Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy
Save the Date!
The 2026 - 2027 Regional High School Ethics Bowl will be held Saturday, January 30, 2027.
Additional information and links for teams to register will be available in September 2026 at this link.
South Florida Regional High School Ethics Bowl winner heads to the national competition!
Congratulations to Archimedean Upper Conservatory who prevailed at the Southeast Divisional Playoff in February, which advanced them to compete at the National Championship in Chapel Hill, NC. April 10 - 12, 2026. We are very proud that this exceptional team has competed at the National Championship for a second year in a row!
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Select Public Ethics Academy Fund
The Academy’s objectives are to:
- increase understanding of local government and how it functions
- promote high ethical standards in public service
- provide an informational base for more informed policy making
- develop the capacity of local officials to govern effectively
Our training programs offer instruction and discussion focusing on seven major areas:
The ethical organization: How to identify, create, and sustain it so that all relationships and transactions reflect a commitment to the highest standards and the Five Principles of Public-Service Ethics
Compliance: What you need to know and teach about government ethics laws and their interpretation and enforcement
Beyond compliance: Perceiving, avoiding, and dealing with costly and damaging accusations of legal or ethical wrongdoing including appearances of impropriety
Working with elected officials: How to deal with and stay above partisan politics and work effectively with elected officials while safeguarding your rights and prerogatives in the implementation of public policy
Conflicts of interests: Assuring that all employees know how to perceive and avoid conflicts of interest
Evaluating character and ethics in hiring and promoting employees: Issues of screening, training, and discipline to enforce high ethical standards
Improving decision-making: Strategies and models to help employees make decisions that are ethical and effective
“Best Practices in Public Sector Ethics: The Palm Beach County Ethics Partnership” by Peter Cruise
LCPEA Executive Director Peter L. Cruise presented “Best Practices in Public Sector Ethics: The Palm Beach County Ethics Partnership” at the International City/County Management Association’s Annual Conference on September 23, 2020.
The Palm Beach County Ethics Partnership
(L-R) Mark Bannon, Esq., Executive Director, PBC Commission on Ethics; Peter Cruise, Director of the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy at FAU; John Carey, PBC Inspector General; Bill Bone, Esq., LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy Advisory Board member.
LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy - Fellows
November 13, 2018
At the 12th Annual Ethics Seminar , the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy named three new Fellows: (L-R) Frank Schnidman, J.D., LL.M.; Susan M. Coughanour, FAICP; and Frank S. Palen, Esq., AICP; pictured with Peter Cruise, Academy Director; and Merrett R. Stierheim, Academy Advisory Board Chairman.
LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy - Dedication Reception
August 22, 2018
Resources
For more information regarding our services, please contact the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy office: