Professional Integrity

Professional Integrity:

APrimerforStructuralEngineering1

AreyouplanningtobeaStructuralEngineer?AnAerospaceEngineer?

AGeotechnicalEngineer?

HowaboutaConstructionManagerorevenanArchitect?

Regardlessofyourcareerplans,themostimportantcharacteristicorskillyoucanofferisyourintegrity.WhatISintegrity?

Mostpeopleprobablythinkofintegrityasapersonalthing,anissueofcharacter.Forexample,someonewhothinks“Iamagoodperson”probablywouldconsiderthemselvestobeapersonofintegrity.

Butintegrityintheprofessionsismorespecificthanbeinga“goodperson,”becausethedefinitionof“good”canvaryandyourmeasurementof“good”candifferfromsomeoneelse’s.Forexample,somepeoplethinktheyaregoodbecausetheyhaveneverbeenintroubleorbecausetheirintentionsor“heart”aregood.

Professionalintegrity,ontheotherhand,requiresustonotonlybe“good”byourownstandardsanddefinitions,butbythestandardsanddefinitionsofouremployerandour profession, aswellas perhaps,ofsociety.

Often,alackinengineeringethicsisfoundtobeoneofthemaincausesofanengineeringfailure.Anengineer,asaprofessional,hasaresponsibilitytotheirclientoremployer,totheirprofession,andtothegeneralpublic,toperformtheirdutiesinasconscientiousamanneraspossible.Beyondfollowingthelaw,anethicalengineerisonewhoavoidsconflictsofinterest,doesnotattempttomisrepresenttheirknowledgesoastoacceptjobsoutsidetheirareaofexpertise,actsinthebestinterestsofsocietyandtheenvironment,fulfillsthetermsoftheircontractsoragreementsin a thorough and professionalmanner,and promotesthe education ofyoungengineerswithintheirfield(

Let’sgooveraveryconcreteexampletakenfromanNSFandBovayFundsponsoredworkshopondevelopingengineeringethicscases(August14-­‐18,1995,TexasA&MUniversity,CivilEngineeringCase1:ParkingStructureFoundation,

MaryJohnsonhasrecentlypassedthePEexam.SheworksforSpireEngineeringasastructuraldesignengineer.For herfirst projectas leadengineer, shedesignsaparkingstructurein anareawherethesoilis poor. Sherequestsadetailedsoilsreport,andthegeotechnicalengineerrecommendscontinuousfootings.MarydesignsareinforcedconcretesectionaccordingtotheprevailingACIstandards. ThedesignisreviewedbyanotherofSpire'sPE'sandMaryproudlystampsandsignsherfirstsetofplans.

TheownerofthestructureengagesSpiretomonitorandinspecttheconstruction process,takeconcretesamples,etc.SinceMaryistheengineerofrecord,shevisitstheconstructionsiteduringthesitepreparationphase.Althoughshehasheardaboutthewayinwhichwomenaresometimestreatedbyconstructionworkers,

1Thisprimerisbasedona“ProfessionalIntegrity”primertemplateoriginallywrittenbyDr.TriciaBertramGallant.Thetemplateisbeingusedbyanumberofcampusdepartmentstoillustratetheconnectionsbetweenacademicandprofessionalintegrity.

she wasunpreparedforwhatshe encountered.The whistling,taunting andgeneralcrudenessmade herveryuncomfortable,butshewasdeterminedtofollowthrough.

Maryisrelativelyinexperiencedindealingwithcontractors.Thus,intheeyesofthesuperintendentandconstructionworkers,hercredibilityissuspect.Onthefirstdayofpouringconcrete,Maryisonsite,takingcylindersamples,inspectingtheplacingofreinforcement,andgenerallygettingafeelfortheconstructionprocess.Shenoticesafewproblemsandbringsthemtothesuperintendent'sattention.Heaccommodatessomeofherconcerns,butalsodismissesothersasunnecessary,commentingonherlackoffamiliaritywithday-­‐to-­‐dayconstructionpractices.Maryprotestsandmakesadditionalsuggestions.Thesuperintendenttakesadvantageofherinexperience and ignoresherconcerns.When she gets back to the office,she talks to some ofhermoreexperiencedcolleaguesandtheygivehersomeadditionaladviceaboutconstructionandcontractors.

