| POLICY TITLE: |
| Ethics Hotline |
| APPLIES TO: |
| All KSU Stakeholders |
| ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY: |
| Office of General Counsel |
| Board of Regents |
| APPROVED BY: |
| Kentucky State University Board of Regents |
| EFFECTIVE DATE: |
| August 8, 2025 |
| NEXT REVIEW DATE: |
| August 8, 2028 |
## POLICY STATEMENT:
Kentucky State University (KSU) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and fostering a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability. This policy establishes a confidential and anonymous Ethics Hotline for all stakeholders to report unethical behavior, violations of university policies, or any other misconduct without fear of retaliation.
## DEFINITIONS:
## Ethics Hotline
A confidential and anonymous reporting channel, managed by a third party, established to receive and address concerns related to unethical behavior, policy violations, or misconduct.
## Internal Auditor
The individual or internal auditing firm tasked with providing independent and objective evaluations of the
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university's financial and operational activities, including the initial assessment of hotline reports.
## Reporter
An individual who submits a report through the Ethics Hotline.
## PROCESS:
## Reporting a Concern
How to Report: Reports can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through the following channels:
○ By Phone: 1-855-203-6657
Online: www.securityvoice.com/reports
• Anonymous Reporting: The hotline allows reporters to remain anonymous throughout the entire process.
- Types of Concerns: The hotline can be used to report any good-faith concerns related to unethical behavior, policy violations, financial misconduct, fraud, harassment, discrimination, safety violations, or any other matter that may impact KSU's ethical standards.
## Investigation Process
- Initial Assessment: KSU's Internal Auditor or Internal Auditing Firm will conduct an initial assessment of each report to determine its credibility, severity, and the appropriate course of action.
Investigation: If deemed necessary, a thorough, impartial, and confidential investigation will be conducted to gather facts and evidence.
Communication: The reporter's anonymity will be respected throughout the investigation. The Internal Auditor will communicate updates and findings only to appropriate university officials as needed.
## Resolution and Follow-up
Based on the investigation's findings, appropriate action will be taken to address the concern, which may include corrective measures, disciplinary actions, or improvements to university processes. Due to the confidential nature of personnel and student matters, anonymous reporters will not receive direct feedback on the specific outcome of an investigation.
## Non-Retaliation
KSU strictly prohibits retaliation in any form against individuals who report concerns in good faith or participate in an investigation. Any person who engages in such retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action.
## Awareness and Recordkeeping
Regular communication efforts will be conducted to ensure all employees and stakeholders are aware of the Ethics Hotline and its purpose.
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All reports, investigations, and outcomes will be documented and securely stored to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
## REFERENCES AND RELATED MATERIALS:
KSU Established Work Rules Policy
## CONTACTS: