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The ÎçÒ¹Ó°Ôº System is committed to institutional accountability, transparency and the protection of students, faculty, staff, patients and visitors. As an organization, we strive to promote and foster a ‘speak up’ culture that will make our institution a better place to live, learn and work. 

We encourage those who see activity that they believe could be unethical, a violation of a law or regulation, or a violation of University policy to report that activity using one of the methods below. 

If you witness, personally experience, or suspect unacceptable or unethical behavior anywhere in the UM System, we expect you to report it. It is important that you provide as many details or as much information as you can about the incident you are reporting, so that we can fully address your concerns. Reports submitted without sufficient details may not be able to be adequately investigated. 

Understand Options for Reporting 

Behaviors that may warrant reporting include, but are not limited to, inappropriate financial behavior, waste, fraud or abuse, conflicts of interest, unethical conduct, and violations of laws, rules, regulations, University policies or our Code of Conduct. 

Direct Reporting 

The University is committed to an environment where open, honest communications are the expectation, not the exception. We want you to feel comfortable and supported to raise questions or voice concerns about workplace issues, or if you believe a violation of law, policy or standard has occurred. Reporting your concerns and providing information may identify issues that can help us improve our culture and performance and minimize potential negative impacts on the University and its employees. 

We encourage you to report your concerns directly to a member of management, academic leadership, or other university representative or official. Some conventional means for direct reporting include the following: 

If you experience, witness or suspect discriminatory behavior and/or conduct that conflicts with our values, please take immediate action. If you are an employee, university policies require you report any instance of discrimination or harassment of which you become aware to the applicable Title IX Coordinator or Equity Officer. 

Report via Hotline 

While identifying yourself when reporting helps the University address concerns more effectively, we understand this may not always feel comfortable or appropriate. In such cases, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, the University provides a reporting hotline, hosted by an independent, third-party hotline provider, Ethics Suite. 

This hotline does not replace or supersede methods for direct reporting but provides a secure and confidential method to make the organization aware of your concerns. Reports submitted through the Ethics Suite reporting platform are made available only to specific individuals at the University who are charged with evaluating the report. Each report is assigned as promptly and discreetly as possible, based on the type of violation and location of the incident, with facts made available only to those who need to know to investigate and resolve the matter. 

All reports to the hotline, including those submitted anonymously, will be taken seriously, and the University will make every effort to address the concerns. We work hard to protect the anonymity of those who report wrongdoing and to withhold their identity. However, depending on the circumstances presented, it may not be realistic to expect that your identity will remain hidden. If you have concerns about your anonymity, please discuss it with the investigator. 

We encourage all reporters to stay engaged in the reporting process, logging back into the system every few days to see if we have any questions as the matter is reviewed. The Ethics Suite platform also contains tools that will allow investigators to communicate directly and confidentially with reporters, while still protecting and maintaining anonymity.