{"id":322,"date":"2015-08-03T17:07:59","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T21:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/compliance\/?page_id=322"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:31:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:31:14","slug":"report-a-concern","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/compliance\/report-a-concern\/","title":{"rendered":"Reporting A Concern"},"content":{"rendered":"

Where to Report a Concern<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Boston University recognizes its obligation to maintain the highest ethical standards, and the University\u2019s commitment to ethics is codified through its\u00a0<\/span>Code of Ethical Conduct<\/a>. The\u00a0<\/span>President Statement of Commitment to Ethical Conduct<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>further reinforces that each Boston University community member shares the responsibility to promote a positive and ethical environment. To that end, members of the University community are expected to report concerns of suspected or alleged unethical conduct, noncompliance or violations of university policy, or law, or regulations, fraud, or any other improper conduct. In many circumstances, BU employees\u00a0<\/span>must<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>report any suspected misconduct to the appropriate office.<\/p>\n

If you have reason to believe that violations of Boston University policy or other misconduct has occurred, including fraud, violations of the law, or other improper conduct, you should report your concerns through one of the following mechanisms listed on this webpage.<\/p>\n

If you are unsure about whether to report, or where and how to report your specific concern(s), please contact the Compliance Services Office for assistance at\u00a0<\/span>comply@bu.edu<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>or through phone at 617-358-8090. Our goal is to ensure your report is sent to the appropriate University office and officials so that the concerns can be investigated and addressed appropriately.<\/p>\n

BU Ethics and Compliance Hotline <\/h3>

\n\"Boston<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The University has established an\u00a0anonymous reporting hotline<\/a>, independently administered by a third-party provider EthicsPoint, to allow for anonymous and confidential reporting of activities that may involve improper conduct or violations of Boston University policies. All reports will be investigated promptly and discreetly by the University, receiving careful consideration with the objective of addressing any improper conduct or violation of University policy. <\/span>This hotline is not a substitute for, nor does it supersede, any existing reporting methods or protocols for handling concerns and complaints. If you would like to report your concern to Boston University directly and are uncertain how to begin, contact Compliance Services (comply@bu.edu<\/a>; 617-358-8090) for assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reporting Concerns Confidentially<\/h3>
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Office of the Ombuds<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/strong>The Boston University\u00a0<\/span>Office of the Ombuds<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>is a confidential, neutral, and independent resource providing informal assistance to faculty, staff, and students on the Charles River and Medical Campuses.
\nThe Office provides informal\u00a0<\/em>options for managing conflict and difficult conversations. Note that discussions with the Office are\u00a0<\/span>off the record s<\/em>o people can consult the Ombuds\u00a0before<\/em>\u00a0a problem escalates, and\u00a0before\u00a0<\/em>a a decision to formally report a problem is made.<\/p>\n

BU Ethics and Compliance Hotline<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/strong>As described above, the\u00a0<\/span>anonymous reporting hotline<\/a><\/span>\u00a0is independently administered to allow for anonymous and confidential reporting of activities that may involve improper conduct or violations of Boston University policies. All reports will be investigated promptly and discreetly by the University, receiving careful consideration with the objective of addressing any improper conduct or violation of University policy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reporting Bias Concerns or Incidents<\/h3>
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All complaints or incidents related to a person\u2019s characteristics that are protected by law \u2013 such as shared ancestry, ethnicity, race, national origin, religion, gender, and others \u2013 must be reported through the University\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Equal Opportunity Office<\/a>. Once the EOO receives those reports, a\u00a0Bias Review Team<\/a>\u00a0will address those that that fall outside of EOO\u2019s purview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sexual Misconduct, Harassment or Discrimination<\/h3>
<\/p>\n

Reports of sexual misconduct, harassment, or discrimination must be reported to the\u00a0<\/span>Equal Opportunity Office<\/a>\u00a0using their\u00a0<\/span>Incident Report Form<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Reporting to a Supervisor<\/h3>
<\/p>\n

You are encouraged to discuss any concerns directly with your supervisor, unit or department head, dean or senior leader responsible for your area.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reporting to the Responsible Office<\/h3>
<\/p>\n

Consider contacting the individuals responsible for specific areas of compliance, which are identified in the Compliance Matrix<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Office\/Source – For Specific Issue(s)<\/span><\/h4>\n