At Wagner, a lesson in 'How to be Good'

Some 65 Wagner College students and faculty members undoubtedly are better people today for having attended yesterday's hourlong seminar How to Be Good.

Randy Cohen, ethics columnist for The New York Times Magazine, imparted his insights in a mostly humorous presentation that focused on such practical issues as curbing your dog, cell-phone etiquette on the bus and going to someone's aid in public. A question-and-answer period followed.

Cohen visited the Grymes Hill campus at the invitation of Dr. Devorah Lieberman, Wagner's provost and vice president of academic affairs.

She began reading Cohen's column, The Ethicist, several years ago and uses it as a springboard to family discussions about honorable conduct and getting people to behave well, Dr. Lieberman said.

So I thought, this would be a great way for students to experience something similar, she said. I think that having someone with this national reputation come talk to students makes them want to think about these things more deeply themselves.

Cohen said he was honored to share his ethical insights. It was a real treat, he said. It's one of the real benefits and pleasures of my job.

I don't know if you can transform someone in an hour -- the most you can hope for is to maybe give them a little bit of fresh ways to think about these kinds of questions, Cohen said.

Freshman Danielle Tatusko, 18, lauded the program. I enjoyed it a lot, it was very humorous and I agree a lot with what he had to say about how your surroundings affect your character, she said.

Some professors said they plan to incorporate some of Cohen's points into their lectures.

Dr. Sarah Donovan, assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies, said she encourages her students to read Cohen's weekly column because he has a really nice way of making it down-to-earth and dealing with everyday issues that students may be interested in.

But nineteen-year-old Margarita Javoroncov was ambivalent. I think he was representing a certain viewpoint, and I see the validity of his viewpoint, but I believe there are more dimensions to this idea than he is proposing, the Wagner junior said.

Sametta M. Thompson is a news reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at thompson@siadvance.com.