Programs in Government Ethics

The Ethics Center offers a national program in local government ethics aimed at giving public officials the tools to infuse ethics into their work. Building on a long history of creating models for instilling ethics into city, county, and special district operations, the Center provides training and consultation for government officials and opportunities for SCU students and faculty to address these issues.

Roundtables for Public Officials
Quarterly meetings bring mayors, councilmembers, ethics commissioners, city managers, county supervisors, and special district officers together to discuss ethical dilemmas. Topics have included social media in government, gifts to lawmakers, and simultaneously serving at multiple levels of government. California Fair Political Practices Executive Director Roman Porter, Ethics Officer and Acting Inspector General of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Karen Gorman, and Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission Executive Director Wayne Barnett have been presenters.

Ethics and the Public's Business Workshops
Aimed at newly elected officials, this program addresses the ethical challenges of transitioning from candidate to officeholder.

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 other 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.

Web Resources
An online "Introduction to Government Ethics" provides entries on campaign ethics, conflicts of interest, whistle blowing, and other issues. Cases are also available. Senior Fellow in Government Ethics Judy Nadler writes about government ethics issues for the blog, "Her Honor" (www.scu.edu/herhonor).

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. She is an adjunct lecturer in the SCU Political Science Department.

Kirk O. Hanson, Center executive director, was founding chair and member of the Santa Clara County Political Ethics Commission.