Ethics - A Commitment to Community

As a business student at the Daniels College of Business, I have come to realize that ethical responsibility is a popular topic at the University of Denver. Ethics is emphasized in every class and lecture. It is referenced in Chancellor Comb's Vision and Mission Statement, and it is listed in “The Daniels Core Values." Through my studies, I have been taught to consider ethical responsibility in every situation.

Ethics. According to the Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, ethics is “a system of moral values” and “the consciousness of moral importance.” Although morality is open to interpretation and personal opinion, it has one underlying intrinsic characteristic – consideration. Morality considers the wellbeing of others in every choice and action. Therefore, ethics is simply the application of morality, contemplating what is best for others and considering others in every choice.

Today, ethics is a major consideration in business. In the days of the Industrial Revolution, profit was king and every decision was based entirely on the bottom line, but that set of values has become largely outdated. No longer are sweatshops and child labor acceptable. Employers are prevented from taking advantage of employees and are required to provide safe work environments. Sick days and optional benefits are commonplace. Although profit is still the main focus of any modern business, most contemporary business plans aim to maximize profits without encroaching upon or harming others. Companies have realized that being socially aware and cognizant of environmental effects – ethics – can in fact increase their profits, allowing them to capitalize on changing markets. For example, in 2009, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recognized TOMS Shoes with the Award for Corporation Excellence for their “commitment to corporate social responsibility, innovation, exemplary practices, and democratic values worldwide.” At the University of Denver, the Daniels College of Business has embraced this popular movement toward ethics, incorporating a “commitment to community” and “ethical behavior toward all constituencies” into all curriculums. Methods for increasing profit are taught right along side responsibility to the community. Doing the right thing has become just as important as making the most money.

Unfortunately, I have observed an inconsistency on campus; not all of the University of Denver campus has embraced this pledge to ethics. One department specifically, Parking and Transportation Services, continues to focus on individual gains and chooses to ignore the needs of the greater community. My first complaint with the business practices of Parking revolves around the General Parking Permit. For students with cars on campus, they are given an option to purchase a general permit, allowing them to park in any of the select general parking lots on campus. It is the cheapest permit offered by Parking and Transportation, and consequently, it does not guarantee a parking space. Given this stipulation, I have little sympathy for students complaining about not finding a parking spot near Olin at 7:55am. It is not Parking and Transportation’s fault that there are no available spots left in a popular lot right before classes start for the day. I do not have a problem with the more expensive permits being allowed to park in general lots. Customers of more expensive permits pay for one space and get one space; Parking only gets paid once for one parking space. I do, however, condemn Parking’s unlimited sale of general permits. By selling more permits than spaces available, they deliberately sell a product they may not have. From my perspective as a first year business student, there is no difference between Parking and Transportation and a store selling items they do not have and collecting profits despite the fact that no product was delivered. In essence, they are selling one item repeatedly, and collecting money multiple times for that one item. They maximize profits by ignoring their customers and the impact on the surrounding community. They maximize profits by ignoring business ethics. Yes, Parking has a monopoly on parking around campus and therefore can set high prices to match high demand, but that does not give them the right to completely disregard moral and social responsibility by any means.

My second problem with Parking and Transportation services stems from event parking on campus. This issue plagues every parking customer, from the general parking permits to the most expensive and exclusive parking permits. During special events, Parking opens up their lots to visitors to campus, charging a fee to park in campus parking spaces. Again, like selling more general parking permits than there are spots available, Parking and Transportation charges visitors to park in spots already paid for by parking permits. Again, they collect money multiple times for each parking space to maximize profit with complete disregard to ethics. Again, they maximize profits by ignoring business ethics.

Parking and Transportation Services is guilty of devoting themselves entirely to profitability while rejecting their responsibility to the community. I would like to clarify, I do not have a car on campus and therefore I do not need a parking permit through Parking and Transportation Services. I do not have any personal vendetta against parking or any other investment in the parking situation. I do, however, believe in responsible profit, and as a DU student, I am flabbergasted that Parking and Transportation has deliberately rejected moral responsibility in its business practices, especially when ethics is a core value of other departments at the university.

There is a problem with parking on the University of Denver campus, and to borrow from the university’s advertisement campaign, we need to DU Something about it. By no means am I arguing that Parking and Transportation Services become a non-profit organization, but I do believe that they need to adopt the values of other departments on campus, and practice the concepts taught in the classroom. They need demonstrate that profitability can be coupled with ethical responsibility. Not only is it the right thing to do, but Parking and Transportation Services needs to set an example for students.