The Martlet

The Ethical Governance Series at UVic has brought out many professors from different disciplines to speak on the responsibilities of government and leadership.

Grad Student Society Chair Nicole O’Byrne is delighted that next week’s speaker will be UVic President David Turpin.

“I invited him after I heard our first speaker, Vic Murray, talk about the added value that board members create just by talking about their organizations wherever they happen to be,” said O’Byrne. “The next day I was in a meeting with the president, so I talked about Ethical Governance; he was intrigued, and I invited him.”

Earlier speakers included Dvora Levin, a consultant working in justice, health and social services and a founding member of ORG-AIDE, a team of leaders working to support non-profit excellence. As an activity, students wrote instant poems to connect with their own images of power.

“I found the group energetic, interesting and fun,” Levin said.

Philosophy professor Susan Turner explained that the marrying of labels like “left wing” to “liberal” and “right wing” to “conservative” have only made people more confused about the political landscape and where they, and the figures who are supposed to represent them, fit into it.

Historically, right and left wing were used to describe economic positions, whereas liberal and conservative were used in regards to social values, Turner explained in her lecture. Therefore, it is quite possible to be a “liberal right wing” or a “conservative left wing.”

“The Ethical Governance Series has been really exciting for us,” said Kyla Berry, president of Access UVic and co-host of the series.

“We’re looking forward to Turpin’s presentation.”

Turpin will be speaking on ethical governance on Wednesday, March 11, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Grad Centre, David Clode Room.