Thefollowingdayisawarmone,andafterabouthalftheconcretepouriscompleted,thebatchplantbreaksdownandthetrucksstopcoming.Maryknowsfromschoolandthepreviousevening'sdiscussionthatifmorethananhourortwopasses,thepouredconcretewillbegintosetupandwillnotbondwellwithnewlypouredconcrete,forminga"coldjoint."Shediscussestheproblemwiththesuperintendentwhoassuresherthattheplantwillbeupsoonandtellshernottoworry.Afteranhourandahalfhaspassed,thebatchplantisnotyetonline.Marytellsthesuperintendentthatthealreadyplacedconcretewillhavetoberemoved.AprotracteddiscussionensuesinwhichthesuperintendentsayssuchadrasticactionisunnecessaryandthatifMaryknewanythingaboutconstruction,shewouldunderstand.Healsomakesseveralotherderogatorycommentsaboutherlevelofknowledgeandcompetence.Hesaysthathecansimplyagitatethealreadypouredconcreteandproduceastructurallysoundjoint.Atthatinstant,thefirstconcretetruckarrives,andMarymustdeciderightaway.

Maryisnotsureaboutthenuancesofplacingconcreteanddoesnotwanttoriskfurtherabusefromthesuperintendentandconstructionworkers.Thusshedecidestotrusttheexperienceofthesuperintendentandcontinuethepour.ThefinishedproductlooksOK,andtherestoftheconstructioniscompletedwithoutincident.

Afterabouttwoyearsofservice,theparkinggarageisseverelydamagedinanearthquake.Inthefailuresomecarsarecrushedand,unfortunately,threepeoplearepermanentlycrippled.The injuredpartiesandthecarownerssuetheowneroftheparkingstructurewhointurnsuesthecontractorandSpireEngineering.

Anevaluationbyaforensicengineeringfirmshowsthattheproximatecauseofthefailurewasabreakthatoccurredinthefootingatthepointwherethecoldjointwas.Atthetrialseveralpeoplewhorentspaceinthegaragetestifythatalargecrackhaddevelopedinthefoundationaboutsixmonthsafterthegaragewasopened.Theowneradmitshehadanemployeefillthecrackwithdrivewaypatchingcompound;sayinghethoughtitwasjustaminorsettlementcrack,typicalofconcreteslabs.Theownerdidnotinformanyoneelseofthepatch.

ThecontractorclaimedthatSpireEngineering,throughitsagent,Mary,hadapprovedtheconstructionprocessandthatsincethesuperintendentwasnotaprofessionalengineer,hisrecommendationsshouldnothavelegalweightindeterminingliability.SpireEngineeringclaimedthatthesuperintendenthadengagedindeliberatedeceptionandthatthecontractorshouldshareliability.

Thereareseveral items notedintheASCEcodeof ethics()thatarerelevanttothiscase:

1."Engineersshallholdparamountthesafety,healthandwelfareofthepublicintheperformanceoftheirprofessionalduties."

2."Engineersshallperformservicesonlyinareasoftheircompetence."

3."Engineerswhoseprofessionaljudgmentisoverruledundercircumstanceswherethesafety,health,andwelfareofthepublicareendangeredshallinformtheirclientsofthepossibleconsequences."

4."EngineerswhohaveknowledgeorreasontobelievethatanotherpersonorfirmmaybeinviolationofanyoftheprovisionsofCanon1(toholdparamountthesafety,health,andwelfareofthepublic)shallpresentsuchinformationtotheproperauthorityinwritingandshallcooperatewiththeproperauthorityinfurnishingsuchfurtherinformationorassistanceasmayberequired."

Maryseemstohavethetechnicalknowledgetohandlethiscase.However,Mary'sknowledgeaboutpracticalconstructiontechniquesandabilitytodealwiththecontractorareinquestion.Maryshouldnothavebeensubjectedtothe'whistling,taunting,andgeneralcrudeness'.However,Maryshouldn'tallowthattoaffectthewaythatsheperformsherjob.IsMary'spreparationatfault?Ifitis,isthisacaseofMaryactingoutsideofherexpertise?

