PHIL 119: Ethical Leadership

Fall 2015
Section 007: Tuesday/Thursday 4:15 5:30 p.m.
151 Willard Building
Instructor: Dr. Michael D. Burroughs
129A Sparks Building
814.867.0471 (office)
mdb32@psu.edu

Class Focus:
A primary focus of this class centers on better understanding the relationship between leadership
and ethics. Must one be ethical in order to be a leader? How important should ethics be to
leaders? What qualities are essential for the ethical leader to possess? Who is/can be an ethical
leader? What are the challenges of ethical leadership?
Answering these questions and understanding the relationship between leadership and ethics
more generally requires that we develop a preliminary understanding of both leadership and
ethics. Both of these concepts are complex with multiple meanings and manifestations in
practice. We will pursue a better understanding of these concepts through discussion and
personal and collective reflection (focusing on what you and we, as a class, consider essential to
leadership and ethics) and through crafting a conceptual mosaic, an approach to understanding
that, in this case, involves examining, discussing, and weaving together multiple definitions,
examples, and patterns of leadership and ethics.
This class will be discussion based. While I will provide class readings and a class structure the
success of our class, the learning process, and our collective understanding of leadership and
ethics (and related concepts) this semester hinges on the participation and involvement of all
class members (teacher and students). We will engage in class discussion on multiple ethical
problems associated with leadership including social discrimination, bystander intervention, civil
disobedience, ethical dilemmas in educational leadership, moral responsibility, and many others
raised by class members throughout the semester.

Course Objectives:
Classroom Community: Students and teacher will develop a supportive learning community
based on questioning, respectful dialogue, and mutual understanding.
Writing: Students will have the opportunity to develop as better writers, more capable of clearly
expressing their ideas, beliefs, passions, and concerns in written word and through argument.
Critical Thinking: Students will have the opportunity to exercise and increase their critical
thinking skills, including developing and evaluating arguments and careful reading and analysis
of class texts.

Required Texts and Supplementary Class Materials:

Angel Class Web site
All required class readings (as well as class folders and documents) will be available on our
Angel class web site (Angel Course Management System). The Angel web site can be accessed
via the following link: https://cms.psu.edu.
It is essential that you understand how to navigate and use the Angel web site. You will receive
regular class email and will access all course documents through this web site. Please see the
Quick-Start Guide for Students here: http://kb.its.psu.edu/cms/article/446.
PDF Reader
Some of the class documents on Angel will be in PDF format. If you have not already done so
you will need to install a PDF reader to access these documents. You can access Adobe Reader
for free here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/products/pdf-reader.html.

Grading:
Class Work
Two papers: Students will be assigned two argument papers
Reading Responses: Students will submit written responses to readings as assigned
Debate: All students will participate in an organized debate on a class topic
Journal: Students will be required to maintain a journal throughout the semester on class
topics
Participation: This category includes selected course work (short reflection responses,
reading and short answer questions, and class activities) and general participation (being
present and active in class discussions)
Major Assignments
Paper 1
Paper 2
Reading Responses
Debate
Journal
Participation

Percentage of Final Grade

20%
20%
15%
15%
15%
15%

Due Date
9.29.15
12.10.15
Periodically
10.29.15
Periodically
Periodically

Class Policies:
Grading Policy
Your final grade will be calculated based on the following grading scale:
A = 93 % and above
A- = 90 to 92 %.
B+ = 88 to 89 %
B = 83 to 87 %
B- = 80 to 82 %
C+ = 78 to 79 %

C = 73 to 77 %
C- = 70 to 72 %
D+ = 68 to 69 %
D = 60 to 67 %
F = 0 to 59 %

Laptop and Cell Phone Policy

Laptops and cell phones are not allowed to be open and in use in class without previous
permission from/unless otherwise specified by Dr. Burroughs.
Assignments and Class Readings Policy
Unless stated otherwise by Dr. Burroughs, all assignments must be turned in as a hard copy in
class. Emailed assignments (papers, reading questions, etc.) will not be accepted.
All class readings must be printed and brought to class for the relevant dates (those dates for
which a given reading is listed in our class schedule below).
Email Policy
In addition to in-class announcements Dr. Burroughs will send regular emails about class
assignments and updates through Angel. It is your responsibility to check your Angel affiliated
email account regularly in order to receive these assignments and updates.
When emailing Dr. Burroughs always use a subject line.
Attendance Policy
Given the discussion-based nature of this class attendance is imperative. Failing to attend class
will be detrimental to your final grade (reduction of points) as well as the overall quality of your
learning experience this semester. You will be permitted to make up missed in-class assignments
if and only if (1) you notify Dr. Burroughs of your absence in advance of the missed class and
(2) you provide proper written documentation to excuse the absence. It is your responsibility to
contact Dr. Burroughs in class to inquire about any missed assignments.
Late Work Policy
Late work will result in a reduction of points from the assignment.
Office Hours
I will hold office hours on Tuesdays 2-4 p.m. Please come and see me any time you have
questions or would like to discuss the course materials and assignments. If you are unable to
meet with me during my scheduled office hours, let me know and I will arrange another time to
meet with you.

Syllabus Changes
I will make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of
the course, I will immediately notify students of such changes in class and, if necessary, through
email.

