The University of Michigan is committed to fostering a culture of ethics, integrity and compliance and COVID Safety — one where members of our community feel comfortable (1) raising and discussing compliance questions and (2) reporting serious concerns confidentially and without fear of retaliation. 

If you have concerns about COVID-19 or any public health practices, please use the U-M Compliance Hotline.


EMERGENCIES & CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

For emergency situations or if a crime is in progress, call 911.

For a non-emergency situation that relates to suspected criminal activity, including suspected cases of abuse or other circumstances where you find yourself either a victim or a witness to questionable activity, call the Department of Public Safety & Security at (734)763-1131. Information on potential criminal activity also may be reported anonymously by calling the university’s anonymous Tip Line at 1(800)863-1355.


ROUTINE COMPLIANCE CONCERNS

You should first contact your supervisor or unit manager. They need to know about issues that arise in the area under their management, and they are often in the very best position to answer questions and take action.

If you don’t feel comfortable raising a concern with your supervisor or manager (or if your concern relates to them, or if you have previously told them but the concern has not been remedied), there are several ways you can report your concern:

  1. Report the issue to the direct manager of your supervisor.
  2. Report the issue through the U-M Compliance Hotline (which allows you to report an issue anonymously if you wish) by calling 1(866)990-0111 or submitting an online report regarding financial, regulatory, NCAA, substance abuse and patient safety issues.
  3. Report the issue through one of the specialized reporting mechanisms (listed below).
  4. Discuss your concern with one of the mediation services available at U-M, such as Mediation Services for Faculty and Staff or the University Faculty Ombudsman.
  5. Report the issue to one of the compliance specialists who work in the area relevant to your concern — you can find them on the Topics & Contacts page of this site.
  6. If you are not sure how to report a concern, or are not even sure if a concern should be reported, you may discuss it with the Compliance Coordinator, who can offer further guidance on the various reporting mechanisms.
  7. If you have a compliance question, you always may start by submitting a question.

Remember, even minor concerns are worth discussing. Only through open discussion can we advance the mission of the university and ensure that we are living up to our principles and legal and regulatory obligations.


CONFIDENTIALITY

U-M is committed to safeguarding the confidentiality of individuals who submit good faith reports or inquiries.  You may bring forward concerns through the U-M Compliance Hotline anonymously. However, you should keep in mind that certain types of reports may be difficult for the university to pursue if you choose to remain anonymous. Anyone reporting a concern can describe the issue to the interview specialist without identifying their name or contact information. At the end of the report, the hotline representative will supply the submitter with a confirmation number and ask the them to call back in 14 days. Using the confirmation number, the submitter can check the status of their report. The call-back feature also allows U-M officials to ask questions about reported concerns, even if the submitter requested anonymity.


WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION LAWS

If you act responsibly and report what you believe to be a legitimate concern or a violation, you should never experience harassment or retribution. Those who submit good faith reports or inquiries are entitled to be treated in accordance with whistleblower protection laws. For more information, see:

State of Michigan: Whistleblowers’ Protection Act Information [PDF]

State of Michigan Law/Statutes: Whistleblowers’ Protection Act[PDF]