Coming to Notre Dame in the middle of a pandemic was, well, interesting. But it was a homecoming for me. I earned my undergraduate degree in liberal studies from Notre Dame. I also attended a summer hockey camp at ND when I was 9. I fell in love. I resolved to be the first person in my family to go to college, and Notre Dame was the only option. As an undergrad here, I met my future wife, Katie, (who was a finance major), I studied abroad my sophomore year in Innsbruck, Austria, and I had some of the best experiences of my life.

I went on to get a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Chicago, where I wrote my dissertation on Adam Smith’s moral theory — leading to a career that explored the disciplines of moral philosophy, 18th-century “classical” liberalism, the history of economic thought and, eventually, business ethics.

I have been amply blessed in my life, and the opportunity to join the faculty of Mendoza is, for me, the highest honor and greatest privilege I have had in my professional career. It is also a great responsibility. Notre Dame has a mission that goes beyond scholarly excellence. The words of Notre Dame’s mission statement resonate deeply with me: “The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic academic community of higher learning, animated from its origins by the Congregation of Holy Cross.” The statement continues: “As a Catholic university, one of its distinctive goals is to provide a forum where, through free inquiry and open discussion, the various lines of Catholic thought may intersect with all the forms of knowledge found in the arts, sciences, professions, and every other area of human scholarship and creativity.”

As a member of the faculty of Notre Dame, I believe I am called every day to ask whether I am giving my all to its mission — not just as an excellent university, but as an excellent Catholic university, with all the duties, responsibilities, obligations … and joy that that entails.

I have recently been asked to serve as the faculty director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership. In this capacity, I am privileged to build on the outstanding foundation laid by its previous director, Chris Adkins, and to work with its outstanding team, associate director Brett Beasley and administrative assistant Deb Coch. Chris’s are big shoes to fill, and the challenge to maintain, and even expand, the work of Chris and his team is daunting. But I welcome the challenge and look forward to working with the Center and its team.

In the coming months, you will hear from the Deloitte Center about programs and activities we are planning. I hope you will join us and even contribute. Thanks primarily to Brett and Deb, you will also continue to get the Center’s regular newsletters and dispatches, containing links to and discussions of cutting-edge research and scholarship that reflect the dynamic field of business ethics. We welcome your suggestions about speakers to invite, in-residence scholars to host, conferences to organize, research to support, and programs to sponsor.

I thank Martijn Cremers and Ken Kelley for this opportunity. I thank Chris for all he has done to set up the Center for success. I thank Brett and Deb for their continuing and dedicated service. And I thank all of you — my Mendoza colleagues — for welcoming me and entrusting me with the honor of joining you and serving Our Lady’s University.

In Notre Dame,

Jim Otteson
John T. Ryan Jr. Professor of Business Ethics and
Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the
Notre Dame/Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership