Centers and Institutes

As part of Baruch College's annual Ethics Week, the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity is proud to welcome Stephanie Cuba for an event titled “Navigating Professional Growth and Workplace Best Practices.” This event will explore the intersection of professional development and workplace hygiene. Professional development refers to the continuous process of acquiring skills, knowledge, and experience to enhance one's career growth and effectiveness in the workplace. This includes communication skills, leadership abilities, networking, and adapting to industry trends. Workplace hygiene involves the standards and behaviors that contribute to a professional, respectful, and efficient work environment. This encompasses everything from organizational skills and professional communication to ethical decision-making and workplace etiquette. While the primary focus of this talk will be on the best practices for professional growth and workplace conduct, the discussion will also touch on the ethical implications of these practices. By the end of the event, attendees will walk away with actionable strategies for navigating the challenges that arise in the pursuit of career excellence.

Join Professor Casandra Silva Sibilin (York College) and the Baruch Center for Teaching & Learning for a conversation on the impact of AI on our pedagogies. Students are going to be living and working in an increasingly AI-infused world. Our pedagogies should evolve to address this new reality. What does such a pedagogy look like? What current pedagogical practices should we re-evaluate, and which ones should we reinscribe? How can we rethink the teacher-student relationship, as well as our and students' relationship to knowledge? All are welcome to join us in this timely discussion.

This event explores the research and practice of grassroots organizations that combine a public charity with a social welfare organization to engage in community organizing, policy change, and political action. We will share findings from a recent research study about the opportunities and challenges of grassroots multi-entity organizations and hear lessons from leaders of Down Home North Carolina, a grassroots organization that is building power with poor and working-class people in North Carolina's small towns and rural communities.

Social workers and nonprofit practitioners face challenges when advocating for people living in poverty. Join us for this public event to learn about advocacy strategies developed in close collaboration with communities facing discrimination, racism, and poverty that can encourage policymakers to listen and act. Featuring Peter Raeymaeckers, Professor of Social Work and Sociology, the University of Antwerp.

Corporate leaders encounter significant challenges when addressing public debates on contentious topics. They must strike a balance between the pressures to speak out or remain silent while navigating the polarized nature of today's discourse and the powerful, diverse interests of shareholders, employees, consumers, and civil society groups. Join the Robert Zicklin Center for a talk featuring Lawrence Cunningham, Director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. Mr. Cunningham will argue that corporate leaders should adopt a pragmatic approach rather than adhering to a fixed or ideological stance on whether to take public positions. He will emphasize evaluating the specific context and circumstances of each situation. By drawing on the history and law of corporate governance, as well as practical experience, Cunningham will demonstrate that the best strategy for each board and CEO will vary based on the unique characteristics of their corporation, its leadership, its shareholder base, its workforce, the markets it serves, and how these factors interact with public debates.

Mitsui Lunch-Time Forum No. CLXXI

Through a wave of innovative experimentation with worker cooperatives and closely related enterprise models, social and community entrepreneurs are including more workers in the economy. This event will feature a review of developments in the field from local experts, and include insights and actionable strategies for leaders in the non-profit, public, and higher education sectors interested in using these approaches to maximize their social impact.

Mitsui Lunch-Time Forum No. CLXIX

How can mission-driven organizations improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices? A non-profit C-suite executive and board leader will review a range of DEI-related problems, solutions, and ongoing challenges, followed by Q&A.

Ray Spitzley is a Vice Chairman in Morgan Stanley's Investment Banking Divi- sion and Co-Heads the Firm's Energy Transition banking efforts. Based in New York, Mr. Spitzley has 40 years of experience working with leading power, utility and energy companies with corporate and asset based financings and mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. From 1993-2001 Mr. Spitzley was based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney and also worked on a number of privatizations for governments in Australia, China, Hong Kong. Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since moving back to New York in 2001, Mr. Spitzley has focused the majority of his work serving clients in North America, with a particular focus on conventional and renewable generation as well as utility M&A. More recently, with the passage of the IRA and its numerous incentives for decarbonization, he is spending his time helping developers raise capital for a range of energy transition projects including carbon capture and underground storage (CCUS), green ammonia and hydrogen, low/zero carbon methanol, gasoline. and jet fuel, and renewable natural gas. He also works with a number of companies involved in the manufacture and/or implementation of fuel cells, battery electric storage systems and other "clean tech" applications. Mr. Spitzley is a graduate of Denison University and holds a Masters in Public and Private Management from Yale University.

