Nothing More Than a Receptionist?
Aaron Ward, the Information Technology employee assigned to assist the Biology Department, has stopped by the Newman lab to check the set up of a new high-end graphics computer that has just arrived. The computer was purchased on Dr.. Newman's NSF grant awarded for a project to model the behavior of short carbohydrates in solution. Ward discovers that the computer has already been used quite a bit. There are dozens of files on it, and a program has just finished running. He seeks out a grad student, Bob Hanson, who seems to be the only person in the lab, to ask how the computer is working.
"Oh, the new computer is fine. Dr. Newman set it up a couple days ago, and since then…" The telephone rings. "Excuse me." Hanson goes to answer the phone while Ward sits down at the computer.
Hanson returns in a couple minutes and the conversation resumes. "As I was saying, since he set it up, Dr. Newman has been running a whole series of simulations and seems to be really happy with the new computer." The telephone rings once more. "Sorry, got to catch the phone."
When Hanson returns, Ward asks him, "What software is Dr. Newman using for these simulations?" "Oh, it's some new program he wrote to model the behavior of short RNAs. He says it's working well. I'm looking forward to when I can…" Again, the telephone rings. "Sorry, I'll be right back."
"What's with all the phone calls?" asks Ward when Hanson once again sits down.
"Stuff about Newman's new company. They don't have labs or offices yet. So all the calls come to the lab. Notice I'm the only one here? That's because everyone else has taken to working at night to avoid the phone. Doesn't work for me with the family and all, so here I am trying to do experiments with …" The telephone rings again. "Today's the worst I've seen. Be right back"
"Why don't you just ignore the phone?" Ward asks when Hanson returns.
"They'd just keep calling, and Newman said it was important we take the messages. All part of getting the company launched, I guess, and I don't want to get on his bad side. They should have their new place in 6 to 8 weeks, I hear, but on days like today I feel like a receptionist."
"Well, if the computer is working fine, I'll get out of here and give you one less distraction," says Ward. "One question ‘tho, how come you're doing RNA simulations on this computer? I thought the lab worked on carbohydrates."
"Oh, we do," confirms Hanson. "The RNA work is for the company."
Case Discussion
Interests of the Affected Parties
- Aaron Ward has interests in maintaining good relationships with the people with whom he works, and in being perceived as aiding them in their research.
- Bob Hanson's primary interest is successfully completing his doctoral research. To do this, he needs to maintain a good relationship with his advisor, Newman, and have time to work and think.
- Other members of the Newman lab similarly have interests in completing their work while maintaining a good relationship with each other and their advisor. Conflicts take time and energy away from research
- Prof. Newman seems to have a number of interests: in the progress of his students, in completing projects funded by external sponsors, in maintaining his reputation among fellow scientists, and in the success of his new company.
- The university has interests in continuing to receive federal grants and in being perceived as a good place to do research by both graduate students and faculty members. It may also have an interest, possibly a financial one, in the success of Newman's company.
- The NSF has an interest in the completion of the projects it funds, and also in having the support it grants be used for the work selected by the NSF review process.
Obligations
- Aaron Ward, as a staff member, has an obligation to do his job to the best of his ability. As an employee, he has an obligation to look after the interests of the institution. As a member of a university community, he also has an obligation to support the educational mission of the university.
- Bob Hanson, as a graduate student, has an obligation to act to facilitate his own education, to complete the necessary work for his degree and to learn about the regulations that govern research activities. He also has an obligation to be loyal to his advisor and to communicate clearly with him.
- Prof. Newman, as a university faculty member and advisor of graduate students, has many obligations. He is obligated to fulfill the terms of his employment, to follow the relevant rules and regulations, to carry out a robust research program, to facilitate the education of graduate students, and to fulfill the terms of his external grants. Plus, as an important member of a new company, he has an obligation to promote the success of the company. He also has the obligation to remember that his primary loyalty belongs to the university as his primary employer.
- The university has obligations to facilitate the education of its students, to support the research of its faculty members, to follow the policies that apply to grants it receives, to support efforts to develop practical applications of research results, and to support its employees.
Ethical Issues
The most obvious conflict here is between the interests of Newman's lab and the interests of Newman's company, with the accompanying conflict between Prof. Newman's obligations to each, particularly to his grad students. This leads to a conflict between Hanson's obligations to himself and the university, and his obligations to Newman. In the scenario, it appears that Hanson's interest in being able to do his research is in conflict with his interest in maintaining a good relationship with Newman. However, in this scenario, it is Ward who must figure out what to do about the conflict he finds himself in, a conflict between his obligations to the university and its students, and his interest in maintaining good working relationships with the researchers in the department in which he works.
Consequences of Actions
One could make a case for Ward doing nothing after his conversation with Hanson in the Newman lab. After all, as an individual employed in the Information Technology department, neither the quality of graduate education, nor the appropriate use of equipment is likely to be part of his job description. But, if some of the students leave the program because of the bad situation in the Newman lab, he might feel guilty about not having done anything. If, at some point, an inquiry is made into inappropriate use of the computer and/or exploitation of graduate students, something which is likely to be a major disruption for the department, Ward may be asked why he did not bring this to anyone's attention.
On the other hand, if Ward were to go storming off to the dean to complain about what Newman's involvement in the company is doing to his university laboratory, Ward is unlikely to be thanked by anyone. Members of the department will be upset that he did not try to resolve matters in-house first, and Hanson may find himself in trouble with Newman for telling Ward what was going on. In short, Ward will no longer have good working relationships with many in the department.
However, if Ward were to mention during casual conversations some of the things he observed he might be able to spark some action without bringing seen as a busybody or troublemaker. For instance, mentioning the difficult situation for graduate students in the Newman lab to the graduate program director and/or another appropriate faculty member could cause one of them to initiate conversations with Newman to make changes. Similarly, a question addressed to a departmental administrator concerning the appropriate use of equipment purchased on a grant could simulate someone to look into the situation and correct it.
