by Joseph Grcic

Humanities/Philosophy

A private university is offered one million dollars by a private citizen on one condition, that the university hire his son as a full time instructor in a tenure track position. The son is qualified in that he has a Ph.D. from an accredited institution and is about as professionally accomplished as most of the other members of the department. Part of the interest on the one million would be used to pay his salary and the rest is to be given to needy students as scholarships. There is no commitment on the part of the university that the son will necessarily get tenure.

Questions:

If you were a member of the department in which this man would teach, how would you vote?

Is this bribery?

Is bribery always wrong?

What is wrong with bribery?

Should only the most qualified be hired after a national search?

What determines who is the most qualified?

What similarities, if any, are there between this situation and various forms of affirmative action?