Stories

But Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, drew a distinction between public-sponsored professional affiliations and memberships in groups like the Alliance, with longstanding ties to particular interest groups and a large political footprint.

“To say the least, it’s not ideal. It is taxpayer money,” Skeet said. “When joining as an individual, unless being required to do that by your job or your role — and requiring and desiring are different things — it would be better for individuals that are joining to pay for that themselves.”

Ann Skeet, senior director of Leadership Ethics, quoted in The Press Democrat.