ASCE White Paper on Ethics in Professional Engineering and ASCE
Publication: Leadership and Management in Engineering
Volume 8, Issue 3
ASCE White Paper on Ethics in Professional Engineering and ASCE
The ASCE Strategic Plan resulted in the identification of engineering becoming commoditized, a lack of young people entering engineering and a loss of stature of the engineering profession in the eyes of the public. Numerous reasons have been cited as the cause and several proposals are being advanced in an effort to correct the situation. The Committee on Business Practice (CBP) has performed an independent strategic assessment and has identified similar issues. We have evaluated the selected issues and have identified what we consider a common theme among many of the various identified problems.
The ASCE strategic issues that have been identified and are moving forward for action by ASCE include:
Civil engineering services may increasingly be viewed as a commodity due to:The career appeal of, and the job satisfaction inherent in civil engineering is adversely affected by:The increasing breadth, complexity, and rate of change of professional practice puts greater stress on:Years of deferred infrastructure investment and maintenance, and the profession’s limited effectiveness in communicating with public officials regarding infrastructure needs:
1.
The growing capability of software/technicians;
2.
The multiplying outsourcing options;
3.
The hourly basis of pricing; and
4.
Competitive bidding pressures.
1.
The limited public understanding of career opportunities;
2.
Negative stereotypes of the profession; and
3.
The perception among civil engineers regarding compensation equity.
1.
The expectation that the BS degree can provide the foundation for the civil engineer to practice at the professional level;
2.
The profession’s ability to assure competence in engineering specialty areas; and
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Civil engineers’ ability to acquire sufficient “soft” skills (such as communication, management, and leadership), thereby limiting opportunities to fill leadership roles.
1.
Place public safety at risk; and
2.
Hinder the nation’s economic growth and competitiveness.
The CBP proposes to advance a theory that one of the root causes and the key underlying problem of all of these issues is the erosion of ethics in the profession. Ethics is clearly not the only problem impacting these issues, but it is our opinion that ethics is a key element influencing how professional engineers are viewed by the public, and in turn responded to by the public when a position is taken or advanced by engineers. This paper will discuss the role of ethics in each of the strategic issues selected by ASCE and propose an approach to bring ethics to the forefront of the society and profession and present strategies to integrate ethics into the fabric of the society and profession.
We are also concerned with an apparent erosion of ethical behavior in American society as a whole. This gives ASCE and the civil engineering profession an opportunity to be leaders with regard to ethical behavior. It is our opinion that if ASCE can lead in the arena of professionals exhibiting exemplary ethical behavior we can reestablish the public’s trust in our profession and improve the public’s perception of our profession. Improved public perception may improve many problems identified in the strategic plan.
The Role of Ethics in Attaining Desired Strategic Planning Outcomes
Civil Engineering as a Commodity/Career Appeal
Civil engineers have sold the increasing power of software and computers as methods to enhance engineering. The public has assimilated this and views computers, rather than engineers, as the solvers of engineering problems, relegating the engineer to technician status. Conversely architects have always sold their vision and their ability to assemble multi-discipline teams to solve complex problems. We cannot undo what has been done, but we can change the way we are perceived. The computer and software need to be relegated back to tools of the trade. Computers can’t weigh ethical issues, assess public safety, and balance the various issues associated with engineering projects. Computers don’t have integrity and cannot perform a job with honor, merit, and dignity. The computer cannot separate truth from fiction. Only the engineer can perform these tasks, perform an impartial evaluation of the issues associated with a project and serve the client and the public with fidelity. It is interesting to note that all of the things that computers and software don’t have are traits that we as professionals have sworn to abide by in our Code of Ethics.
Concern has been expressed with regard to salary not being commensurate with an engineer’s education and liability. If engineers are seen as leaders with integrity, then the profession will be revered by society and the public at large. People will aspire to become professional engineers and the best people will seek it out as a career. If the profession is respected and revered then there will be a perception of increased value by society. Along with the perception of increased value will come the opportunity for increased compensation. Perhaps the limitations on compensation are not a lack of education (lack of education is never stated as a perception of the public), but rather a lack of respect and leadership. Perhaps performing our work with honor and integrity so that society will have trust in the work that we perform should be a focus of the Society and the profession. Once we have earned the public’s trust and respect, more high quality people will be interested in seeking careers in civil engineering, further elevating the profession’s status.
Impacts due to the Increasing Breadth, Complexity, and Rate of Change of Professional Practice
The profession is changing and engineers must adapt the way they work to accommodate this change. It is paramount, and in fact the law, that engineers work only within their areas of expertise. Professional engineers are also required by the Code of Ethics to continue their professional development and are responsible for the development of those under their supervision.
The reality of increased breadth and complexity is increased opportunity for more engineers. Although there will be temptation to work outside one’s expertise it is imperative not to, not only because it is contrary to the Code of Ethics, but because errors in deliverables will result in further erosion of the public’s perception of professional engineers.
If professional engineers impart their understanding of engineering and ethics to those they supervise, younger engineers will be given the tools to evaluate and make good and honorable decisions. This way we will continue to strive to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession.
Years of Deferred Infrastructure Investment and Maintenance, and the Profession’s Limited Effectiveness in Communicating the Issue
ASCE developed the Infrastructure Report Card, which got the desired attention but did not result in a concerted effort to improve America’s infrastructure. Possible explanations for the lack of public response included competition with social programs, shortage of available financing, and the general public not perceiving or believing that it is as critical as reported. Perhaps the reason that no action is being taken is the lack of credibility that professional engineers have with society and the public at large.
