Penn State Scandal

Ethical Issues with Penn State Scandal

Ethical Issues with Penn State Scandal

One assumes that in a highly esteemed bastion of higher education such as the University of Pennsylvania, there would be an unwavering commitment to the ethical beliefs as well as harsh punishment to those who breach it. The Penn State Scandal has revealed just how broken the ethical system within this organization was. This paper will describe the basis of the issue in the Sandusky scandal, ground rules that manifested the situation, the conflicts that brought it about, ethical systems used, role of organizational leadership, and plans for revision of ethical standards within the university.

Basis of the Issue

According to Trevino and Nelson (2011), “ethics are the principles, norms, and standards of conduct governing an individual or group” (p. 17). Organizations that help instill ethics are schools, colleges, and universities. Unfortunately, Penn State was remiss in following its own ethical standards. The ethical issue at hand is that university officials did not follow established procedures and policies after receiving reports of alleged sexual child abuse. The first case of Sandusky’s unprofessional and unethical behavior was reported to the university police in 1998 by a mother of 11-year-old boy who came home after taking a shower with the coach. Even though a detective who investigated the alleged abuse spoke to another boy with a similar accusation, the case was closed when the District Attorney did not see the need to press criminal charges. In 2000, a janitor reported to his supervisor that he saw Sandusky performing sexual act in the shower but instead of following the university procedures, the supervisor referred the janitor to someone else. According to Daly (2012), “universities are unhealthily reliant on football to raise their profile, stimulate alumni contributions and cover the cost of nonrevenue sports” (para. 3). This can be viewed as true statement,...