Whistleblower Hotline
Overview

UC ANR is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its mission.  Accordingly, members of the UC ANR community are strongly encouraged to report all known or suspected improper governmental activities (IGAs) under the provisions of UC’s Policy on Reporting and Investigating Allegations of Suspected Improper Governmental Activities (Whistleblower Policy).  Managers and persons in supervisory roles are required to report allegations presented to them and to report suspected IGAs that come to their attention in the ordinary course of performing their supervisory duties.

If members of the UC ANR community—academic appointees, staff, and the public—have concerns about possible improper activities that may place UC at risk, UC encourages them to discuss their concerns with supervisors, managers, or unit heads.  However, sometimes individuals would prefer an alternative avenue for reporting concerns that allows anonymity.  To provide that option, the hotline can be used to field calls about compliance on an anonymous basis and relay concerns back to the appropriate office for review and, when necessary, action.

The hotline is designed to respond to a range of concerns including the following.

  • Child / Elder Abuse
  • Conflict of Interest / Commitment
  • Discrimination / Harassment
  • Fraud / Theft / Embezzlement
  • Health / Safety / Violence
  • Information Security / Privacy Violations
  • Medical Care & Misconduct
  • Research Misconduct
  • Retaliation
  • Sexual Misconduct
  • Waste / Misuse of University Resources
  • Workplace Misconduct
    Bullying; coercion, employee dishonesty; employee lack of integrity and / or dishonesty; failure to follow rules or policy; inappropriate or illegal supervisor directive; nepotism or favoritism; policy violations, sabotage or vandalism, student misconduct against University faculty or staff; substance abuse on University property; wrongful discipline or discharge; other human resource matter.

Reporting parties, including managers and supervisors, will be protected from retaliation for making such a report under UC’s Policy for Protection of Whistleblowers from Retaliation and Guidelines for Reviewing Retaliation Complaints (Whistleblower Protection Policy).

Principles

To ensure that the UC ANR community can report concerns anonymously, UC has engaged an outside firm to operate a 24-hour “hotline” (Toll-free 800-403-4744).  A secure, web-based reporting option is also available: here.  Trained personnel receive the calls, which may be reported without personal identification.  Reports are forwarded to the appropriate UC ANR unit or program, for example, to the Controller's Office.  A thorough review is conducted to evaluate the initial complaint.  Once a report has been assigned a case number, the information is then referred to the appropriate unit for investigation and/or other action.

The hotline is not intended to replace or interfere with normal reporting, supervision, or management information processes, procedures, or protocols.  Reporting information to the hotline does not substitute for, or constitute action that causes a time period specified in an existing UC policy or procedure to begin.  Operation of the hotline supplements, but does not supersede, existing policy or procedures.

Resources and Background Information

For more information contact the Policies, Compliance, and Programmatic Agreements Director.