From left, are participants Jessica Cirilo, Ted Pennings, Laura West, Jennifer Bennett, Jason Bennett (coach), Sandra Dreisbach (coach), Leif Oines, Lauryn Terrones, Jeremiah Williamson, and Ryan Wells

December 11, 2006

UCSC to compete in national ethics bowl competition

UCSC teams came in third and fourth at the California Ethics Bowl competition in Chico on December 2, qualifying the third-place team to compete at the National Ethics Bowl Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Ethics Bowl is a competitive event in which students demonstrate their abilities in ethical analysis and judgment. Teams are given 15 ethics case studies to prepare in advance, from which 10 cases are debated at the competition. UCSC’s two teams debated issues ranging from gun control to pre-implantation screening of embryos.

UCSC’s team is one of 32 selected for national competition. The competition will take place at the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics in Cincinnati on February 22.

The Philosophy Department and Stevenson College sponsored two teams to participate at Chico State, just the second year that UCSC has participated. This year's team is being coached by graduate students Sandra Dreisbach, Jessica Samuels, and Jason Bennett.

Undergraduates’ participation on the Ethics Bowl team involves a two-unit Stevenson College independent study course. 

For more information, e-mail Sandra Dreisbach.