Santa Clara University

Programs in Government Ethics

At the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Public Sector Roundtable

The Public Sector Roundtable brings mayors, councilmembers, ethics commissioners, city managers, county supervisors, and special district officers together to discuss ethical dilemmas. Topics have included pension reform, redistricting, social media in government, and budgeting in a time of fiscal austerity.

Ethics Training for Cities and Public Agencies

Beginning in 1999 with an award-winning partnership with the city of Santa Clara, Calif., the Center has helped local governments develop codes of ethics and values and provided ethics training. Partners and clients have included the League of Minnesota Cities, the cities of Dallas and San Diego, and special districts such as the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Commentary on Government Ethics

Center Senior Fellow in Government Ethics Judy Nadler is regularly featured in news stories about conflicts of interest, pay to play, transparency, and other government ethics issues. She also writes Her Honor, a blog on local government ethics.

Web Resources

Special resources include
An Introduction to Government Ethics
Government Ethics Cases

Staff

Judy Nadler, senior fellow in government ethics, is the former mayor of Santa Clara, Calif. She also served on the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the San Jose Sunshine Reform Task Force, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.