2008 Woodie Awards
Ethics panel expands students’ knowledge
By: Stacey Tucker
Central Michigan Life
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DAVE WILLIAMS Dearborn Heights junior Patty Haslett walked away from the Ethical Culture Panel Wednesday night with a new knowledge of issues at CMU.
The panel addressed issues like bystanderism, academic dishonesty and sexual assault. It was sponsored by the Center for Professional and Personal Ethics and the Dean of Students’ Nonviolent Task Force.
“I learned a lot about the sexual assault rate here at Central,” Haslett said.
Panelist Susanne Stefanski, Monroe graduate student, told the audience an average of 21 sexual assaults occur on campus each week, but only 6 were reported last year.
“There is a difference between the amount of assaults that are being reported to the assaults happening,” Stefanski said. “There are 21 assaults a week in a campus this size and I think a lot of people don’t realize that.”
Each panelist was selected because they had a special perspective on the ethical issues of CMU.
Among the panelists were Lincoln Park senior Phil Reese and Wyandotte junior Matthew Rudowski. The two were assaulted last fall by three males in the hallway of their apartment complex.
“New students are coming here feeling safe and I think CMU should have a better response to educate these things exist outside of campus,” Rudowski said.
During the discussions, audience members were given a chance to ask questions and make comments on the topics.
Kevin Carmody, Madison Heights graduate student, said he sometimes is left with a feeling of emptiness — like he cannot help those who are in need.
“As a student here at CMU I’ve heard other classmates talk about this and one thing being talked about is powerlessness,” Carmody said. “The power we have here is numbers. I think people are waiting for the podium to speak.”
Joe McCarthy, coordinator of special projects for Dean of Students, said the ethics panel was a success.
“I thought it went really well,” he said. “The discussion was focused and the panelists had interesting perspectives on ethics.”
