Whistleblower Policy: Reporting Suspected Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation

No employee shall take retaliatory action against any individual for reporting, or causing to be reported, suspected wrongdoing, or for assisting in an authorized investigation of alleged wrongdoing. Retaliation, if confirmed, will result in disciplinary action.

University of Kansas (KU) employees must comply with applicable state and federal law, as well as University and Kansas Board of Regents policies. Furthermore, a KU employee cannot be compelled by a supervisor or a University official to violate a law, Board of Regents policy, or University policy.

KU employees who have knowledge of specific acts which they reasonably believe violate the law, Board of Regents, or University policy must report those acts to the appropriate University official.

KU is committed to providing an environment of integrity that encourages the disclosure of violations of law, Board of Regents, or University policy to the University administration, while protecting from reprisal its employees and other members of its community who make a good-faith disclosure of suspected wrongful conduct occurring at the University.

Additionally, employees of contractors, grantees, subcontractors, and subgrantees, when working on Federal grants and contracts in connection with the University of Kansas, have certain “whistleblower” rights and remedies afforded by statute, including but not limited to 41 U.S.C. 4712. Accordingly, all such contractors, grantees, subcontractors, and subgrantees are required to comply with all applicable laws.

Persons who believe they have been subjected to retaliation in violation of this policy should notify the University Department of Internal Audit or the University Office of the General Counsel or the Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor, Lawrence Campus or the Executive Vice Chancellor, Medical Center. As an appropriate follow up, the employee should file a written complaint to the University Director of Department of Internal Audit.

Reporting Procedures

To make a report of suspected or known wrongful conduct contact one of the following offices:

Lawrence Campus

Medical Center

If the subject matter is not covered above, if the complainant believes the responsible office may be involved in the violation, or if the matter has been reported locally but is thought to be unresolved, a report should be made to University General Counsel at 785-864-3276.

Reports may be made anonymously. Reports and investigations will be kept confidential to the extent possible under law and consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation and take corrective action. The responsible campus official receiving the report shall make certain that the matters alleged in the report are promptly and thoroughly investigated and that appropriate corrective action is taken if necessary. The responsible campus official may consult with the Office of General Counsel and others as needed to determine the appropriate investigative process.