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Dr. Matrecia S.L. James Named Shircliff Professor of Business Ethics

Dr. Matrecia S. L. James, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Management, has been awarded the Robert T. Shircliff Professor of Business Ethics Endowed Chair. Dr. James began teaching ethics at JU in 2005 and, recently, developed and taught the “Contemporary Business Ethics course” for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree which debuted this summer.

She also teaches the undergraduate course, “Business, Ethics & Government.”

Mr. Shircliff, a former Jacksonville University Trustee, is a well-known philanthropist in the Jacksonville community. He and his wife, Carol, are very active in supporting notable causes in Jacksonville including St. Vincent’s HealthCare, the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, and the Jacksonville Symphony.

As a former chair of the JU Trustee Board, Mr. Shircliff is a proud supporter of the Davis College of Business (DCOB) which professes free enterprise and a line of successful graduates, including JU President Tim Cost ’81. The Shircliffs are greatly appreciated for their many philanthropic contributions to JU.

Dr. James said she strives to boost ethical awareness within the students which concurs with the mission and values of the DCOB.

“It is my goal to challenge our students to consider the dilemmas embedded in daily decision making,” she said. “Recognizing that every decision has ethical underpinnings and consequences can have a tremendous impact on the way business is conducted.  Therefore, I think embracing this mindset can have a profound impact on interactions and outcomes in the work environment.”

In addition to her coursework, Dr. James has developed and regularly facilitates ethics workshops for business and community leaders including Leadership Matters, a program that emphasizes leadership skills for entrepreneurial and corporate women.

Dr. James led the Davis College of Business through its initial accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in 2009 and its reaccreditation in 2014.  She received her Ph.D. in Business Administration studying Organizational Behavior and Human Resources & Behavioral Dynamics from Florida State University and her Masters of Business Education and B.S. in Business Administration from Florida A&M University.