Reporting Via the Hotline

Laws, regulations, policies, procedures… sometimes, it seems as though complying with all of them is more and more confusing every day. Once in a while, our own policies and procedures even appear to conflict with the laws or regulations that apply to us. Wouldn’t acting with integrity be simpler if there were a single guideline to follow in every situation – one that never became outdated?

Well, there is: Speak Up. When the right thing to do is unclear and you have questions, ask them. When you believe that another person may be doing something wrong or making a mistake, speak with somebody about it.

But who can you talk to? If you are a student, your instructor, a dean, or your advisor is your first choice. If you are a faculty or staff member, your immediate supervisor is your first choice. He or she is often the best and safest option for discussing concerns. If, however, you have tried these options or, if you believe that opening his or her door might be inappropriate in this case, you have another option. You can report ethical misconduct, other issues and concerns, or simply get more information by logging on to or by calling our Reporting System. We are at your fingertips whenever the right thing to do seems uncertain and complicated. All you have to do is contact us.

The Reporting System is confidential and easy to use. The System is operated by Global Compliance, a third-party provider, which specializes in this type of service. To report issues via the Internet, you simply log on to the website and fill in important information fields regarding the nature of your question or report. If you opt to call instead, dial the AlertLine number to speak with a live operator, who will ask those important questions. Calls are toll-free and both methods are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless which method you choose, the System will prepare a report and forward it on to the appropriate person in our organization for review and, if necessary, investigation.

You may provide your name and contact information if you wish, but in most cases it is not necessary. Instead of identifying you by name, the System will assign you a report number, a PIN and a contact date. If you think of something else or additional events occur after you’ve completed your initial report, you can call or log back in with your report number and PIN. If we need additional information from you to resolve your report, the System will ask for it then.

Doing the right thing in every situation doesn’t get much simpler than that.