Penn State University Policies and Procedures:

Academic Integrity Statement
Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and
responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students
dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can
succeed through the fruits of their efforts (Faculty Senate Policy 49-20). Dishonesty of any kind
will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating,
plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by
others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or
work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of
other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will
be reported to the Universitys Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanctions.
Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you
have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments, contact the Office for
Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807. For further information regarding ODS, please visit
the Office for Disability Services website at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/.
In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you must contact ODS and provide
documentation (see the documentation guidelines at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/documentation-guidelines). If the documentation supports
the need for academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying appropriate academic
adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments with your instructor as early in
the course as possible. You must contact ODS and request academic adjustment letters at the
beginning of each semester.

Class Schedule, Readings, and Assignments

Please note: Assignments are listed according to what will be discussed that day in class, not
according to what is being assigned for the following class. Students are expected to come with
and prepared to discuss the readings listed on each day. Example: On 9.1, the class discussion
will focus on Platos Ring of Gyges.
Section I Ethics, Leadership, and Responsibility
Week 1
T 8.25
Syllabus discussion
4

Angel discussion
Community building exercise

R 8.27
Priming our intuitions on leadership What is a leader? The question of motivation
Reading: Online module Leading with Ethics (Ethics and Leadership and Leading
sections)
Week 2
T 9.1
Priming our intuitions on ethics Motivation, the descriptive, and the normative
This American Life, Superpowers
Reading: Plato, Republic, Ring of Gyges
R 9.3
Priming our intuitions on ethics The question of judgment
What can we know? What can we judge?
Reading: Jean Bethke Elshtain, Judge Not?
Week 3
T 9.8
An ethical framework Moral Literacy
Reading: Online module Ethical Leadership (sections as assigned in class)
R 9.10
An ethical framework Moral Literacy
Reading: Online module Ethical Leadership (sections as assigned in class)
Week 4
T 9.15
Central ethical issue - The question of moral and personal responsibility
Reading: Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didnt Call the Police
(http://www2.southeastern.edu/Academics/Faculty/scraig/gansberg.html)
Reading: Peter Singer, Poverty, Affluence, and Morality
R 9.17
Central ethical issue Student leadership (Bystander Intervention)
Reading: Antonia Abbey, Alcohol-Related Sexual Assault: A Common Problem
Among College Students
Clip: What Would You Do?
Week 5

T 9.22
Central ethical issue Student leadership (Bystander Intervention)
Reading: Bystander intervention resources (as assigned in class)
R 9.24
Central ethical issue Student leadership (Bystander Intervention)
Reading: Affirmative Consent: Are Students Really Asking?
(http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/education/edlife/affirmative-consent-are-studentsreally-asking.html)
Bystander intervention resources (as assigned in class)
Section II Leadership, Ethics Education, and the University
Week 6
T 9.29
The purpose of education
Reading: bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress (Introduction and Engaged Pedagogy)
Paper 1 Due
R 10.1
The purpose of education
Reading: Robert Starratt, The Purpose of Education
Week 7
R 10.6
The purpose of education
Reading: John Dewey, Moral Principles in Education (selections)
T 10.8
The role of the university leader
Reading: Albert Yates, Virtue and Leadership: Good Leaders Must First Be Good
People
Reading: The Ethicist Who Crossed the Line (http://chronicle.com/article/TheEthicist-Who-Crossed-the/149619/)
Week 8
T 10.13
Case study on leadership, ethics, and the university Penn State
Reading: Selections from the Freeh Report
(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/12/sports/ncaafootball/13pennstatedocument.html)
R 10.15
6

No class meeting
Values and Leadership Conference (http://sites.psu.edu/cslee20/)

Week 9
T 10.20
Case study on leadership, ethics, and responsibility Penn State
Reading: Michael Brub, Why I Resigned the Paterno Chair
(http://chronicle.com/article/Why-I-Resigned-the-Paterno/134944/)
R 10.22
Film: Happy Valley
Week 10
T 10.27
Film discussion
Debate preparation
R 10.29
Class Debate
Section III Questioning Leadership
Week 11
T 11.3
Who can lead? Leadership, voice, and social identity
Reading: Miranda Fricker, Selections from Epistemic Injustice
R 11.5
Children, political action, and leadership
Little Rock 9
Reading: Taylor Branch, The Childrens Miracle
Week 12
T 11.10
Children, political action, and leadership
Reading: Jean Bethke Elshtain, Political Children
R 11.12
Oppression and grassroots and indigenous leadership
Section IV - Leading and Civil Disobedience
Week 13
7

T 11.17
Reading: Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
R 11.19
Contemporary analysis of civil disobedience
Reading: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Love, Law, and Civil Disobedience
Week 14
No classes Thanksgiving Break
Week 15
T 12.1
Contemporary analysis of civil disobedience
Black Lives Matter Movement
Reading: Nonviolence as Compliance
(http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/nonviolence-ascompliance/391640/)
R 12.4
Contemporary analysis of civil disobedience
Black Lives Matter Movement
Reading: TBD
Week 16
T 12.8
Following and leading
Reading: Eyal Press, The Price of Raising Ones Voice
R 12.10
Reading: Stanley Milgram, Selections from Obedience to Authority
Experiment clips
Paper 2 Due