Commitment

The University of Colorado values ethical behavior, integrity, transparency, and accountability and strives to integrate these values into our operations. The Principles of Ethical Behavior adopted by the Board of Regents and our Code of Conduct reflect the university's commitment to creating and sustaining a work environment in which the university's affairs are conducted ethically, professionally, and according to applicable laws, regulations, and university policy. Each member of the university community is responsible for fostering a culture of compliance and preventing, detecting, and correcting situations or actions that violate our shared values.

The university supports open and effective communication and an environment of transparency. Members of the University of Colorado community are expected to report known or suspected violations of law or policy. Unless reporting is required to another individual or office, employees are encouraged first to report any such violations to their direct supervisor.

When an individual prefers to make a report in confidence, the Board of Regents has established this CU EthicsLine resource, hosted on the EthicsPoint platform by third party NAVEX, to provide university community members with a simple, anonymous way to report concerns, which may include:

  • allegations of fiscal misconduct by university employees,
  • violations of federal or state law,
  • violations of university policy in the performance of university duties,
  • waste of university funds or property, or
  • abuse of university authority (improper conduct).

Under university policy, reports of fiscal misconduct may be reported directly to the Internal Audit department. Community members may also request guidance about a policy or concern through the CU EthicsLine resource.

NOTE: CU EthicsLine is not a substitute and should not be used to fulfill mandatory reporting requirements established by law or university policy. For example, responsible employees must promptly report allegations of protected-class discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct to the campus Title IX Coordinator or designee. See Administrative Policy Statement 5014: Sexual Misconduct, Intimate Partner Violence, and Stalking and campus-based discrimination policies for CU Boulder, UCCS
and CU Denver|Anschutz Medical Campus.

To Submit a Report:

You may use the following methods to submit a report:

What should you do after submitting a report?

After you have completed your report, you will be given a report key assigned by the EthicsPoint system and asked to set up a personal password. Please save this report key and password. If the university needs to communicate with you, messages will be posted to the report and accessed by you using this report key. You are encouraged to return to the EthicsPoint website within five to seven business days and periodically to view and respond to any follow-up questions or comments. By doing this, the university can communicate with you while your identity remains protected.

How will the university use my report?

Reports submitted through CU EthicsLine are independently reviewed by system administrators in the university's Internal Audit department and are forwarded to the appropriate university official(s) for investigation and action. Reports will be looked into as quickly and discreetly as possible. If you file a report anonymously, provide as much information as possible and be sure to check back in using your report key and password. Those responsible for reviewing your concern may have questions for you or need additional information to investigate the matter thoroughly. You will be notified in the system when the review is complete. However, due to confidentiality requirements, you may not necessarily be informed about the specific action taken to address your issue or concern.

What if I am concerned that I will be retaliated against for speaking up?

Under university policy and applicable law, any university employee who reports known or suspected violations of law or university policy in good faith is protected from retaliation. Specifically, Colorado law provides that an appointing authority or supervisor may not initiate or administer any disciplinary action against a public employee for disclosing information unless the employee knows the information is false (or the disclosure is made with disregard for the truth or falsity of the information) or the information disclosed is confidential under other applicable law. Several federal laws and programs also provide "whistleblower protection" to individuals who report concerns, including but not limited to protections for those who disclose information they reasonably believe to be evidence of gross mismanagement of a federal grant or contract, waste of federal funds, or similar concerns.

Not Sure If You Want to File a Report?

Do you have concerns, but you are not sure if you should file a CU EthicsLine report? Maybe you would like to talk to someone first to determine your options or find out what resources are available are available to you. There is a way to find that help! Call or email one of the individuals listed below, and you will be directed to the resources you need.

CU Boulder
Catherine Oja, Director of Integrity and Compliance
303-735-4721
catherine.oja@colorado.edu

CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus
Lori Hopper, Director of Institutional Compliance and Privacy Officer
303-724-0983
lori.hopper@cuanschutz.edu
CU System Administration
Valerie Simons, Chief Compliance Officer and System Title IX Coordinator
303-860-4258
valerie.simons@cu.edu

Agnessa Vartanova, Associate Vice President of Internal Audit
303-837-2205
agnessa.vartanova@cu.edu
UCCS
Xochil Herrera, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Accounting
719-255-3310
xherrera@uccs.edu

Campus Ombuds Offices provide confidential and informal assistance to any student, staff member, faculty member, or administrator who is experiencing conflict with another person or persons within the university community or has concerns about university-related academic or administrative issues.

CU Boulder: Visit https://www.colorado.edu/ombuds/ or call 303-492-5077

Anschutz Medical Campus, CU Denver & System Administration:

At UCCS, you may contact the Employee Relations Manager in the Office of Human Relations: https://hr.uccs.edu/contact-hr-staff or call 719-255-3372