2013 Governance & Ethics Symposium Series
Governance, Ethics & Accountability in the Public and Private Sectors
Lessons Learned, Not Learned and Still to be Learned

THE FIFTH ANNUAL GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS SYMPOSIUM continues the University of Maine School of Law’s program on cutting edge issues of governance, ethics, accountability and social responsibility. Past Symposia have demonstrated the evolutionary convergence of classic governance concepts, business and governmental ethics, “the triple bottom line,” organizational social responsibility, and trust in our institutions. This evolution continues.

THIS YEAR’S TOPIC – Governance, Ethics and Accountability in the Public and Private Sectors: Lessons Learned, Not Learned and Still to be Learned-- will examine what Maine, as well as the rest of the country, has learned or failed to learn from local and national spectacular failures of governance, ethics and accountability in our government, financial, business, and nonprofit institutions.

The discussion will begin with the Maine Turnpike episode two years ago, and we will probe other highly visible corporate, governmental and nonprofit “situations,” including Penn State, Walmart’s bribery and unsafe subcontractor allegations, continuing bank scandals, and an epidemic of embezzlement and financial failures at nonprofits and local government. We will explore such topics as:

• The common roots of poor, or politically motivated, choices for the boards and managers expected to oversee organizations
  
  
• The role of politics in enabling dysfunctional governmental organizations
  
  
• Arrogance, ethics, ego, and greed—can they be regulated? Are they recognized as issues?
  
  
• Do “fixes” respond to yesterday’s problems? Are they merely a political response?
  
  
• Transparency -- is it oversold as a solution?
  
  
• Accountability and responsibility to stakeholders

The Symposium is fully subscribed, but there is limited space available in an overflow room. Two CLE credits (1.0 General, 1.0 Ethics) will be provided. To reserve your seat in the overflow room please contact mainelaw@maine.edu or 207-780-4344.

 

Panelists Include:

Hon. Daniel E. Wathen
Chair, Board of Maine
Turnpike Authority
Of Counsel, Pierce Atwood
Retired Maine Chief Justice

Hon. Janet T. Mills
Maine Attorney General

Hon. William J. Schneider
Governor's Office of Policy
& Management Former Maine Attorney General

Jennifer L. Miller, Esq.
Executive Vice President,
Coated Business and Chief
Sustainability Officer
Sappi Fine Paper
North America


Co- chairs:

Peter Pitegoff
Dean & Professor,
Univ. of Maine
School of Law

Dan Boxer
Adjunct Professor of Governance & Business Ethics Retired, Fairchild Semiconductor CAO Retired Partner, Pierce Atwood

Tom Dunne
Non-Profit Organization Consultant
Retired Partner, Accenture