Join Baruch College's Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity for an in-depth exploration of the benefits and drawbacks of the forthcoming implementation of congestion pricing in New York City. This program aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of congestion pricing's potential impact on mobility, sustainability, pollution, social equity, and the urban economy.

Baruch has long educated generations of talented and hungry strivers, students who understand hard work, and are forged from humble beginnings. George Roach is no exception. After earning a business degree from the Zicklin School of Business in 1971, George was poised to accept a marketing ang and sales position in Ohio, but after meeting someone special (his wife, Maria), he was determined to remain in New York. Through a friend, he quickly landed a competing offer for a higher salary that allowed him to stay in New York City, where he learned the sales and manufacturing business. That serendipitous turn of events led him to create his own firm, GER Industries, in 1973. Specializing in fine architectural millwork, ornamental metal. as well as furniture, fixtures and equipment for construction. GER Industries has maintained manufacturing facilities internationally, first in Canada and currently in Vietnam, along with its offices and woodworking site in New Rochelle. From over 50 years of business cycles, including the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, George will share his observations on what it takes to start and thrive in the ever-changing global environment.

Viktor Bunin leads the Protocol Specialist team at Coinbase Cloud, the largest staking infrastructure provider. He is the industry's first Protocol Specialist, a role he created as an early employee of Bison Trails (acquired by Coinbase) that has now become an industry staple at organizations like al6z and Blockdaemon. Viktor is also the co-founder of Credibly Neutral, a venture fund invest- ing in protocols, infrastructure, and crypto SaaS. He graduated Baruch College with double majors of Economics and Psychology from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Lisa, son Sasha, and dog Korra.

How do you make the transition to a leadership role at a nonprofit? What skills are most needed to be an executive director, and what challenges should you expect working with boards and managing a staff? Join this insightful panel discussion, featuring three Baruch alumni and moderated by Barbara Paxton, director of BoardStrong, to tackle these topics and more.

Lee Dittmar has been a highly sought-after advisor to executives and directors from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups for four decades. He is known for his ability to parse through complex problems, systems, and processes, and develop practical solutions. He is a well-known expert in governance, risk management and compliance, analytics, business transformation, advanced technology, and strategy development. He served some of Deloitte's largest clients and managed many large technology-enabled transformation projects. He established the Enterprise Governance consulting practice and helped to launch the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance. After retiring from Deloitte in 2015, Lee relaunched his own firm, Business Solutions, Inc., and continued to advise clients around the world. Lee earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Drexel, 1975) and a Master of Business Administration (Wharton, 1986). Lee has been a guest lecturer at several universities, including Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and University of Richmond.

"Join us on Thursday, November 16, for an engaging panel discussion at Baruch College that delves into the intriguing and multifaceted topic of “College Athletes as Employees.” This event promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of the college athlete rights movement, addressing both the monetary opportunities for young athletes and its implications for social justice. Our panel of esteemed experts and advocates will examine the evolving landscape of college athletics. The discussion will cover the following key areas: Monetary Opportunities: Explore the changing dynamics of college sports and the growing debate surrounding the compensation and financial benefits available to student-athletes. Social Justice: Delve into the broader implications of the college athlete rights movement and how it relates to issues of social justice, equity, and the intersection of sports and society."

Mr. Robert I. Lipp joined Stone Point Capital in 2009 and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Stone Point, Mr. Lipp served as a Director and Senior Advisor to JPMorgan Chase where he focused on international consumer banking and senior-level executive management development. He is the former Chairman and Chief Executive of Citigroup's Global Consumer Group, as well as a former Vice Chairman of Citigroup. Following his tenure at Citigroup, Mr. Lipp led the spin-off from Citigroup and the initial public offering of Travelers Property Casualty Corp., which at the time was the largest insurance industry IPO in U.S. history. He subsequently served as Chairman and CEO of Travelers Property Casualty Company until its merger with The St. Paul Companies, Inc. Mr. Lipp previously served on the Board of Directors at Accenture from 2001-2012. Mr. Lipp attended (and received an honorary degree from) Williams College. He graduated from Williams in 1960. He received his M.B.A. at Harvard University and his J.D. at New York University.

