The University of Scranton will host the Inaugural Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service for public officials, leaders of nonprofit organizations and students on April 9 on campus. The half-day, in-person conference begins at 8 a.m. with registration and refreshments and will take place on the fifth floor of Brennan Hall.

The annual conference is a key initiative of the University’s recently launched Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service (CEEPS) with the goal of helping to provide a foundation for ethical governance in Northeastern Pennsylvania by developing and nurturing a community of scholars, public officials and citizens dedicated to improving and protecting democracy at the state and local level.

“We expect that the conference will help connect state and local governing officials to one another and make them aware of the opportunities and training offered by the Center,” said JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science and co-director of CEEPS. “Additionally, we expect that the Conference will offer scholars interested in promoting and protecting democracy through the study of ethics at the state- and local-level an opportunity to present and share research. That research can be disseminated through the Center and shared with community members and state and local governments.”

Dr. Hopper also sees the conference as a way to introduce University students to issues concerning ethics and government effectiveness and further engage them in career opportunities in the public and government service sector. University students will participate in a panel discussion about their efforts in 2020 to increase voter registration among young adults.

Additional topics covered in panel discussions at the conference include “Local Government Ethics Boards and Codes;” “Grant writing: Best Practices for Local Governments;” and “Legislative Pay, Per Diems, and Ethics.”

The conference will conclude with a luncheon keynote address by author Craig Wheeland, Ph.D., a noted scholar in the area of public administration and senior vice president for academics and professor of public administration at Villanova University. Dr. Wheeland has published numerous articles and has also published two books on the topics of local government and urban politics. His research on city management has received external funding from organizations such as the American Political Science Association.

Additional information and a schedule of speakers can be seen on the Conference on Ethics and Excellence in Public Service webpage.

Registration is required to attend and fees vary for the conference. Reservations and additional information is also available online. A $15 registration fee includes all meals and materials for the day.  If you are unable to pay the $15 registration fee, there is an option on the registration form that will allow you to register and attend without paying the fee. The conference is free for students.

The University of Scranton health and safety protocols in place on April 9 outlined in the Royals Back Together plan must be followed by conference attendees.

For additional information, email ceeps@scranton.edu or contact Sharon Olechna, administrative assistant for the Political Science Department, at 570-941-6326 or by email at sharon.olechna@scranton.edu.