Help! I'm trying to introduce a course on electronic media ethics, dealing primarily with the ethical responsibilities of media professionals reletive to particular types of programming (news, entertainment, advertising, etc.). I've already taught the course as a one-time offering and it was well received by the students. My departmental colleagues have approved the course with no problem, but the philosophy department is starting a turf battle. Our college and university curriculum committees have the power to approve or disapprove, but the philosophy people can make passage a real problem. Their main objection is that the subject matter makes it a philosophy rather than a telecommunications course, and they should teach something like it as a service, just as they teach courses in business ethics and medical ethics for those majors. My point is that the technical aspect of our discipline makes it very difficult for someone who is not acquainted with either the technology or the programming processes to do the subject justice. Obviously, the instructor also would have to have a background in ethical theory, which I do have (no one else in our department wants the course anyway!). [I don't think the philosophy department is developing a media ethics course, by the way.] Here's how you can help: Anyone who has a media ethics course in your curriculum in a school which ALSO has a philosophy department teaching other professional ethics courses--please let me know. I would also be interested in knowing about any similar turf battles and effective tactics used in winning them. Thanks! ****************************************************************************** JOSEPH R. CHUK | OFFICE PHONE (215) 683-4491 Associate Professor | Telecommunications Dept. | INTERNET [log in to unmask] Kutztown University | COMPUSERVE 76360,2476 P.O. Box 730 | Kutztown, PA 19530-0730 | ******************************************************************************