Wilson Liu, Chairman of ETAO International Group (Nasdaq: ETAO), is a two- time Baruch graduate with an M.S. in Computer Information Systems ('97), and an M.S. in Accounting ('03). Prior to founding ETAO, Mr. Liu was the founder and President of WHSP Capital, served as the CFO of Apollo Solar Energy (ASOE). He co-founded Beijing CSII (300663) in 1999, a leading fintech company in China with over 400 large, medium and small banks as its customers. With more than 20 years of Wall Street experience in investment and finance management, he also has the distinction of being the first American Chinese regulator at the New York Stock Exchange. Earlier in his career, he held technical, consulting and auditing positions at JP Morgan Chase, NYSE, Reuters, PWC, Citibank and Morgan Stanley. Mr. Liu is a serial entrepreneur with proven leadership as a doer, speaker and thought leader. He has written over 5,000 Chinese classical poems and 9 books in the past 10 years in thinking patterns, numerology and psychology, philosophy and comparative religions study.

This online event provides a forum to discuss about virtual or hybrid team leaderships for nonprofit organizations in order to increase team trust, bonding, cohesion, and conflict management. Including in the panel are presenters and experts from non-profit sectors, Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeiiken, Principal Consultant of Five Oaks Consulting and Ahmed Hachelaf, Peace & Conflict Education Specialist of Generations For Peace. The program is introduced by George Mitchell. 

This presentation explores the role of transnational advocacy and international organizations in international relation.  The lecture is presented by Nina Hall and based on her volume: Transnational advocacy in the Digital Era.   The program is introduced by George Mitchell.

This presentation discusses the dimensions of a new paradigm for management of nonprofit organizations based on building resilience and navigating crises to ensure future viability and effectiveness.  Presenters Dennis R. Young and Elizabeth A.M. Searing offer talks based on their book: Resilience and The Management of Nonprofit Organizations.   The program is introduced by George Mitchell. 

The main theme of this Zoom event is to provide joint conversations with Baruch alumni nonprofit leaders which include the following speakers: Donna Frisby-Greenwood (MPA'96), Ciara Ginyard (MPA'12), Jenny Lai (MPA '17), Steven Raga (MPA '16), and Pinky Vincent. The moderator of today's program is Barbara Paxton.     This program starts with brief introduction by Janet Rossbach, Director of Alumni Relations, as well as brief talk by Dean Sherry Ryan from Marxe School, and George Mitchell.

This online event provides a forum to be engaged with audiences on revisiting and updating the knowledge of how NGOs conduct advocacy on international issues. Presenters Christopher A. Pallas and Elizabeth A. Bloodgood focus on issues related to NGO draw on their recently published volume entitled:  Beyond the Boomerang: From Transnational Advocacy Networks to Transcalar Advocacy in International Politics. The program starts with brief introduction provided by George Mitchell.

This online event provides a forum to discuss about international nongovernmental organizations. Including in the panel are presenters from non-profit sectors and NGO, Ido Lotan and Matthew Aubry. The program is introduced by the co-hosts George Mitchell and Barbara Paxton with Barbara Paxton from BoardStrong to provide nonprofit board training, consultation, and educational resources.

This online event provides a forum to examine the rise of new actors in the international development world: volunteer-driven grassroots international nongovernmental organizations. Presenter Allison Schnable focuses on issues related to NGO drawn from her book entitled:  Amateurs without Borders: The Aspirations and Limits of Global Compassion The program is introduced by George Mitchell and a Q&A session follows the lecture. 

The 163rd Mitsui USA Lunchtime Forum was held on Tuesday, April 18th  with speaker Lawrence Fannin, Director of Trade Compliance and Export Commissioner, Americas Carl Zeiss, Inc. The title of the presentation is “A Day in the Life of International Business.” 

Moderated by David Rosenberg, Professor from the Center for Corporate Integrity at Zicklin School of Baruch College, this lecture focuses on the new OpenAI's  ChatGPT. Last November 2022, OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT, a free chatbot that creates text using AI technology. ChatGPT demonstrates remarkable abilities, such as passing exams from law, business, and medical schools and its text-generation capabilities have also been used for simpler tasks such as to writing Shakespearean sonnets, discussing complicated topics, and composing heartfelt love songs. As the hype around ChatGPT continues to grow, new ethical concerns are emerging about the development and use of AI tools. In the chat, Professor Yafit Lev-Aretz and Professor Nizan Packin discuss the current state of ethics in artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the importance of responsible AI in today's society. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in the discussion, ask questions, and share their own experiences and perspectives on the ethical considerations of ChatGPT.

Moderated by Myung-Soo Lee, Director of Weissman Center for International Business and Professor of Marketing and international Business at Zicklin School of Business, the speaker for today's lecture is Seth Besmertnik, former Baruch student and now company CEO, who attends Baruch's the 161st Baruch Mitsui-Lunch Form. Mr. Besmertnik shares his successful career experiences on how he learned from failure to build his 500 million dollars business within two decades.

