[Ucrfacultyandstaff] UCR's 2024 Annual Whistleblower Message - with Mandatory Reporting Reminder

[Rissa F Lau]

Dear UCR Faculty and Staff,

As UCR’s Locally Designated Official (LDO) and Chief Compliance Officer, I am writing with UC Riverside’s annual email notification about whistleblower reporting.  This email also has important information about your obligation to report certain matters—please review this information carefully as there have been some changes.

Whistleblower Reporting.  The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. The University’s Whistleblower Policy<https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1100171/Whistleblower> provides multiple avenues for people to report potential employee misconduct. Faculty and staff are encouraged to bring forward concerns about possible improper activities directly to their supervisor, department head, or me (as LDO), or to make reports through the whistleblower hotline.

The systemwide whistleblower hotline is independently-operated to receive calls or web-based reporting from faculty, staff, students or members of the public. The hotline allows for anonymous reporting. This hotline is staffed seven days a week, 24 hours per day and is capable of receiving reports in a number of different languages. Reports can be made through the web-based form at http://universityofcalifornia.edu/hotline or by calling 1-800-403-4744. You may also submit inquiries through the hotline.

More information about the whistleblower process can be found on the UC Whistleblower website<http://www.ucop.edu/uc-whistleblower/index.html>, on UCR’s complaint resolution website<https://compliance.ucr.edu/investigations-complaint-resolution>, and on posters attached to this message, which will be displayed in various employee areas. The UCR’s whistleblower poster identifies other channels for reporting improper activities, including the California State Auditor, the California Attorney General and federal whistleblower programs.

The California Government Code requires every state agency, including the University of California, to annually distribute to its employees a message from the California State Auditor that provides an explanation of the California Whistleblower Protection Act. Please find the 2024 California State Auditor Poster and Brochure attached.

Information about Reporting Obligations. Nearly all UCR employees are mandatory reporters for certain matters. It is vital that you know what you need to report, and how to report it.  (This Mandatory Reporting Poster is also available on our website at https://compliance.ucr.edu/reporting-obligations – please bookmark it.)
Your Position & Matter Reported
Required Action
If (1) you are a manager, supervisor, faculty, UCPD officer, or HR or AP administrator, and (2) you learn that anyone affiliated with UCR may have experienced conduct prohibited by the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment <https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH> (SVSH Policy) or the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy<https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination>,

then (3) you must promptly contact UCR’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR—formerly, the Office of Title IX, Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action).  Filing a report online<https://uctitleix.i-sight.com/portal/Riverside> is encouraged.

Example: you are a faculty member and a student tells you that the TA is making antisemitic comments on social media.  Antisemitism can constitute harassment based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics or religion, and this must be reported to the Office of Civil Rights.

Example: you are a supervisor and one of your staff tells you that other staff are excluding them because of their speech impediment. This is a report of disability-based harassment and must be reported to the Office of Civil Rights.

(1) Unless you are a Confidential Resource, if (2) you learn that a student may have experienced Prohibited Conduct under the SVSH Policy,

then (3) you are required to promptly notify the Title IX Officer. Please complete the online report form <https://uctitleix.i-sight.com/portal/Riverside> or email titleix at ucr.edu<mailto:titleix at ucr.edu>.

Example: you are an advisor and a student tells you they want to drop a class because they were sexually assaulted earlier in the quarter.  Report this to the Office of Civil Rights.
If (1) you are a Campus Security Authority (CSA) and (2) you become aware of a report or allegation that a Clery Act crime is alleged to have occurred on UCR’s Clery Act geography,

then (3) you are required to notify UCPD or the Clery Act Coordinator.  See UCR's Clery Act<https://compliance.ucr.edu/clery-act-compliance#campus_security_authorities_csas> web page for further guidance.

Example: you are an advisor to a student club, and one of the student members tells you that someone broke into a lab overnight and tried to start a fire.  Attempted arson is a Clery Crime—report to UCPD.
If (1) you are a Mandated Reporter under CANRA and (2) you become aware of actual, reported or suspected child abuse or neglect occurring on UCR’s campus or at an official UCR activity or program,
then (3) you are required to (a) make a verbal external report to any of the following: local law enforcement, child protective services, or county welfare departments; (b) no later than 36 hours after the verbal report, fill-out Form SS 8572<https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/childabuse/ss_8572.pdf> and submit it to the agency with whom a verbal report was made; and (c) make an internal* report (may be anonymous) to a supervisor or through the University Compliance Hotline at (800) 403-4744 or http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/hotline/ (See UCR CANRA Reporting Requirements<https://compliance.ucr.edu/CANRA> for more details)
If you receive or are aware of (1) violence in the workplace,

Then (2) report to the next-in-line supervisor or to an academic administrator.  See Section V of the Violence Prevention in the UCR Community policy<https://fboapps.ucr.edu/policies/index.php?path=viewPolicies.php&policy=850-85>.

Example: An employee from another unit gets angry during a service call, raises their voice and says “If this keeps going this way, someone is going to pay.” This could reasonably be understood to be a threat and should be reported to UCPD.

If (1) you are a supervisor and/or department management and (2) you become aware of a serious injury (amputation, concussion, fracture, injury with significant bleeding, severe burn, and/or any injury requiring overnight hospitalization),
Then (3) you must (a) immediately get first aid and call 911; (b) report the incident using the Report and Incident, Injury, or Safety Concern<https://ucriverside.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YBlstrVO7GmNsV> form; and (c) report and provide details of the serious injury to EH&S within 24 hours at (951) 827-5528 during business hours or (951) 827-5222, if after hours.
If (1) you receive a report or information that alleges an IGA,


Then (2) you must elevate it to the LDO if:

The reported IGA results from a significant internal control or policy weakness likely to exist elsewhere on campus or in the system

Media or public attention is likely

The matter involves misuse of UC resources

There is potentially significant liability

There is a significant possibility of a criminal act (such as disappearance of cash)

There is a significant threat to the health and safety of employee or the public.

When in doubt, refer the matter to the LDO so that it can be assessed.  (See Section C below for a full discussion of the possible outcomes of LDO assessment.)

Thank you for your attention to these important elements of our ethics and compliance program<https://compliance.ucr.edu/ethics-compliance-program>.



Kiersten Boyce, J.D.
Chief Compliance Officer
CCEP, CHRC
UC Riverside
Compliance | Integrity and Accountability (ucr.edu)<https://compliance.ucr.edu/>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/ucrfacultyandstaff/attachments/20240624/db336b4e/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: UCR 2024  Whistleblower Poster.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 318235 bytes
Desc: UCR 2024  Whistleblower Poster.pdf
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/ucrfacultyandstaff/attachments/20240624/db336b4e/attachment-0003.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2024 CSA Poster.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 1588917 bytes
Desc: 2024 CSA Poster.pdf
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/ucrfacultyandstaff/attachments/20240624/db336b4e/attachment-0004.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2024 CSA Brochure.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 596675 bytes
Desc: 2024 CSA Brochure.pdf
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/ucrfacultyandstaff/attachments/20240624/db336b4e/attachment-0005.pdf>