Ethics Team
Annual Ethics Team Events
- University of Arizona Eller School of Management Ethics Case Competition
- Southeast Regional APPE Ethics Bowl / National Finals APPE Ethics Bowl
- Stetson University Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition
- Mount Saint Mary's ENACTUS Business Ethics Case Competition
- USNA Annual Military Ethics Case Competition
In Ethics Bowl, more than 120 colleges and universities from across the nation compete against one another, presenting solutions to interesting ethical dilemmas drawn from business, public affairs, medical and other realms. The USNA Ethics Team takes part in a series of events each year, which includes this national competition. USNA participates in two business ethics competitions, and its own Military Ethics Case Competition, in addition to the Southeast Regional Ethics Bowl, one of various regional meets in November, which serve as feeders for the national competition held each year in early March during the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. The Ethics Bowl competitions are similar to panel debates, and use a set of 15 cases distributed to teams about one month before competitions.
The business ethics competitions sponsored by the University of Arizona Eller School of Management, Stetson University Templeton Center and Mount Saint Marys University ENACTUS are not debate competition, but center on one detailed case distributed to the competing teams one or two weeks before the day of the competition. Teams are composed of two or four members, and the presentation runs for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Presentations are followed up by a rigorous question and answer period with judges. The teams and judges "role play" as players in the corporate world. All teams in these competitions handle the same case. They are given one or two weeks to prepare their presentation, an executive summary, and an essay concentrating on the ethical aspects of the case.
The Military Ethics Case Competition follow a format similar to this, but involves a case drawn from recent operational military experiences, such as the problem of bacha bazi in Afghan culture, and the recent Farsi Island incident involving Iranian forces and US Navy Riverine Combat Boats.
In preparation for the competitions, team members, and other interested midshipmen, meet a minimum of twice a week with Stockdale Center staff member Dr. Shaun Baker to analyze cases, rehearse arguments, and polish presentation skills. Annually, up to thirty midshipmen participate in the preparation sessions and competitions. The Stockdale Center selects the Naval Academy representatives for these competitions, funds the participants, and sends Dr. Baker as accompanying coach for the competitions.
Through the Ethics Bowl competitions, midshipmen hone their ethical reasoning and presentation skills, compete in an intense environment, and represent both the Naval Academy and the military to a primarily civilian audience. The Bowl teams' repeated successes are a testament to the effectiveness of the Naval Academy's ethics and leadership programs, as well as the mentorship of the Stockdale Center staff.
The Ethics Team is generously funded by the USNA Class of 1964.
