Office of Internal Communications
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March 29, 2005 FRAUD, NONCOMPLIANCE ANONYMOUSLY Following the best practices of corporations across the nation, the University of Houston System is reinforcing its efforts to investigate alleged fraud and compliance and regulation violations through a new reporting program. Called MySafe Campus, the program allows faculty and staff a way to report allegations anonymously online and via the telephone. Employees can submit reports by visiting www.MySafeCampus.com
and by calling the toll-free number The new program supplements UH System policy, which allows confidential reporting of suspected fraud to the internal auditing department or the state auditor. UH System implemented the program in response to three factors — “Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,” one of Gov. Rick Perry’s executive orders and a recommendation from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) to higher education institutions, according to Don Guyton, UH System’s director of internal auditing. “Administrators also had a strong desire to implement good management practices, and having an anonymous, easily accessible reporting system is good business,” Guyton said. “Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002” mandates that corporations develop reporting systems that allow for anonymity or confidentiality in reporting criminal conduct without fear of retribution. The legislation was enacted in the wake of numerous corporate scandals in recent years. Shortly after the U.S. Congress passed the act, NACUBO recommended that universities and colleges adopt similar procedures, Guyton explained. Then, in the summer of 2004, Perry issued a directive requiring state agencies to establish anonymous reporting systems and polices that protect employees from retaliation. “The UH System was in the process of reviewing and updating many of its procedures when NACUBO announced its suggestions,” Guyton said. “Afterward, many institutions began to implement the spirit of the federal act.” Francine Parker
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