Moderated by David Rosenberg, Professor from the Center for Corporate Integrity at Zicklin School of Baruch College, this lecture focuses on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) elements on corporate finance.  The concept of ESG has been embraced widely by corporate investors and financial professionals as a way of more closely aligning capital markets with human values. In the lecture, Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance at NYU Stern School of Business, speaks about corporate finance in relation to the climate change and its ethical implications of portfolio choices. 

Moderated by David Rosenberg, Professor from the Center for Corporate Integrity in Zicklin School, Baruch College, this lecture provides an overview of free-market principles and economic liberalization and invites two expert speakers reflecting and introducing the contemporary economic environment and development in China and Africa.  Siyuan Song, Professor at Northwest University, Xi'an, China, presents the topic: Conflict between economic development & environment protection of China from 1973 to today and Elias T. Ayuk, Independent Researcher and Consultant on environmental issues in Africa, presents the topic: From a social science to operate to a sustainable development license to operate: the imperative for environmental stewardship. 

Moderated by Bonnie Mann Falk, Quality Control Partner in Berdon, the part of this Conference includes experts in corporate cost and quality management. They include Ahava Goldman, Associate Director of AICPA, Jeff Rapaglia, Partner of FORVIS and member of ASB, and Wendy Stevens, Partner in Mazars USA and Board Member of IAASB.

Moderated by Brandon Lock, Baruch Assistant Professor in Accounting, the panel includes accounting experts in data analytics and advanced auditing techniques. They include Helen Brown-Liburd from Rutgers University, Mary Grace Davenport, Partner of PWC, and Ian Wildenborg, Partner of KPMG.

Moderated by Susan Jones, Accounting Professor at Baruch College and Director of Global Services Center on Audit Methodology & Implementation in KPMG, the program covers accounting experts discussing about the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) of the international accounting standards. The speakers are Ami Beers, Senior Director of AICPA, Nigel James from U.S. SEC, Natalie Klonaridis, Director of IAAS Board, Alyssa Rade, Chief Sustainability Officer from Sustain Life, and Amy Steele, Partner of Deloitte.

Moderated by David Rosenberg from the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity, the program starts with Professor Rosenberg introducing David Gelles, author of the book:  The Man who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America and How to Undo His Legacy. Gelles speaks about Jack Welch, the man who made impact on corporate America and how to teach students the lessons drawn from Jack relating businesses and stakeholders affected by his conduct, and eventually develops a new approach about American capitalism.

It has long been clear that the successful distribution of effective vaccines worldwide is our best hope for ending the Covid-19 pandemic. The extremely effective vaccines were mostly developed through the collaboration of for-profit pharmaceutical companies and the governments of several rich nations. By now, most well-off industrialized states have inoculated substantial percentages of their populations, but dozens of poorer countries have woefully inadequate supplies of vaccines and, without some kind of outside assistance, cannot come close to reaching the kind of numbers that will put an end to the disease. In the meantime, the pandemic is out of control in much of the world and, as a result, persists in even the most affluent countries as well. While the US and other governments have donated over 1 billion doses to countries in crisis, billions more are still needed. Many organizations advocating for fairer distribution of health care have argued for the waiver of patent rights to the vaccines so that poor countries could begin to manufacture them on their own. Nonetheless, adhering to a long-standing tradition that protects the intellectual property rights of companies that develop new medical technologies, the US and other nations have so far been reluctant to share the scientific know-how to make this possible. Further, even if the patent rights were waived, poorer countries would likely need additional assistance in building the manufacturing infrastructure to satisfy the demand. The Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity at Baruch College is pleased to host an online conversation with Dr. Arthur Caplan, one of the world's leading medical ethicists, to discuss how the rich countries of the world should respond to the vaccine shortfall around the world from both an ethical and practical point of view. Dr. Caplan will be interviewed by Baruch College Management Professor Alex Mills who will bring his expertise in operations and supply chains into the discussion as well.

Zoombombing, Cambridge Analytica, AI bias, misinformation, hate speech…when tech companies and researchers come under fire, people wonder: why are they not thinking about potential harms? Unintended consequences of technology are a significant social issue, and when we “move fast and break things” it's ethical considerations that often get pushed to the side. Like technical debt, the implied cost of future bug fixes when we rush to release technology, ethical debt is what we accumulate when we don't consider ethical and social implications during the design process. How can we help technologists speculate about the future? Also how might we understand real impacts of technological harms on everyone, and give everyone the knowledge and tools to be more critical of technology? Join the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity on March 1, 2022 as we welcome Casey Fiesler for a moderated discussion with Professor Yafit Lev-Aretz, Director of the Robert Zicklin Center's Program on Tech Ethics.

