President’s Statement of Commitment to Ethical Conduct
Dear Colleagues,
We are well into the fall semester. Thank you for your support of each other, inside and outside the classroom, as we fulfill our teaching and research mission.
I write you today to reiterate the values that have sustained our community and make it possible for us to advance as a great teaching and research university. We are committed to sustaining a work culture characterized by respect for each other, and ethical conduct is an essential cornerstone of our standing as an institution chartered to serve the public good.
We are committed to:
- Engaging with each other with honesty and in good faith
- Avoiding conflicts of interest and commitment, both in fact and in appearance
- Preserving confidentiality
- Complying with applicable laws, rules, and regulations
- Prohibiting retaliation against those who make good-faith reports of violations of law or University policy
- Timely and accurate public disclosures as appropriate
These principles are embodied in the Boston University Code of Ethical Conduct. We seek the commitment of all students, faculty, and staff to these principles. A key feature of our effort to adhere to these principles is the confidential reporting hotline operated by EthicsPoint, an independent reporting service. The hotline enables members of our community and others to confidentially submit allegations of breaches of this Code and provides links to related resources. Complaints may be submitted to EthicsPoint anonymously through the website, by letter, or by telephone.
Primary responsibility for the administration of the Code of Ethical Conduct 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 includes:
- University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
- Medical Campus Provost
- Senior Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer
- Senior Vice President for Operations
- Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
- Vice President for Human Resources
- Associate Vice President for Compliance Services
- Associate Vice President for Internal Audit & Advisory Services
Every leader across the University is responsible for fostering an understanding for the values embodied in the Code of Ethical Conduct and for ensuring compliance. University employees who have questions or concerns about their obligations under the Code, possible illegal or unethical behavior, or noncompliance with University policy should 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.
Every member of our community shares in our responsibility to promote a positive and ethical work environment throughout Boston University. Please carefully review the Code of Ethical Conduct and do your part to ensure that the standards and guidelines are followed. Thank you for your attention and commitment to this important set of principles.
Sincerely,
Kenneth W. Freeman
President Ad Interim
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 website you can submit a report using this link, 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.