Students define their morals and test their balance between work and play during college

By Matt Rupel

As the new school year begins, young students will face new questions and dilemmas about what constitutes ethical behavior. Many will have to decide what the right choices are in situations that are different from the sorts of challenges that they may have faced in high school or while living at home.

They will be presented with questions such as whether or not to drink, if having sex requires being in a relationship and whether or not to plagiarize, among others.

Four years ago, Kirk Hanson, the executive director of applied ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, began a project in which ten students from ten different universities asked younger students what types of moral dilemmas they faced.

The project found ten categories of moral dilemmas, and three specific cases were placed within each category.

For each case, two student opinions were written, along with a parent's perspective and an ethicist's view.

According to the findings of the study, one challenge that new students commonly face is how to balance work and play. According to Hanson this is something that student athletes in particular have to think about.

"Varsity athletes know that their sport can interfere with their academics," said Hanson. "The students then have to decide how much is okay."

Another similar dilemma is faced when a student has an important test or essay due the next day but is conflicted about whether or not to go out that night. This requires the student to weigh several factors such as how well prepared he or she is and what amount of partying is right for him or her.

One student, who chose to remain anonymous, noted balancing school with going out and having fun as a dilemma he has noticed. "I feel a little conflicted about staying out and drinking late when I know that I should be working on a paper instead," said the sophomore.

The dilemma most often noted by students did not involved partying, however. Instead, it is a question that students pose to themselves: Why am I in college?The question relates to many of the other challenges the student will face. "Am I here because my parents want me to go to college? Am I here to study? Am I here to party?"According to Hanson, these are some of the questions that students ponder when they are trying to decide why they are attending college.

David DeCosse, the director of the campus ethics programs, also worked closely with the project and wrote responses to each of the 30 cases from the perspective of an ethicist.

One case detailed a young man and a young woman who went to different schools but decided to maintain a relationship. However, due to the distance between them, the question of fidelity was raised.

According to DeCosse the tension from this situation comes from an inner conflict. While a person feels the need to be faithful, people are accustomed to seeking out their happiness, especially in American culture.

"Americans are known, very positively in my mind, for not waiting around for people to bring them happiness on a platter," said DeCosse. "We're known throughout the world for 'You want it? Go.'"

It was important to DeCosse in his writings that he didn't come off as authoritative."What I tried to appeal to ultimately was a sense of responsibility. I think an ethicist can help because an ethicist can help clarify some of the tensions that exist in a moral dilemma," said DeCosse.

The project has been completed but the authors are still in negotiations with publishers.

According to Hanson, it is likely to be signed within the next year, but it could be some time before the book reaches the shelves. However, the authors are currently considering creating a social networking website where students from different universities can interact and discuss these dilemmas.

The project also has a Facebook page that can be found through the Santa Clara University Facebook network.

Contact Matt Rupel at mrupel@scu.edu or (408) 554-4546