Leadership requires more than just identifying a looming problem. Leadership requires that a vision and a solution be presented along with the identification of the problem. The public needs to understand the problem, and they need to perceive that it is a real one that merits action. Further they have to believe in the solution that is being presented. America is a free republic and leaders are selected and elected. Followers need to have a reason and a desire to follow a particular leader if they are to be mobilized to respond to an issue or problem.
To mobilize public support, a vision must be effectively communicated and thoroughly explained before it can be accepted. The vision will be accepted only if the public believes it and if they believe in it. The source of information needs to be trustworthy and above reproach. The leader of change must have integrity and act as a faithful agent of those being lead.
Maybe it is time for ASCE and professional engineers to apply and uphold the fundamental principle and fundamental canons of our Code of Ethics in our daily lives and business affairs. Perhaps an ethical renaissance is what is required to help cure many of the ills affecting our profession in order to earn the respect of society and correct the erosion that we have observed.
Approach to Advancing Ethics in the Profession
As a result of our strategic planning process, the CBP has identified ethics as a key issue. The committee also identified ethics as a key causal element of the issues identified in ASCE’s current strategic planning effort. Global ethics was the focus of recent past president Bill Henry during his tenure, indicating the importance of ethics to the society and the profession.
It is the CBP’s opinion that ethics does not have the prominence in ASCE that it deserves. Because of the impact it can have on improving the profession, we would like to help promote ethics as a cornerstone of ASCE. We are proposing a comprehensive approach to help bring ethics to the forefront of ASCE.
Instituting ethical change requires three components:The CBP is taking an active role to help ASCE promote the topic of ethics with several of the products that we have developed and are in the process of developing. Those products are as follows:The CBP’s efforts are focused on the educational and discussion aspects of advancing ethics. There are two areas in which the CBP would like support that in our opinion will play a key role in bringing ethics to the forefront of ASCE and professional engineering:Based on the CBP’s collective experience, in order for ethics to play a vital role in ASCE and the fabric of professional engineers, it must be in each professional’s consciousness. To keep ethics in the forefront of thought, ethics must be taught to every engineer, ethical leadership should be celebrated, gross ethical misconduct should be visibly disciplined, and the reasons for discipline must be clearly advanced and understood by the membership.
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Education and understanding;
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Continued discussion of the issues to keep them in the forefront of thought; and
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Commendation of revered persons who show ethical leadership with clear condemnation of those who grossly disregard the Code of Ethics.
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The CBP has been preparing ethics case studies for over a year and they are being published quarterly in Leadership and Management in Engineering. The goal is to compile enough case studies to publish one or more books. These books could be used as study guides by ASCE members and university students.
2.
The CBP has developed an ethics workshop that has been a part of this year’s zonal conferences. The purpose of these workshops is to increase awareness of ethics and promote a forum to explore ethical issues with younger members. To be a part of the engineering fabric, ethics should be a regular topic of discussion.
3.
ASCE has a manual for all the key aspects of civil engineering except the Code of Ethics. The CBP has prepared the “Manual of the ASCE Code of Ethics.” The goal of this manual is to promote understanding of what the Code of Ethics is and how it is to be used. It is being prepared in a format that can also be used in an educational forum at the college level as well as being a guiding manual for Society members.
1.
Highlight ASCE’s disciplinary actions (in ASCE News and on the Web site), and include a discussion about each infraction, what fundamental principle and canon(s) were violated, and have it linked to an ASCE-monitored discussion board for discussion by the membership to further explore the issue (this can be used by universities and student chapters, as well as members).
2.
Work with ABET to make ethics a required course for an engineering degree, and have the required educational material available from ASCE as listed above.
We complain that our esteem, compensation, and public reverence have fallen and are lower than we think they should be. Perhaps our public reverence is commensurate with what the current professional practice has earned. It is the CBP’s opinion that our failure to institute clear ethical behavior (that is lead by example and not by just talk) plays a key role in how our industry is perceived.
We give students the technical skills to solve the world’s problems, but we don’t teach them about their responsibility to the public, society, and the profession. The goal of this paper is to promote programs that advance ethics, improve the profession, and prepare young engineers to serve society.
Implementing Change
It is the intent of this white paper to act as a catalyst to bring ethics to the forefront of ASCE and our profession. This paper has proposed actions to effect this change. The CBP urges the Board of Direction to take the following actions:The CBP is prepared to support the Board of Direction with the implementation of change, taking whatever actions are required, within our purview and capability, with this essential endeavor.
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Review and approve the “Manual on the ASCE Code of Ethics”;
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Expand the ethics section in ASCE News to include recognition of exemplary ethics in leadership and highlight disciplinary actions that include reference to code violations and a supporting discussion on the ethical issues;
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Work with ABET to establish a required course on engineering and ethics as a condition of receiving an engineering degree.
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A new award has been approved—the Professional Practice Ethics and Leadership Award—to highlight ethics in engineering, promote awareness, and provide modern day heroes for others to follow. The CBP supports this award and has identified potential candidates for it.
Post Script
We just received ASCE Ethics—Edict, Enforcement, and Education, prepared by Thomas W. Smith, III, dated September 2006, that presents many of the same arguments that are contained in this white paper. These documents were prepared independently, and illustrate the need to improve ethics outreach. Information contained in that document has been included in the proposed “Manual on the ASCE Code of Ethics.” It is clear that ASCE has identified the problem and has mobilized a work force to address the problem. The CBP hopes that the preparation of the manual will provide a primary source of information and will help codify the importance of ethics in our everyday work.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Leadership and Management in Engineering
Volume 8 • Issue 3 • July 2008
Pages: 97 - 99
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Published online: Jul 1, 2008
Published in print: Jul 2008
ASCE Technical Topics:
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