Mary'sforemostobligationistothepublic.Onemightaskifsheisactingoutofherareaofexpertise,whichwouldbeadirectviolationoftheASCEcodes.Sheallowsherselftobeoverruledinthissituation,whichinvolvesthesafetyofthepublic.IsMaryonlyresponsiblefortechnicalexpertise,suggestions,andconsultation,orisMaryonsighttopolicethecontractorandmakesurehedoesn'tcutcorners?InthissituationMaryhassomedifferentoptions.Shecouldrefusetobackdownfromherrecommendation.Marycouldnotifyheremployerofthecontractor'sactions.Ifitisdeterminedthatthereisaproblemwiththe'coldjoint',Marycouldnotifytheownerofthestructure.Iftherewasanycriminalactionbythecontractingfirmthentheappropriategovernmentofficialscouldbenotified.

Inhindsight,itappearsthatMarywasnotquitereadytodealwiththecontractor. IfMary'sbossforesawproblemsintherelationbetweenMaryandthecontractor,hemighthavechosen to ease her transition byallowinghertogowithasupervisor.IfSpiresentMaryintoasituationthattheyknewshewouldnotbeabletohandle,thenthatmightbeconsideredequivalenttopracticingoutsideofyourareaofexpertise,whichtheASCEcodeexplicitlyforbid.

TheASCECodeofEthicsalsostates:

"Engineersshallgivepropercreditforengineeringworktothosetowhomcreditisdue,andshallrecognizetheproprietaryinterestsofothers.Wheneverpossibletheyshallnamethepersonorpersonswhomayberesponsiblefordesigns,inventions,writingsorotheraccomplishments."

Maryhasanobligationtoherselftogetcreditforherwork.Ifshefeelsthatsheisnotgivencreditforherwork,shemightvoicethatopiniontoheremployer.InthissituationMary'sopinionswerevaluable,andsheshouldhavebeenabletovoicethem.Thebossmightmaketheworkingenvironmentmoreopen,toallowMaryroomtoexpressherviews.

Maryhasputhercompanyinaveryprecariousposition.Byallowingthecontractorstogoagainstherbetterjudgment,shemayhaveincurred liabilityfor thecompany. Shewasonsighttomake surethatconstructionwouldgoasexpectedandshefailedtodoso.

Whenweactinwaysthatupholdourpersonalvaluesandbeliefs,itcouldbesaidthatweareexhibitingpersonalintegrity,thatis,congruencybetweenourrhetoric(whatwesay)andouractions(whatwedo).

Theillustrationaboveisaconcreteexampleoftheverytrickyethicalminefieldofprofessionalintegrity.

Asaprofessional(i.e.,Junior/SeniorStructuralEngineer,BridgeEngineer,ConstructionEngineer,AerospaceEngineer,GeotechncialEngineer)youwillfacecomplexethicaldilemmaslikethisonaregularbasisandyouwillbeexpectedtobeabletoproblemsolvethroughthemanddo“therightthing”and,whenyoumakeyourchoiceofaction,bewillingtobeheldaccountableforwhateverconsequencescomeaboutasaresultofyourdecision.

Thistypeofprofessionalintegrityiscriticallyimportantforallprofessions,butperhapsforno professionsmore thanthoseheldbyuniversitygraduatesandthosethatservesocietyinsomeway(and,Iwouldargue, ALLprofessionsservesociety - lookatthefinancialprofessionandhowthathasNOTservedsocietywellinthelastcoupleofyears).

WhatdoesthismeanforYOUasanundergraduate?Youareaprofessional‐in‐training.

Forexample,inSE1,wearenotsimplytryingtoteachyoumechanics,materials,analysis,anddesignconcepts,butwaysofthinking,acting,andproblem‐solving.

