Compliance. Reporting. Title IX. The Americans with Disabilities Act. Because CU Boulder engages in such a broad range of activities, the number and scope of applicable requirements faced by its students, faculty and staff is vast.
“Our goal is to be an accessible one-stop resource on compliance and ethics issues for all members of the university community,” Director of Integrity and Compliance Louise Vale said. “We are here to help you understand issues you are facing and find solutions, whether that’s how to navigate the campus policy approval process, or just to ask if you are on the right track for a difficult compliance question.”
Vale explained that just as it is the responsibility of all university employees to understand and uphold the principles contained in the university code of conduct, depending on the exact nature of our role on campus, there are probably a number of other requirements—many of them formal—that we are expected to uphold.
The Office of Integrity & Compliance serves as a “compliance concierge” for campus, helping campus constituents find the answers and connect them to the resources they need so they can have the confidence that they are doing their jobs in accordance with all standards and regulations.
The office specializes in collaborating across all of campus to provide a comprehensive approach to the many compliance functions faced by our staff, faculty and students, and they are also responsible for maintaining the campus compliance plan and the guiding principles of compliance for campus. The office continues to cultivate a compliance culture via its monthly compliance series, which strives to provide guidance and basic training on topics that are broadly applicable.
Understanding the requirements that govern our jobs
Vale explained that while technically speaking, “compliance” means abiding by applicable laws, regulations and policies, in a university setting, compliance is less about regulating individual behavior than it is about understanding applicable regulatory requirements that apply to our activities and ensuring that we meet them.
“Navigating all the requirements that originate from so many different sources can be difficult, whether it be campus policies, federal and state regulations, CU system regent laws and policies, or any other source of policies and regulations,” Vale said. “Whatever it is that you do at the university, whether you are a researcher in a lab, an instructor in a classroom, a student employee in a tutoring center or anything else, our office is here to help you understand the unique policies and regulations that surround your role.”
For more information, visit the Office of Integrity & Compliance website.