The federal legislation known as The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) outlawed sports betting throughout the United States except in Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana. In 2018, after years of frustration among other states that wanted to legalize sports gambling within their borders, the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA – holding that the PASPA violated the anti-commandeering doctrine of the 10th Amendment. This decision opened the doors for many other states to begin licensing sports gambling operators. Last month, New York became the latest state to legalize online sports gambling – a decision that has been praised by libertarians and sports gambling operators alike, meanwhile criticized by certain other groups. Join the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 12:30 PM as Baruch College law professor Marc Edelman – our Director of Sports Business Ethics – leads a discussion with Professor Alicia Jessop of Pepperdine University, Professor John Holden of Oklahoma State University, Professor Keith Miller of Drake University and Jim Maney, Executive Director of the New York Council on Problem Gambling, on the law and ethics of legal sports gambling in New York.

"Through an astonishingly successful collaboration between private industry and government, for nearly a year we have had several safe and effective vaccines that provide significant protection against severe illness or death from covid-19 for those who receive the jab. Yet because of vaccine hesitancy, the virus continues to spread, hospitalizing and killing thousands and preventing a return to normalcy in communities throughout the country. At this stage, the single most compelling public health policy question is how to make everyday human interactions safe while millions continue to reject or avoid inoculation. One obvious answer, of course, is vaccine mandates. This panel will address whether governments may mandate vaccines and whether private businesses and other entities may legally and ethically require proof of vaccination for those with whom they interact. The panel's focus will be on recent rules and legislation that promulgate or prohibit vaccine mandates and court cases interpreting the civil liberty and legal implications of such measures. We will also discuss various strategies government and employers can use – short of mandates – to “nudge” their citizens and employees to get vaccinated. "

As of July 1, 2021, 130 countries have agreed to a proposed Global Minimum Corporate Tax (GMCT). Successful implementation of such a standard will close loopholes that have allowed large multinational companies to avoid paying taxes even in countries in which they do substantial business. According to some estimates, a GMCT would help governments recover between 100-240 billion dollars annually in taxes that companies have avoided paying through complicated tax avoidance schemes. While a final practical set of rules is still under negotiation, the framework of an agreement is in place. Join the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity virtually on September 2nd as we welcome a panel of experts who will discuss the recent progress that has been made toward a GMCT, the prospects for its success and the implications it will have on economies worldwide.

North American sports teams are rife with Native American themed nicknames, mascots and logos. Many Americans don't think twice about this fact. For many others, these team names and associated imagery are an added insult in the cruel history and present struggles of our continent's indigenous people. On September 16, 2016, The Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity hosted a group of experts for a program entitled “Native American Imagery in North American Sports: Fair or Foul?” to examine this very topic. Opinion was divided as to what – if any – changes should be made. Fast forward nearly four years and there appears to be a strong sentiment toward a complete reexamining the use of Native American culture in sports. What accounts for the apparent shift in opinion in recent weeks? What changes are in the works for pro-sports? What work remains to be done? How can Native Americans impact the future use of their cultural heritage going forward? On Wednesday, August 12, 2020, we will reconvene several members of our expert panel in a search for answers to these and other related questions. If you are interested civil rights, freedom of expression or the role of sports in current political activism, please consider joining us.

North American sports teams are rife with Native American themed nicknames, mascots and logos. Many Americans don’t think twice about this fact. For many others, these team names and associated imagery are an added insult in the cruel history and present struggles of our continent’s indigenous people. On September 16, 2016, The Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity hosted a group of experts for a program entitled “Native American Imagery in North American Sports: Fair or Foul?” to examine this very topic. Opinion was divided as to what – if any – changes should be made. Fast forward nearly four years and there appears to be a strong sentiment toward a complete reexamining the use of Native American culture in sports. What accounts for the apparent shift in opinion in recent weeks? What changes are in the works for pro-sports? What work remains to be done? How can Native Americans impact the future use of their cultural heritage going forward? On Wednesday, August 12, 2020, we will reconvene several members of our expert panel in a search for answers to these and other related questions. If you are interested civil rights, freedom of expression or the role of sports in current political activism, please consider joining us.