So,whatyoulearninSE1andyourotherengineeringclasseshasDIRECTrelationtoyourfutureprofessions ‐ nomatterwhatyouaregoingtobedoing. Justsomeexamplesofthelearningoutcomesare:

1.Anabilitytofunctioninmultidisciplinaryteams

2.Anabilitytoidentify,formulate,andsolveengineeringproblemsthroughcriticalthinking

3.Anunderstandingofprofessionalandethicalresponsibility

4.Anabilitytocommunicateeffectivelywithwritten,oral,andvisualmeans

5.The broadeducationnecessary to understand theimpactofengineeringsolutionsinaglobalandsocietalcontext

6.Arecognitionoftheneedforandanabilitytoengageinlife‐longlearning

7.Aknowledgeofcontemporaryissues

8.Anabilitytousemodernengineeringtechniques,skills,andcomputingtoolsnecessaryforengineeringpractice

HopefullythisinformationhelpsyouseehowyoucanengageinSE1andyourengineeringclassesasusefullearningexperiences - theyarehelpingyouprepareforyourfutureprofessionasanEngineer!

Indeed,beingastudentwithintegrityispreparationforyourfutureprofession.Infact,thinkofbeingastudentasyourprofessionatthistime.Beingastudentisyourjob,andjustlikeotherjobsorprofessions,ithastenetsforprofessionalintegrity.Thismeansthatsometimesyouwillbeexpectedtoconductyour work (e.g., youracademicassignments,labs,tests)accordingtostandardswithwhichyoumaydisagree.

Forexample,althoughyoumayprefertohavea“cheatsheet”whenyoutakeexams,youknowthatyouarenotpermittedtodosounlessdesignatedbytheinstructor.Thus,sneakingina“cheatsheet”toanexamwouldbeconsideredaviolationofyourprofessionaloracademicintegrity.Whyisthis?Well,firstitisamatteroffairness.Whyshouldyougettouseacheatsheetifnooneelsedoes?Thisiswhatwecall“anunfairadvantage.”Second,it isdishonest.Whenthe instructor is gradingyourexam,heor she assumesthatyou completeditwithoutassistanceandso,ifyouhadassistanceintheformofa“cheatsheet,”itisadishonestassessmentofyourindividualability.Third,itisasignofweakcharacter,ofsomeonewhoissofocusedontheends(i.e.,gettingacertaingrade)thats/heiswillingtodowhateverittakestogettheredespitetheharms/heiscausingtoselforothers.Andfrankly,wearehopingtograduatestudentsfromUCSDwhomoreoftenthannot,putthemeansBEFOREtheends!

Becauseengineering classespromoteworking togetheron assignmentsandprojects,one ofthe majorchallengesthatstudentshaveinstructuralengineeringisidentifyingandunderstandingthelinebetweencollaborationandcopying.Forexample,studentsmayworkonahomeworkassignmenttogetherbutinsteadofeachstudentworkingonalloftheproblems,theysplittheassignmentandonlydopartialproblems,copyingtherestfromtheirpeers.Anotherchallengeiswhenstudentsmustdoproblemsthatutilizeprogramming likeMatlab.Some studentsmay sitatthe computer,work on a programtogether,and then printtwo identicalcopies ofthe solution,orsomestudentsmay borrowseveralsectionsofthe scriptfromafriend ifthey areunsurehowtoprogramitthemselves.Outinthe“real-world”,professionalengineersmustbeabletocollaborateinteamsandeachmustcarrytheirownweightonaproject.Iftheygetassistance,theyacknowledgethecontributionsofeveryoneinvolved–theydonotpresentotherpeoples’workastheirown.Thetwomainethicalresponsibilitiesasastudentthattranslatetotheprofessionalcodeofethicsisthatyoudoworkonlyinyourareaofcompetence,andthatyoutakecreditforworkonlyifyoudidit.Ifyoudonotdotheassignedschoolwork,youwillnotbecomeacompetentengineer.Ifyoucopyfromyourpeers,thenitisnotyourwork.Cheatingisahabit‐ awayofgettingthrough.Yourhabitswon’tchangejustbecauseyougraduate.

So,tomaintainyourprofessionalintegrityasastudent,wesuggestthatyouapproachindividualassignmentsinthefollowingmanner:

1.Spendtimestudying.

