you begin working on a proposal.
As you are working on the proposal in your office, the phone
rings. It is David Jackson, Vice-President for Research at
Western Tech. He says: "I'm calling to ask you to serve on the
review panel for our new faculty fellowship program. It's
important to have people on the panel who are highly respected
and know good research when they see it. So, I'd really like
you to be on the panel."
How do you respond?
II
You explain to Vice-President Jackson that you are working
on a research proposal yourself. He replies, "Since this is a
new program, we haven't worked out all the wrinkles yet. But it
doesn't seem fair that our best people--the ones we want on the
panel--should not have a chance at the fellowships. You can
still apply. All we require is that you not be involved in
evaluating your own proposal. Just leave the room when your
proposal is being considered. The other panelists will rank
your proposal in your absence, and you won't know where yours
ranks until the entire process is complete."
Does this solve the problem? What is the problem?
Cite this page:
"Taking a Position of Influence"
Online Ethics Center for Engineering
4/1/2006 5:34:17 PM
National Academy of Engineering
Accessed: Thursday, November 20, 2008
<www.onlineethics.org/CMS/edu/resources/csaindex/Influence.aspx>