Commissioner of Personnel Rolando Torres Jr.

New Jersey Commissioner of Personnel Rolando Torres Jr. urged Rider University students to become part of the solution when it comes to ethically transforming the way state government officials conduct daily business. Torres delivered the address, “Is There an Ethical Status Quo with N.J. Elected Officials?,” on October 25 in the Bart Luedeke Theater. His talk was the first of a series of lectures this academic year sponsored by Rider’s Leadership Development Program. An attorney and trained mediator, Torres is an expert in civil rights and workplace issues.

Students from the Leadership Development Program, political science, human resources management, history and sociology departments were among those in attendance. “It is clear that political participation in this state is not as vibrant as it could be,” said Torres. “Is it due to public apathy and mistrust? There is a public fiduciary trust that must be maintained.”

Torres encouraged educators to play a leading role in helping to promote change by further incorporating ethics courses into their curricula across the board. “It’s important to expand the dialogue that explores the outer limits of right and wrong,” he said. “We can’t leave it solely to government to solve these issues. These are multidimensional issues that require constant attention.”

At Rider, the philosophy, business and communication departments all offer courses in ethics. “I was delighted that Commissioner Torres addressed such an important issue with our students,” said Dr. Marc Wallace, director of Rider’s Leadership Development Program. “The goal of our speakers’ series is to expose students to leadership-related issues across various sectors, including education and the not-for-profit sector. I encourage Rider students in all majors to take some of these courses and become a part of our program.”

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