Newark, NJ

- The Rutgers Institute for Ethical Leadership will host its Third Annual Ethical Leadership Conference on May 3 and 4.

Each year the Institute for Ethical Leadership hosts a conference to address ethical issues within the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors.

This year senior leadership from colleges and universities around the country will come together to discuss what it takes to build an organizational culture imbued in ethics and how leaders from across sectors can learn from each other to enhance and renew organizations that benefit civil society. 

Ralph Izzo, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of PSEG and chairman of the
Rutgers University Board of Governors, will deliver the keynote address
on Friday, May 4. 

“Having served as the president of two major public research universities over the past 15 years, I have seen the challenges of leadership in higher education become increasingly difficult,” said Richard L. McCormick, president of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.  “We serve our institutions at a time of fiscal stress, growing competition from abroad, greater governmental scrutiny and regulation, rising expectations from students and families, and a continuing debate about the role of athletics in higher education.  In a complex world, University leaders are guardians of many priorities.  I am pleased that this timely and relevant discussion is taking place at Rutgers.”   

The Conference will be divided into two days.  Thursday, May 3, is dedicated to higher education; attendees will be University Presidents, Chancellors, Trustees, Deans and other senior administrative officers along with some business executives.  Friday, May 4 will bring business leaders, with some representation from nonprofit and government entities, to discuss the need for increased ethical behavior in graduates and explore how the business sector can better support ethical leadership in higher education.

“The role of all leaders has changed, expanded and grown more intricate,” says Alex J. Plinio, co-founder of the Institute.  “We want to facilitate a dialogue between higher education and business leaders to better prepare future leaders for a complex and unpredictable world and help them develop the tools to promote responsible business practices and ethical leadership.  The conference will provide leaders with ways to evaluate their institution’s ethical culture, to improve their readiness to respond to difficult situations that arise, and to help elevate the dialogue around ethical leadership in higher education.”

 About the Institute for Ethical Leadership

The Institute for Ethical Leadership at Rutgers Business School provides research, education and practical training to business and government entities, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and the Rutgers University community. The Institute guides and supports leaders, empowering them to improve the ethical culture at all levels of their organization. Its mission goes beyond avoiding ethical breaches and sustaining reputations to helping organizations achieve their goals in a way that ultimately enhances civil society.  For more information, visit www.business.rutgers.edu/iel.  

About Rutgers University

Established in 1766, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is America’s eighth oldest institution of higher learning and one of the nation’s premier public research universities. Serving more than 58,000 students on campuses in Camden, Newark and New Brunswick, Rutgers is one of only two New Jersey institutions represented in the prestigious Association of American Universities.

About the Keynote Speaker

Ralph Izzo was elected chairman and chief executive officer of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG), in April 2007.  Mr. Izzo is a well-known leader within the utility industry, as well as the public policy arena.  His career began as a research scientist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, performing numerical simulations of fusion energy experiments. Mr. Izzo received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in applied physics from Columbia University. He also received a Master of Business Administration degree, with a concentration in finance from the Rutgers Graduate School of Management.  Mr. Izzo serves as chair of Rutgers University Board of Governors and on the board of directors for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the New Jersey Utilities Association, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), and The Center for Energy Workforce Development.