Conference Overview

History

During the last three years, two C. S. Lewis Conferences have been held in Central Texas, the first in San Antonio, hosted by the Texas Military Institute, and the second in Austin, hosted by St. Edward’s University. Both conferences were sponsored by the C. S. Lewis Foundation, an educational non-profit organization located in Redlands, CA.

Some of those who attended these conferences purposed to find ways to benefit their communities with another such conference in this tradition. In view of the diverse and influential academic communities in Austin and the timely need to focus on ethics, an ad hoc committee was formed that included faculty and administrators from Concordia University in Austin, Huston-Tillotson College, St. Edward’s University, and The University of Texas at Austin, as well as a representative of the Austin business community, to plan a conference that would have both academic and public components.

Later faculty members of LeTourneau University in Austin and Texas State University in nearby San Marcos joined the ad hoc committee. Sponsorship from the Center for Ethical Leadership in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs gave the conference a home within the academic community of The University of Texas.

Structure

The two- and one-half day conference consists of a public lecture on Thursday, April 15, 2004, an academic conference on Friday, April 16, 2004, and a public C.S. Lewis conference on Saturday, April 17, 2004, all held in the Auditorium of the Lyndon B. Johnson Library on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin.

Continuing Education Units

The University of Texas Ethics Conference offers CEUs through Concordia University at Austin. These units are not nationally accredited, but the standards are equivalent to those of the Council on the Continuing Education Unit, 1101 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036. Individuals wishing to use these CEUs for required professional requirements would be advised to confirm applicability with their respective professional organizations.

The cost of applying for CEU credit is $10 and the address is given on the downloadable form.

Questions regarding CEUs should be addressed to:

Dr. Joel Heck
Vice President for Academic Services
Concordia University at Austin
Austin, TX 78705

Phone: 512-486-1121
Email: joel.heck@concordia.edu

Conference sponsorship

The University of Texas Ethics Conference, which includes all conference events on April 15-17, 2004, is hosted by The University of Texas at Austin.

The sponsors of the Friday Conference are the Murchison Chair of Free Enterprise, Steve Nichols, Director, the College of Engineering; and The Center for Ethical Leadership, Howard Prince, Director, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs; and the co-sponsor is The University of Texas Office of Graduate Studies. The Society on Social Implications of Technology of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is sponsoring two invited talks on engineering ethics.

The sponsor of the Saturday Conference is The Center for Ethical Leadership, Howard Prince, Director, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

Co-sponsors for the entire conference are: the Center for Ethics and Leadership, Phillip Thompson, Director, St. Edward’s University; Concordia University at Austin; LeTourneau University in Austin, and Huston-Tillotson College. Conference planning comes from a committee of faculty and administrators from The University of Texas, St. Edward’s University, Huston-Tillotson College, LeTourneau University, and Concordia University, all in Austin, Texas; Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, and the Austin business community. This ad hoc committee wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation in Redlands, CA., in organizing this conference.

Planning

Planning for the conference comes from the following: Concordia University at Austin, Joel Heck; Huston-Tillotson College, James Kraft; LeTourneau University in Austin, Darryl Field; Texas State University, Karl Stephan; The University of Texas at Austin, John Cogdell, Donald G. Davis, Jr., Kenneth Diller, Robert C. Koons, and Joel Wiggins; St. Edward’s University Phillip Thompson; the Austin business community, Larry Linenschmidt.

Contact Information

Website:	http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/research/leadership/ethics2004/
Email:	cogdell@ece.utexas.edu
Telephone:	512.206.0566
Mailing Address:	Prof. John R. Cogdell The University of Texas at Austin Electrical and Computer Engineering 1 University Station C0803 Austin, TX 78712-0240