Ethics

President's Statement
of Commitment to Ethical Conduct

Dear Colleagues,

Boston University is committed to the highest standards of honesty and integrity in all its activities. This includes, among other concerns, the following:

  • Avoiding conflicts of interest and commitment;
  • Dealing with others honestly and in good faith;
  • Preserving confidentiality;
  • Compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and
  • Timely and accurate public disclosures.

In furtherance of this commitment, in June 2005 the Board of Trustees adopted a Code of Ethical Conduct (http://www.bu.edu/ethics/ethical-conduct.pdf). Primary responsibility for the administration of the Code rests with a Compliance Committee that reports to and is subject to the oversight of the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Compliance Committee consists of University Provost David Campbell, Medical Campus Provost Karen Antman, Executive Vice President Joseph Mercurio, Vice President, General Counsel, and Board Secretary Todd Klipp, Associate Vice President for Internal Audit William Long, and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Manuel Monteiro.

Vice presidents, deans, directors, department heads, and other supervisors are responsible for fostering respect for the values embodied in the Code and for promoting compliance with it. I encourage University employees who have questions or concerns about their obligations under the Code, possible illegal or unethical behavior, or non-compliance with University policy to speak with their supervisors or a member of the Compliance Committee. Please note that the Code is not intended to replace, and may be supplemented by, specific University policies that have been adopted in the past and that may be adopted in the future.

An important feature of the Code of Ethical Conduct is the availability of a confidential reporting “hotline” operated by EthicsPoint, an independent reporting service. Information concerning the hotline and related policies and procedures may be found at http://www.bu.edu/ethics/. Complaints may be filed anonymously through the website, by letter, or by telephone.

I urge you to review the Code of Ethical Conduct carefully and to do your part to ensure that its standards and guidelines are followed. Thank you for your attention and commitment to this important matter.

Robert A. Brown
President

Reporting Hotline

Boston University has established a hotline to provide a way to anonymously and confidentially report activities that may involve improper conduct or violations of University policies. The University has selected EthicsPoint to provide this service for the University community.

If you would like to make a report through EthicsPoint, you may do so on the web by clicking here, or by going to www.ethicspoint.com, selecting "File a New Report or Follow-up on a Report," entering "Boston University" under "File a New Report," and then clicking the "Submit" button. You may also submit a report by telephone through the EthicsPoint Call Center by dialing toll-free 1-866-294-8451. Alternatively, you may submit a report in writing to the following address: Boston University, C/O EthicsPoint, PO Box 230369, Portland, OR 97223.