The importance of compliance awareness and reporting

August 22, 2025

As members of the University community we each have a responsibility to help promote a safe and ethical campus environment and be part of the compliance solution. If you see anything that doesn't look "right," please say something. You can help by being situationally aware, asking questions, familiarizing yourself with university policies and reporting any concerns.

Our collective efforts ensure a safer and more effective educational and work environment, reduce the university's risk of fines, penalties, and the repayment of federal funds, and minimize overall risk. Institutional Compliance empowers university members to better manage the operations and risks they are responsible for, both individually and as a group.

The university’s regulatory compliance is the responsibility of every member in the UA community, not just that of a single department or small constellation of employees. Support by leadership and all employees at the universities and across the system is imperative to facilitate effective university-wide compliance.

REPORTING RESPONSIBILITY

If anything comes to your attention that looks or feels suspicious, talk to your supervisor, and in the case of a possible crime, contact law enforcement. In case of emergencies requiring an immediate law enforcement or medical response, please first report using emergency reporting tools like 911 and then follow up, if appropriate, using UA internal reporting mechanisms.

If you don’t feel comfortable going to your supervisor, utilize the confidential and anonymous UA Confidential Hotline to report. The hotline is a system-wide tool for receiving tips on risks and issues that could jeopardize the University of �һ�ֱ��’s financial health, safety or reputation.

Immediately report concerns or knowledge of any kind stemming from possible noncompliance, discrimination, other suspected university �һ�ֱ�� violations, safety, crimes, fraud, waste or abuse and/or errors or irregularities in the university's financial accounting practices.

The scope of university concern includes possible violations that occur on university property, including leased facilities, interfere with any university obligation, whether legal, contractual or otherwise; or occur between members of the university community of students, faculty, staff and visitors to UA property.

No employee is permitted to engage in retaliation, retribution, or any form of harassment against another employee for reporting compliance-related concerns. As provided by the Board’s non-retaliation �һ�ֱ��, reports made in good faith are protected from retaliation in accordance with Regents’ Policy 04.07.040, P04.08.040.A. and the �һ�ֱ�� Whistleblower Act AS 39.90.100 – 39.90.150.

For further information, contact:
Mary Gower, MBA, CCEP
Senior Institutional Compliance Liaison
msgower@alaska.edu
907-450-8145