The University System of Georgia (USG) is committed to the highest standards of excellence, integrity, accountability and respect throughout all of its operations and institutions. Dedicated to its mission of transforming the System, changing lives, and strengthening the state, the USG both expects and requires its employees to report suspected malfeasance or wrongdoing on the part of any USG employee or member of the USG community. Additionally, USG institutions are required to report suspected malfeasance and other violations of federal and state law or BOR policy.

WHAT INCIDENTS MUST BE REPORTED?

All suspected or known employee malfeasance shall be reported. Examples of employee malfeasance include but are not limited to embezzlement, misappropriation, alteration or falsification of documents, false claims or reimbursement requests, theft of any asset, inappropriate use of computer systems, violation of state or federal laws, violation of the USG Ethics Policy or any misuse of federal funds to include funds provided pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Additionally, violations of policies and procedures often must be reported to the appropriate USG office. For example, incidents involving computer or network security breaches must be reported to the USG Office of Information Security while incidents involving violation of environmental compliance requirements must be reported to the Office of Real Estate and Facilities Compliance & Operations Program.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS?

The USG Ethics Policy mandates reporting wrongdoing to the proper authority while protecting those who do report violations from retaliation.

• Individual USG employees should report suspected malfeasance on the part of a USG employee using any of the options outlined below.
• USG institutions are also required to report suspected employee malfeasance in a timely manner to the USG Office of Internal Audit. Additionally, incidents involving misuse of information technology assets or involving computer/network security breaches must be reported to the USG Office of Information Security.

HOW SHOULD INCIDENTS BE REPORTED?

Incidents may be reported:

Anonymously by phone or internet using the USG Ethics and Compliance Hotline – see http://www.usg.edu/organizational_effectiveness/ethics_compliance/ for guidance on accessing each institution’s hotline.

Directly to:

• USG Office of Organizational Effectiveness, 270 Washington Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, usg-compliance@usg.edu, 404-962-3034
• USG Office of Internal Audit, 270 Washington Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, jenna.wiese@usg.edu, 404-962-3068
• USG Office of Legal Affairs, 270 Washington Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, usg-legal@usg.edu, 404-962-3255
• USG Office of Information Security, 270 Washington Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, 1-888-875-3697 24/7 or 404-962-3034
• USG Office of Real Estate and Facilities, Compliance & Operations, 270 Washington Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, sandra.neuse@usg.edu, 404-962-3162

USG offices with core responsibilities for addressing malfeasance include:

Office of Organizational Effectiveness
Organizational Effectiveness assists the USG in meeting its organizational, risk management and compliance responsibilities, while helping to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency. Organizational Effectiveness also maintains responsibility for:

• Overseeing the reporting of suspected malfeasance to the appropriate local, state, or federal agency;
• Monitoring the Ethics and Compliance Hotlines maintained at each USG institution; and,
• Investigating or overseeing the investigations of incidents of fraud, waste, and abuse involving USG employees (in conjunction with Internal Audit).

These duties are accomplished through coordinating with multiple USG offices to include the USG Office of Internal Audit the USG Office of Legal Affairs, the USG Office of Information Security, the USG Office of Real Estate and Facilities, and campus departments of internal audit.

Office of Internal Audit
Internal Audit is responsible for planning and performing internal audits of the University System of Georgia components. Internal audit provides support in investigating and overseeing the investigations of incidents of fraud, waste, and abuse involving USG employees.

Office of Legal Affairs
Legal Affairs provides advice and guidance to members of the Board of Regents, the Chancellor, Presidents, and the administrations of University System institutions. Legal Affairs supports the reporting of fraud, waste and abuse through helping to coordinate the reporting of suspected criminal malfeasance and disclosure of organizational misconduct.

Office of Information Security
Information Security is the primary USG authority responsibility for information technology security matters. Among its responsibilities is working with institution Information Security Officers to mitigate, identify, respond to and report information security incidents.

Office of Real Estate and Facilities, Compliance & Operations
The Office of Real Estate and Facilities provides a wide degree of guidance and assistance on implementing federal and state laws, rules and regulations, as well as BOR policies and procedures, pertaining to environmental compliance, public health, campus safety, risk management, construction compliance, emergency preparedness/planning, hazard & disaster mitigation, and homeland security.