Notre Dame Ethics Week 2026 Focuses on Tariffs

Tariffs have returned to the forefront of public debate, even as their implications for economic and political policy remain widely misunderstood. Notre Dame Ethics Week, hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, will feature a series of expert speakers examining tariffs from multiple perspectives, including their legal history and their role in global economic relations. Ethics Week takes place 12:05-1 p.m. EST, February 9-12, in Mendoza Room 134. The talks are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:

• February 9: Jimmy Gurulé, professor of law at Notre Dame; “An Attorney Looks at the Legal History of Tariffs.” Gurulé is an expert in criminal law, international criminal law, counter-terrorism law and national security law. He is the founder and director of the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic, which investigates and litigates wrongful conviction cases based on claims of actual innocence.
• February 10: Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean for the Mendoza Undergraduate and Specialized Master’s Programs; “Are Tariffs an Ethical Way to Influence the Economic Behavior of the United States’ Trade Partners?” An award-winning teaching professor of finance, Collett-Schitt’s scholarly work explores economics education, inclusive pedagogy and financial literacy.
• February 11: Robert Johnson, Brian and Jeannelle Brady Associate Professor of Economics at Notre Dame; “How Should the United States be Engaged with the Rest of the World?” Johnson is an international economist, working at the intersection of international trade and macroeconomics. His research explores how the rise of global value chains shapes trade and macroeconomic interdependence between countries.
• February 12: Steve Wrappe (BBA ’80), CPA, transfer pricing technical leader at Grant Thornton, National Tax Office, Washington, D.C.;  “Tariffs and Transfer Pricing: Viewing Both Sides of Their  Battle.” A globally recognized transfer pricing expert, Wrappe has more than 25 years of experience in transfer pricing planning, compliance and controversy for large multinational clients.

Now in its 28th year, Notre Dame Ethics Week was established to encourage the discussion of ethical matters in undergraduate and graduate business classes at Notre Dame. Ethics Week honors the legacy of John Houck, a Notre Dame management professor who authored numerous works on business ethics, including “Is the Good Corporation Dead?” Visit the Notre Dame Ethics Week website for more information.