News Releases

USM Business School Hosts Annual Ethics Symposium

April 27, 2004

The USM School of Business is presenting its Second Annual Business Ethics Symposium, from 8:45 to 11:15 a.m., Friday, May 7, at Luther Bonney Auditorium, Portland. The symposium will include a real-life account of corporate tax-evasion sleuthing by Jeffrey Gramlich, USM's L.L. Bean/Lee Surace Professor of Accounting, and will include several hypothetical ethical dilemmas for symposium participants to "solve."

The event meets the requirements for two hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits. Certificates will be provided upon completion of the symposium.

"The issue of business ethics is increasingly grabbing headlines," notes Gramlich, whose research on fraudulent tax restructuring by ChevronTexaco made the pages of The New York Times last year. "It's important to explore ethical issues, to provide a forum for this kind of discussion. Sometimes it takes a great deal of leadership to stand up for an ethical issue. Maine business has a long tradition of this kind of principled leadership, which we want to continue through courses and programs at the School of Business."

Following Gramlich's talk, audience members will participate in several mini-cases led by USM School of Business Dean Jack Trifts, Accounting Professor Jean Gutmann, and Professor of Business Administration Joel Gold.

The Business Ethics Symposium will be preceded by the USM School of Business Accounting/Finance Alumni Breakfast, from 7:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

Cost for the Second Annual Business Ethics Symposium is $35 until April 28; $50 for registrations after April 28. For information or registration, contact Carla Harmon, 780-4022, email: charmon@usm.maine.edu.

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