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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2004
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By Ross Fitch
fritch@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
BSN 0746
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Ethicist Michael Josephson will be at the University of Kansas Monday to discuss ethics in the business world.
to The Nort Hall,1435
Ethics are important, and understanding ethics now will aid students' professional choices in future, said Linda Lee Davis, associate professor of journalism and ethics teacher.
"If you don't think about this while you're students, you won't be prepared to exercise your profession as ethically as you could," Davis said.
Josephson, a former law professor and founder of CHARACTER COUNTS! nationally known character education system, will moderate two panel sessions focused on ethics
JOSEPHSON
He will be speaking on ethics in society as a whole, Davis said.
"We need ethics work in our country," Davis said. "It's all about how you live."
Every company is profit-driven and would not behave ethically unless it had to, said
"Ethics cost money." Sanders said.
Val Sanders, Indianapolis, Ind., senior and business student.
The government and the customers are the main forces keeping companies in line ethically, he said. The government can impose laws requiring ethical practices and customers can vote with their feet by not buying products from unethical companies.
Kate Harper agreed that the lust for money often overrides ethics. In the professional world, people often behave according to the "it's not personal; it's business" mentality, Harper. Perry junior, said.
"It's sad," she said. "Morality
is necessary for society to function."
Sean Fresen is a former business student who left the School of Business because he thought it taught students how to use greed to get ahead. Greed shapes people's goals, he said.
"People build themselves up to be CEO," Fresen, Chicago junior, said.
Businesses' priorities need to be people, both their employees and their customers, he said.
Josephson will moderate both a luncheon panel discussion at noon on the Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive, and a 7.30 p.m. panel discussion at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas
Some of the other panelists will include Chanceellor Robert Hemenway, men's basketball coach Bill Self and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
Memorial Union.
The sessions are open to the public.
Josephson is the founder and president of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. Based in Los Angeles, the Institute works with corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and schools to provide confidential consultations, ethnic audits, keynote addresses, seminars and customized trainings, according to its Web site www.character-counts.org.
Through the Institute, Josephson founded CHARACTER COUNTS! The system reaches five million young people through the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a widespread partnership of schools and youth-serving organizations.
Tickets for the luncheon are $5 and are available from the Lawrence Journal-World office, 609 New Hampshire St.
The evening session is free, but tickets are required and are available at the Student Union Activities, box office on the fourth floor of the Kansas Memorial Union.
Captain Ribman's Meat Market, B11 New Hampshire St., is vacant during Tuesday's lunch hour. The restaurant is closing its doors to business tomorrow.
Smoking ban, less traffic grills Captain Ribman's Meat Market
Joshua Kendall /KANSAN
- Edited by Ashley Doyle
BY STEPHANIE FARLEY
starley@kansan.com
KANSEI SAST WINTER
Typically, a business' earnings are higher the second year, said Rich Davis, owner of Captain Ribman's Meat Market.
That didn't happen this year for Davis.
The Meat Market, 811 New Hampshire St., will close for good tomorrow.
The bar and grill opened on May 28, 2003, and was in its second year of business. The Meat Market replaced The Blue Jacket, which had been at that location since July 2001.
through slow times.
Davis, who is also co-creator of the Captain Ribman comic strip that appears in The University Daily Kansan, said the smoking ban was one of the factors in the Meat Market's closing. Business has been down 30 percent in sales since the ban went into effect on July 1. The percentage includes the loss of business caused by the smoking ban and the shift of business traffic to other parts of Lawrence. Davis said small businesses like his don't have deep pockets to dig into to push
"We just don't have the ability to weather the storm," Davis said.
Since the smoking ban started, Davis said he had not seen one Lawrence city commissioner come to The Meat Market and ask how the ban had affected the restaurant.
Sue Hack, the lone city commissioner who voted against the ban, said she had gone to The Meat Market since the ban began. Hack said she had asked some bar and restaurant owners how the ban had affected them.
"I hate to see someone come into Lawrence and not succeed," Hack said.
David Schauner, city commissioner, said he thought it was too early to tell how the ban had affected businesses.
No decision the commission makes is ever going to make everyone happy, and the reasons for the ban were sound, he said.
The Meat Market is not the only establishment the ban has affected.
Tanner's Bar & Grill's sales have been down by 20 to 30 percent since the ban started, said Susan Wood, day manager at Tanner's, 1540 Wakarusa Drive. Tanner's only been
open since September 2003 but Wood said she could tell a difference business.
Wood doesn't see those people anymore. The numbers have dropped and there's no other feasible cause. Wood said.
"My bar used to be lined with smokers every lunch." Wood said.
Sean Gerrity, owner of Henry T's Bar & Grill, said bar sales were initially off by 25 percent when the ban first went into effect. Henry T's, 3520 W. Sixth St., has been able to gain back some sales by
accommodating smokers by installing heaters out on the patio. The heaters cost the restaurant about $3,000 to purchase.
The root of the problem is that bars and restaurants don't really sell food and drinks, said Phil Bradley, executive director for the Kansas Licensed Beverage Association. They sell fun and ambiance.
Bradley said. Customers aren't coming into businesses and staying and when they do stay, they're not staying for very long.
People can buy food at grocery stores and alcohol at liquor stores, but they go to bars and restaurants to get the atmosphere,
The ban causes a roller coaster effect, Bradley said. When a business is losing money, staff gets cut. When staff gets cut then the service might become slower because there are fewer people. Customers will think the service is subpar and they won't come back, he said.
"If I could have a Thanksgiving wish, it would be that the city commission would be willing to work with us to find a compromise," Bradley said.
Davis said the shift of business development away from the downtown area had also affected the traffic to his business. Davis pointed to new businesses springing up around the intersection of 31st and Iowa streets as an example.
If a person wants to shop in that part of Lawrence and wants to eat something afterwards, he or she are not likely to drive all the way to downtown to eat. They're going to eat at a closer restaurant, he said.
"I absolutely love this business and I'm heartbroken that it's not
able to go forward," Davis said.
The bar at The Meat Market will be open to the public tonight and tomorrow night from 9 p.m. to around 2 a.m., or whenever people are ready to leave, Davis said. This just gives people a chance to their goodbyes.
People were already saying their goodness on Monday night.
At about 11 p.m., 20 people surrounded the bar at the Meat Market, just talking.
Valerie Hooper, Hutchinson sophomore, was one of at least 15 employees there Monday night. Hooper needed a job last summer so she interviewed with Davis for a position at the Meat Market.
Now, Hooper lost her part-time waitressing job and is looking for another after Christmas break.
Hooper got a call 8 a.m.
Monday from Davis saying the
restaurant was closing. She said
she loved the Meat Market
because everyone got along.
"It hasn't settled in yet," Hooper said.
Davis said the goodbyes were just as difficult for him.
"I'm going to miss these guys." Davis said.
Edited by Neil Mulka