In pursuit of our mission, vision, and values, the Culverhouse College of Business is dedicated to the aggressive pursuit of ethics and ethics education that complements the rigorous technical training in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Our focus on ethics is consistent with the university’s Academic Honor Code. We take ethics and character seriously!
A sentinel is someone who stands ready to take action that protects and supports others. Our college’s Be a Culverhouse Sentinel initiative encourages all members of our community to act in ways that add value to our institution and uphold the interests of students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Embracing a sentinel mindset requires strong personal character and clear commitment to core virtues like integrity, responsibility, and courage.
As part of our Be a Culverhouse Sentinel program, all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to report known or suspected academic misconduct to help protect others and ensure a fair playing field for everyone. This initiative aligns with our university’s Code of Ethical Conduct standard that everyone should “report suspected compliance violations” (sec. IIIc).
If you become aware of any academic misconduct, please be a sentinel and report that information directly to your course instructor or to our college’s Academic Misconduct Monitor, Dr. Robert McLeod, using this Student Academic Misconduct Reporting Form. This process takes little time, and you may choose to report anonymously or confidentially with full assurance that your identity will not be revealed to anyone.
If you see something, be a sentinel and say something. It’s the right thing to do!
The “Ethics in Eight” program at the Culverhouse College of Business is designed to develop students’ ethical judgment and decision-making skills for use in their personal and professional lives. This program reflects the college’s commitment to comprehensive ethics education as an essential complement to technical training and soft skill development. The program offers the following eight training modules available for use by students and instructors:
If you would like to complete the Ethics in Eight training, please contact Dr. Troy Pollard, tjpollard@ua.edu.
The purpose of the student-led AHC in the Culverhouse College of Business is to promote honor and integrity in the study and practice of business in accordance with the values of the Capstone Creed, “As a member of the University of Alabama community, I will pursue knowledge; act with fairness, honesty, and respect; foster individual and civic responsibility; and strive for excellence.”
The AHC will strive to:
Members of the 2025-2026 AHC include:
The J. Craig Smith Business Ethics Lecture Series brings in accomplished speakers with unique, personal perspectives on the ethical challenges inherent in business. We were pleased to host retired FBI Special Agent Michael Anderson as the 2025 J. Craig Smith Ethics lecturer.
The story of Enron’s fall is one of extraordinary ethical lapses and fraudulent practices. As the lead investigator on the Enron case, Anderson recounted the leadership decisions at the company that went against generally accepted accounting principles. Anderson and his task force’s work led to the convictions of nearly all the company’s executive team.
The J. Craig Smith Integrity Award recognizes outstanding students in the college who consistently exemplify the values of integrity and compassion that J. Craig Smith built in his business career and personal life. The students receiving this annual award exhibit strong character, clear signs of rigorous ethical thinking, and a commitment to advancing the quality of life in the wider community, especially for those less fortunate. Past winners include:
The College has a Personal Code of Ethics (PCE) program that requires all students to consider and communicate their personal assortment of virtues, vices, and ethical priorities as they develop personally and professionally. The PCE is a critical part of the Ethics Program because it provides a formal opportunity for all students to develop personal standards of conduct that they can apply both in and out of class.
The Ethics Advisory Committee (EAC) in the Culverhouse College of Business helps develop and manage the college’s ethics program. The EAC works with the Dean, faculty, staff, and students to implement existing ethics initiatives and seek innovative, proactive methods for promoting ethics and character development. Members of the 2025-2026 EAC include: