A selection of articles, op-eds, TV segments, and other media featuring Ethics Center staff and programs.
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics does not advocate for any product, company, or organization. Our engagements are intended to provide training, customized materials, and other resources. The Markkula Center does not offer certifications or seals of approval.
The Oakland finance department has plans to take over parking enforcement from Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT). Officials presented their plan at a city council committee meeting on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Michael Ford, who served as parking director until recently, made claims that over the last 10 years, he was periodically approached by “people in power” in Oakland who asked him to fix their parking citations or obtain other parking privileges. Ford says he turned down these requests.
Davina Hurt, director of government ethics, said she found Ford’s claim “shocking.” If his allegations are true, she said, it could mean that an “abuse of a public office for personal benefit” was going on for years.
“ To ask someone to change a parking violation,” Hurt said, “truly undermines equal treatment under the law, that concept that we all share, and it could also demonstrate a broader culture of entitlement and abuse” in the city, she said.
Davina Hurt, director, government ethics, quoted by The Oaklandside.
"Trump’s direct financial ties to Tahnoon are the latest in a growing pattern of conflicts of interest that national security experts and ethics watchdogs worry could mean the president is prioritizing his own financial interests over the public’s," reports The Dispatch.
But as Davina Hurt, director, government ethics points out, conflicts of interest do not require proof of corruption to erode public confidence. “Legality is the floor, and ethics is the ceiling,” says Hurt.
Davina Hurt, director, government ethics, quoted by The Dispatch.
CNET reports:
AI-driven tax strategy uses machine learning and natural language processing to identify tax deductions and share regulatory and compliance information.
Not everyone agrees that AI integration is the best path forward with tax preparation. Many critics have ethical reasons for avoiding its use. A study by the Santa Clara Markkula Center for Applied Ethics found that 82% of respondents care about the ethics of AI.
"Ethics in the Age of AI", a report commissioned by the Ethics Center, "Ethics in the Age of AI," cited by CNET.
Corporate money used to pay for Janani Ramachandran’s Diwali party last October raises questions about conflicts of interest.
Davina Hurt, director of government ethics, says it’s common for elected officials to sit on the boards of nonprofit organizations, but when an elected official takes on a fundraising roles, it can create problems.
“A business owner might think if I don’t donate, then things may be getting more troubling for me, or I may not get the role I want in the city,” Hurt said. “Even if it’s not the official’s intent, the power imbalance is real.”
Davina Hurt, director, government ethics, quoted by The Oaklandside.
NEWSnet Hawaii reports, ethical guidelines to ensure the transparent, fair, and safe use of AI are evolving across industries, and notes that even the Vatican collaborated with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics to recommend specific steps for companies to navigate AI technologies ethically.
The Ethics Center's Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC) was referenced by NEWSnet Hawaii.
Super Bowl LX has brought national attention to Levi's Stadium and the city of Santa Clara. As the game approaches, KQED summarizes seven of the primary reasons behind years of conflict between the San Fransisco 49'ers and the city of Santa Clara that have led to multiple lawsuits, criminal convictions, and more. Ann Skeet, senior director of the Leadership Ethics program speaks to KQED about how upcoming council and mayor election results could affect Santa Clara’s relationship with the team.
“Publicly elected officials are supposed to put the public’s interest first and think largely about what their city’s needs are, the city of Santa Clara,” Skeet said. “But they sit on this stadium authority board, and then they have to think about what’s in the best interest of the stadium, and sometimes those things conflict.”
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics quoted by KQED.
At "The Leading Edge: AI & Data Analytics in E&C" conference held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 28-29, Compliance Week hosted more than 100 senior-level compliance executives for a conversation around the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their organizations.
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics was a panelist at the event, and discussed what businesses should do to address the trust issues that have beset AI tools, particularly generative AI. Skeet prompted a thoughtful discussion about what steps businesses should take to ensure that the use of AI tools is done ethically wherever possible.
Ann Skeet, senior director, leadership ethics was a panelist at "The Leading Edge: AI & Data Analytics in E&C" conference hosted by Compliance Week.
Stockton Unified School District Trustee Kennetha Stevens voted on contracts for a nonprofit totaling more than $130,000 – a nonprofit for which she serves on the board
"Disclosure isn't optional in public service," says Davina Hurt, Ethics Center director of government ethics. "If you're voting to send public money to an organization you help govern, the public has a right to know before the vote."
"From an ethics standpoint, the concern is whether the trustee's actions preserve public trust," Hurt said. "Even when conduct is technically legal, undisclosed dual loyalties can create the appearance of hidden influence, which erodes confidence in democratic institutions."
Davina Hurt, director, government ethics, quoted by The Stockton Record.
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