Training and Communications

The University Ethics and Compliance Office addresses compliance training at several levels. First, the Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act requires both new hire training and annual ethics training for all System employees and members of the Board of Trustees. The Illinois Human Rights Act also requires new hire and annual training on harassment and discrimination. The University Ethics and Compliance Office redesigns and implements the Ethics Act and the harassment and discrimination training across the System annually.

This training was, and will continue to be, supplemented by training on specific compliance topics, including:

• The University Ethics and Compliance Office manages the acquisition and delivery of Title IX compliance training for students and employees required by the Illinois Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act.
• A wide range of compliance training is made available by units responsible for specific compliance functions. Examples include HIPAA training, FERPA training, research integrity training, travel card training, and lab safety training. The University Ethics and Compliance Office may assist with awareness on specific topics at the request of individual units.

To facilitate training programs and to further communication and collaboration with university units, ethics contacts have been established to ensure the University Ethics and Compliance Office has at least one designated contact for each unit across the entire System.

To help compliance information flow more freely across the System’s decentralized compliance network, the University Ethics and Compliance Office uses the Compliance Update. Recipients include compliance professionals working at all levels in the universities and selected System leaders. Compliance Updates are distributed by e-mail on a quarterly basis. Ultimately, the objective of the Compliance Updates is to connect compliance professionals across the System and to use the newsletter as a vehicle to disseminate information and share best practices.

The University Ethics and Compliance Office makes posters available to units at all three universities to encourage employees to “do their part” and to inspire and foster ethical conduct. In addition, all Office staff use signature blocks on their e-mails to promote Ethics Line awareness.

To further promote a culture of compliance, the University Ethics and Compliance Office uses short, animated videos to increase awareness on important compliance topics.