New Whistleblower Policy

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:

Many of you are aware that the College currently has in place a whistleblower hotline that can be used by members of the campus community to report concerns of accounting or auditing fraud or the misuse of or misappropriation of College assets. Over the last couple of years, the Board of Trustees and Senior Staff have discussed the need for a more comprehensive whistleblower hotline that could be used not just for finance related matters, but for all other types of matters as well such as discrimination, harassment, safety and security issues, and NCAA rules violations.

As part of the College's continuing effort to promote "zero tolerance" of unethical conduct in the workplace, I am pleased to announce a new service. It is called Campus Conduct Hotline© and it is designed to minimize any apprehension you may have and make it possible for you to report concerns about possible violations of Kenyon's policies. Campus Conduct Hotline© is available for your use around the clock, seven days a week. This new hotline will be effective on June 1, 2017, with the prior hotline in effect through May 31, 2017. Because the Hotline is operated by an independent organization, any calls made through this Hotline are completely confidential and anonymous.

Using this new reporting service is easy. If you have a question or concern about a possible violation, simply dial toll-free to 866-943-5787.

Once you have dialed the toll-free number, here is how the reporting and follow-up process works:

• Your call will be greeted promptly and courteously by a person who makes certain you understand the Campus Conduct Hotline© program and how it functions. If you prefer to make your report in a language other than English, just let the person who answers know and they will arrange for a translator to participate.

• At the beginning of the interview, you will be provided with a five digit, randomly generated case number that you should use to check back for updates and requests for additional information. Be sure to write this number down and remember where you put it.

• You will then be interviewed about the question or concern that is on your mind.

• Your interview will not be recorded. Instead, the interviewer will be typing notes of your conversation. Whether or not you choose to provide your name is completely up to you.

• Within one business-day of your call, a summary of the interview will be forwarded to Kenyon. Our goal will be to have a basic response back to you in five business days.

• To receive your response, you will need to call back and provide the five digit case number that has been assigned to you. At that time, you might be asked to provide additional information or to call back at a later date. You will be able to keep checking back for updates until your case is closed.

• Your interview will not be recorded. Instead, the interviewer will be typing notes of your conversation. Whether or not you choose to provide your name is completely up to you.

• Within one business-day of your call, a summary of the interview will be forwarded to Kenyon. Our goal will be to have a basic response back to you in five business days.

• To receive your response, you will need to call back and provide the five digit case number that has been assigned to you. At that time, you might be asked to provide additional information or to call back at a later date. You will be able to keep checking back for updates until your case is closed.

Because of the built-in confidentiality, it is important that you try to be as specific as possible about the information you provide. And, please be sure to call back in five business days to check to see if any additional information is needed. Alternatively, if you would like someone to contact you directly, you can leave your name along with a phone number where and when you would prefer to be called.

To repeat, at no time are you required to identify yourself and all information provided can be completely confidential and anonymous.

Along with this improved whistleblower program, there is also a new Whistleblower Policy that was approved at the April 2017 Board of Trustees meeting. Download the policy (PDF).

We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards on our campus. If you experience or observe what you believe is inappropriate behavior and are unsure what to do, I hope you will use Campus Conduct Hotline© to report it.
Sincerely,

Todd Burson
Vice President for Finance

Download the Whistleblower Policy (PDF).

Download the official letter from Todd Burson (PDF).