Maintaining high standards of conduct and ethics is important to St. Edward University. All employees (faculty and staff), student workers, trustees, officers or key employees, are encouraged to report fraudulent or dishonest conduct (i.e., to act as a “whistleblower”) pursuant to the procedures set forth in the next section.

 

How to Report  Trustees should report any reasonable concern about fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of university resources or property to the chair of the Fiduciary Committee or the chair of the Board of Trustees. Employees, student workers and other individuals should report concerns directly to the Whistleblower Hotline Phone Number 1-866-996-4330.

 

Reports should contain enough information to substantiate the concern and allow an appropriate investigation to begin. Reports may be submitted anonymously. Appropriate action will be taken in response to reports. All reports received will be acted upon in confidence when possible given legal requirements and the need to gather facts, conduct an effective investigation, and take necessary corrective action.

 

Reasonable care will be taken in dealing with suspected misconduct to avoid baseless allegations, premature notice to persons suspected of misconduct, disclosure of suspected misconduct to persons not involved with the investigation and violations of a person’s rights under the law.

 

Whistleblower Protection  The university will use its best efforts to protect whistleblowers against retaliation. Whistleblower complaints will be handled with sensitivity, discretion and confidentiality to the extent allowed by the circumstances and the law. Whistleblowers who believe that they have been retaliated against for reporting an activity, which that person reasonably believes to be fraudulent or dishonest, may file a written complaint about such retaliation with the vice president of financial affairs, the president, the chair of the fiduciary committee or the chair of the Board of Trustees. Any complaint of retaliation, including but not limited to, threats of physical harm, loss of job, punitive work assignments, or reduced salary or wages, will be promptly investigated and corrective action taken, where allegations are substantiated. This protection from retaliation is not intended to prohibit managers or supervisors from taking action, including disciplinary action, in the usual scope of their duties based on valid performance-related factors, nor is it intended to preclude disciplinary action against individuals who report baseless allegations.