EDUCAUSE | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; and Ethics

A Reminder From New York

ckeller — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:05:43 -0600

After months of silence on student loans, Cuomo announces another settlement, unveils new code of conduct, and warns Congress not to dally on Higher Education Act reforms.

10 Rules for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

ckeller — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:17:54 -0500

"Government investigations into alleged conflicts of interest in student-aid programs continue and now have widened to include study-abroad programs. It seems as if almost every day we read news reports concerning possible questionable practices by colleges and universities. What's happening, what might come next, and how should institutions be handling such issues? "

Higher Ed’s Conflict of Interest Problem

ckeller — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:40:00 -0500

As revelation after revelation about real and potential conflicts of interest wrongdoing has battered the student loan industry in recent months, college leaders and higher education groups have largely responded (when they have done so at all) by acknowledging problems — and proposing possible solutions — in and around financial aid offices.

Democratizing Software: Open Source, the Hacker Ethic, and Beyond

drupal — Fri, 10 Oct 2003 13:13:09 -0500

The development of computer software and hardware in closed-source, corporate environments limits the extent to which technologies can be used to empower the marginalized and oppressed. Various forms of resistance and counter-mobilization may appear, but these reactive efforts are often constrained by limitations that are embedded in the technologies by those in power. In the world of open source software development, actors have one more degree of freedom in the proactive shaping and modification of technologies, both in terms of design and use. Drawing on the work of philosopher of technology Andrew Feenberg, I argue that the open source model can act as a forceful lever for positive change in the discipline of software development. A glance at the somewhat vacuous hacker ethos, however, demonstrates that the technical community generally lacks a cohesive set of positive values necessary for challenging dominant interests. Instead, Feenberg's commitment to "deep democratization" is offered as a guiding principle for incorporating more preferable values and goals into software development processes.

New Survey Indicates Campus Attitudes Invite Software Piracy

drupal — Mon, 29 Sep 2003 16:36:06 -0500

Educators are finding that piracy ethics are a real problem on campus.

Ethics in Distance Education: Developing Ethical Policies

drupal — Wed, 18 Apr 2001 17:46:31 -0500

The author provides a brief overview of the steps an institution can take to develop policies that contribute to an "ethically sound distance learning atmosphere".