Ethical Considerations in the Development of the Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies Program

Abstract

Executive Summary The recent increase in college-level leadership coursework offers ethical challenges for educators and administrators responsible for the development of leadership programs. In the past, many such programs were designed to meet the needs of very unique and limited student populations. However, a broader view of leadership studies suggests that our programs need to employ a transformational model of leader development across the student body. This article chronicles the development of two recent leadership studies programs—University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington—and the ethical decision-making considerations that directed their evolution from planning to implementation.