The Dartmouth Ethics Society won the New England Regional Ethics Bowl Saturday at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.
The five-member team competed against participants from Union, Marist College, the University of Rochester and Boston College in the regional tournament. The team advanced from three preliminary rounds before being invited to Union.
Representatives of the College's team would be progressing toward a national tournament had the Council on Student Organizations not denied them funding last year, team members said.
Society member Peter Verovsek '06 said the COSO denial and its implications for this year were very disappointing.
"We had a very good team last year and would have done well at nationals this year given the opportunity," Verovsek said.
During the annual tournaments, which are sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, competing schools are ranked on a point scale for debates won and lost regarding issues based on real-life scenarios.
In the competition, teams are presented with a number of cases and ethical dilemmas. Each team studies the cases and considers arguments for both the affirmative and opposing positions.
Verovsek recalled an example from Saturday's contest, in which a Pennsylvania man complained to his doctor of an irregular heartbeat. The patient disclosed to the doctor that he consumed six to 10 beers daily, and his doctor subsequently reported that information to state authorities, citing the patient as a potential drinking-and-driving threat.
The College's ethics team had to argue the legal and ethical implications of situations like this one and others related to ethical dilemmas in modern society.
COSO's denial of funding last year prompted an outraged alumnus to write a letter of complaint to College President James Wright.
Wright responded by promising funds for the Ethics Society upon their success this year, but despite the team's qualifying at Saturday's tournament, they will not be invited to compete because they did not attend last year's national contest.
This "is additionally disappointing, since the fact that we did not go last year resulted in our not getting a spot this year," Verovsek said.
Team member Ezra Tzfadya '07 said he was frustrated given the projects COSO chose to support instead of the Ethics Society's group.
"It's frustrating that other groups get funding from COSO for less serious things like tons of free food, but when we have the chance to go to a national competition, organized and moderated by philosophy professors from across the country, we get denied," Tzfadya said.
Verovsek said he anticipates that the Ethics Society will be able to potentially participate in a national contest next year and said funding does not seem to be a repeated issue. The society is depending on the President's Office over COSO.
"We're pretty confident funding won't be a problem," Verovsek said. "I would assume [Wright's] offer still extends."
The Ethics Society analyzed a total of 12 cases in preparation for the competition this term. One particularly interesting case regarded a controversy over a call to prayer in a Detroit suburb experiencing an influx of Muslim residents, Tzfadya said.
Verovsek was one of two returning members from last year's team.
