For years, Institute of Applied Agriculture Director Glori Hyman has discussed ethics in her communication classes, and now she is taking the discussion campus wide. Hyman was awarded a “Principles of Ethical and Responsible Conduct” Grant to conduct an interactive, campus-wide workshop on ethical communication.
Hyman says her workshop Terps Talk Honestly will use role playing, dialogue, and group interaction to raise awareness of respect through communication. Like so many IAA courses, this workshop will take an applied approach to teaching respect.
“In my oral communication classes, we discuss expectations, responsibilities, and roles of speakers and listeners,” Hyman explains. “The discussion opens our minds to multiple perspectives, but more importantly it sets a tone of respect within classroom environment. Following our ethics discussion, students create a code of ethics, and we abide by that code throughout the semester. I believe a similar approach will work for campus staff to promote respect in the work place.”
Striving to ensure continued excellence and the highest of ethical standards in its policies and practices, the university solicited proposals to integrate principles of ethics into the campus community. Participants were encouraged to educate the community and promote the university’s 10 Principles of Ethical and Responsible Conduct. Hyman’s was one of six proposals selected.
“I hope to help campus personnel understand the role communication plays in creating respect,” says Hyman. “So many communication acts that can contribute to the breakdown of respect in a work environment and most are really unintentional, like failing to listen carefully, withholding information, unknowingly repeating false information, or changing opinions to adapt to an audience. This workshop will help staff to become more mindful of the way they communicate.”
If this initial workshop is successful, Hyman says she hopes to make it an annual event to continue to raise awareness and address new ethical communication issues that arise.
