Keywords
Applied Learning, Ethical Implications in Education, Career-Ready Skills, Incentives, Faculty-led Consulting Projects
Abstract
This study explores the ethical and educational implications of integrating classroom-based student assignments with faculty members' externally compensated business ventures outside of the educational institution. It examines both student and faculty perspectives on the practice, focusing on the potential benefits and ethical challenges of involving students in faculty-led, for-profit activities. The study challenges the assumption that faculty engagement in personal business ventures should exclude student involvement due to ethical concerns. Findings suggest that faculty members often view this integration as an ethically sound practice, while students perceive participating in these opportunities as beneficial to their professional development. The research sheds light on the complex ethical landscape of faculty integrating classroom curriculum with externally compensated business activities and offers strategies for balancing student learning outcomes with the professional interests of faculty. An exploration of incentives that motivate students to participate is also analyzed and discussed.
Recommended Citation
Grayson, K. C., Davis, K., & Garner, P. (2025). When Faculty Profit: The Ethics of Student Involvement. Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology, 25(1), 67. Retrieved from https://openspaces.unk.edu/mpjbt/vol25/iss1/5
Date Accepted
15 July 2025
Date Submitted
12 January 2024
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