2.AttendofficehourswhereyoucandiscussyourmisunderstandingsormistakeswithyourprofessororTAsoyoucanimprove.

3.Leaveatrailofexplanationinyourworksoyou(andothers)canfinderrorslater.Donotplugeverythingintoacalculatororcomputerprogramandexpectthattheinstructor/graderknowswherethemistakesweremade.Forallweknow,youjustcopiedtheanswerfromafriend.

4.Ifyouworktogetheronanassignment,makesureeachstudentattemptstheproblemsontheirownfirstandthendiscuss/collaboratetogettothefinalsolution.Youshouldacknowledgeonyourassignmentthepeopleyouworkedwith.

5.Ifyouworkonacomputerprogramtogether,makesureeachofyouattemptstowritethe codeseparatelyusingyourownstyle(notwocodesareeveridentical).Youcandiscussalgorithms andprocessesbutdonotcodeittogetherandprinttwocopies.Youshouldacknowledgeonyourassignmentthepeopleyouworkedwith.

6.Ifyouworkinagrouponateamproject,youcandivideresponsibilitiesIFtheprofessorencourages(asktheprofessoraboutexpectations),butmakesureeachstudentiscontributingequally.Everymemberoftheteamneedstocontributeequallyandifaparticularmemberslacksoff,itneedstobereportedsocreditcanbeproperlygiven.

7.Donotusecheatsheetsorsolutionsmanualsthatwereobtainedillegallyandnotprovidedbytheinstructor.

8.ReportanycasesofunethicalbehavioryouobservetoyourprofessororTA.

Onefinalareaintheclassroomsettinginwhichthesubjectofprofessionalintegrityarises is the issue ofattendinglecturesandreceivingcreditfordoingso.SE1willincorporatetheuseofclickersinordertoverifythateachstudentisnotonlyattendingclass,butalsothats/heistakingindividualresponsibilityforlearningandunderstandingthe readingassignmentsand lecture materialsthatare presented.Itisoverwhelminglyunderstoodthatitisdifficultforstudentstoachieveacademicsuccesswithoutregularlyattendingandbeingengagedinlectures.Falsifyingyourownattendanceandunderstanding,orthoseofafriend,(i.e.,givingyourclickertoafriendsothats/hecanclickinforyou,orviceversa)iswhollyagainstthespiritofgoodethicalbehaviorthatwewanttopromoteinourstudents,anditwillnotbetolerated. Itisimportantthateachstudent

beaccountableforeachcomponentofhisorherownlearning,justasMary,intheexampleabove,isaccountableforheractionsthroughallstepsinthedesign,construction,andfailureoftheparkingstructure.

Whyarewetellingyouallofthis?Dowethinkthatyouaredishonestpeopleorcheaters?

No, webelievethatthemajorityofourstudentsaregoodpeoplewhomakebadethicaldecisionssometimeswhentheyare:

Pressedfortime

Pressuredbyfamilymembersandotherpeopleto“succeed”

Focusedonthegradesratherthanthelearning

Doingassignmentsatthelastminute

Toodependentonotherpeopleandtheinternetfortheanswers,ratherthanself-­‐reliantandconfidentinownabilitytodothework

So,althoughwemaynothaveacampusfullof“cheaters,”wedoseemtohaveafairlysignificantproblemontheUCSDcampusstudentswhoarewillingtotaketheriskforthegradedespitethesignificantcoststheymayfaceifcaught.Weurgeyoutoconsideralloftheabovebeforeyouactsothatyoudonotbecomeoneofthe600+studentsreportedforcheatingeachyear.Inthe end,itismucheasierto explaintoyourengineeringschoolorfutureemployerwhyyougotthatCthanwhyyouweredisciplinedforcheating!

FormoreinformationaboutacademicintegrityatUCSD,pleasereadthematerialat:

LEARNINGANDUNDERSTANDINGTHEMATERIALINTHISPRIMERANDONTHEWEBSITEWILLBEUSEFULFORYOURFIRSTREADINGQUIZ!