Standards of Conduct/Policies and Procedures

The system and its component universities have many established policies and procedures containing ethics and compliance elements. The following are some of the key policy building blocks of the system's Ethics and Compliance Program.

  1. Code of Conduct. The University Code of Conduct is the cornerstone of the system's Ethics and Compliance Program. The Code of Conduct communicates the system's expectations of proper conduct and describes the professional standards the system values. The Code of Conduct is maintained by the University Ethics and Compliance Office.
     

  2. Compliance with Anti-Bribery Laws.This policy is based on the federal Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). It provides clear guidance on the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions and reflects the system’s expectations for those participating in international activities both in Illinois and abroad. For those seeking to do business with the University, this policy also reinforces that the University is an ethical and reliable compliance partner. This policy is maintained by the University Ethics and Compliance Office.

  3. Reporting Fraud or Misconduct, Whistleblower Protection, and Investigations. This policy defines employee responsibility for reporting good faith allegations of fraud or misconduct, establishes procedures for addressing wrongful conduct, and protects those who make good faith allegations of wrongful conduct to a designated University official. This policy is maintained by the University Ethics and Compliance Office.

  4. Ethics Line. The Ethics Line (1-866-758-2146) is available toll-free for reporting good faith allegations of violations of law, rule, or regulation. The Ethics Line is maintained by the University Ethics and Compliance Office.

  5. Investigative Procedures. These procedures describe how allegations of misconduct received by the University Ethics and Compliance Office are investigated. The procedures are maintained by the University Ethics and Compliance Office.

  6. Conflicts of Commitment and Interest. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs substantially updated the system’s Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest in 2018. In addition to the primary policy, two new policies were added: the Policy on Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research and the Policy on Organizational Conflicts of Interest. The trio of policies is intended to take a more comprehensive approach to disclosing, avoiding, and managing both actual and perceived conflicts of commitment and interest pertaining to the non-University activities of faculty and academic staff members. The policies are maintained by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

  7. Conduct and Discipline for Civil Service Employees. This policy covers several important fundamental ethics topics for Civil Service employees, including conflicts of interest, political activities, employee conduct in the workplace, solicitation on University property, and discipline. The policy is maintained by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, System Human Resource Services.

  8. Integrity in Research and Publication. This policy addresses integrity in research and publication, and outlines procedures for impartial fact-finding and fair adjudication of allegations of academic and research misconduct.  The policy is maintained by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, although the Vice-Chancellors for Research on each campus have primary responsibility for administering the policy.