Prof. Andrew Cullison '01 Returning to DePauw to Lead Prindle Institute for Ethics

May 14, 2014

Andrew M. Cullison, a 2001 graduate of DePauw University who is currently associate professor of philosophy at State University of New York at Fredonia, has been appointed Phyllis W. Nicholas Director of DePauw's Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics and associate professor of philosophy.  The appointment is effective July 1. Cullison succeeds Robert M. Steele '69, who is retiring at the end of the current academic year.

"Taking on this role is an exciting mix of everything that makes me tick," says Dr. Cullison. "The Prindle Institute has the potential to be globally recognized as a model for stimulating ethical reflection in a liberal arts setting, and I can’t wait to start supporting a rich array of opportunities for students to grapple with tough ethical issues."

Dr. Cullison, who has taught at SUNY-Fredonia for seven years, was awarded this year's SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is currently the secretary-treasurer of the American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division and serves on the Association’s Board of Officers. 

According to Cullison, "Returning to DePauw is like coming home. This is where I fell in love with academia, and where I realized that engaging ethical issues could be a serious, rigorous area on inquiry. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to come back and try to inspire students the way that DePauw inspired me."

A double major in philosophy and English (writing) as an undergraduate, Andy Cullison was a member of DePauw’s first Ethics Bowl team. He has coached Ethics Bowl teams at every Institution he has been affiliated with since his time at DePauw. Cullison received his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 2006, and the title of his dissertation was "Foundational Moral Knowledge." He has published and presented articles in a wide range of philosophical areas including articles on moral perception, moral knowledge, and moral realism. He is the editor of the Continuum Companion to Epistemology, and is currently working on a book related to moral epistemology.

Created by a gift to DePauw by Janet W. Prindle '58 and opened in 2007 in the DePauw Nature Park, the Prindle Institute promotes critical reflection and constructive debate about the most important ethical questions: What is right, just, and good, and what must human beings do -- now and in the future -- to meet their moral responsibilities?

"Most ethical questions require knowledge about a wide range of academic disciplines, and that’s why it makes so much sense to have an Institute like this at a prestigious liberal arts institution," Professor Cullison states. "DePauw’s curriculum is designed to transform students into dynamic learners that can engage with any subject, a competence that you need to grapple with any serious ethical issue. Combine that education with programs and services from the Prindle Institute and DePauw becomes the total synthesis of what liberal arts education is all about."

He continues, "Much of what I envision can complement and utilize existing DePauw strengths such as the fellows programs and the honors programs. Those programs already really make DePauw stand out, and combined with the Institute, DePauw is going to be a really unique and exciting place to be in the years to come."

Learn more about the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics by clicking here.

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