WORKPLACE ETHICAL LAPSES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Abstract

Workplace ethics in universitiesserves as moral compass that guides the activities of academic and non-academic staff for quality service delivery. Based on this premise, this paper identified and described some ethical issues/lapses in Nigerian universities. The Paper touched on the definition of ethics and professional ethics. It also addressed the issues of ethical lapses and burden in the universitiesin Nigeria today. These included issues of indiscriminate absence from classes and nonavailability for project supervision, non-enforcement of class attendance, late commencement of lectures and non-completion of course outline, setting of difficult tests and examinations, gratification and sexual harassment, campus prostitution, cultism, drug/substance abuse, examination malpractice, favoured marking and deceitful recording/substitution of scripts, admission syndicates and racketeering, non-utilization of TETFund grants and falsifying research data/plagiarism. The paper noted that there are ethical standards that are to be upheld by academics for career progression. It was concluded that, upholding ethical standards is not just a matter of compliance but a fundamental aspect of a fulfilling and successful academic career. The paper recommended that to check unethical behavior in universities, administrators should engage in intenseawareness campaigns within the university community.