Commitment to ethical and professional standards of conduct
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct, and intends to operate in full compliance with all applicable laws and policies.
About the University Compliance Office
In April 2000, Washington University’s Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the Washington University Compliance Program and the University Compliance Office. The University Compliance Office reports to the Chancellor and to the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The office consists of three full-time compliance audit staff team members who perform various activities which include performing proactive and investigational compliance audits. The compliance audits performed by the team typically review select compliance topics and assess the ongoing compliance efforts and activities being performed by university management teams. Results of the compliance audits are provided to senior leadership and to the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees. See the About page for further information on the activities performed by the office.
Area Specific Compliance Offices
The university has several Area Specific Compliance Offices (ASCOs). The ASCOs are highly specialized compliance functions which report to various members of senior administration at the university. They are subject matter experts and give direction and assistance to the university community to help ensure compliance. The ASCOs do not report to the University Compliance Office. However, the Executive Director of Compliance and Audit receives regular reports from the ASCOs and periodically meets with ASCO leaders in order to assess and monitor compliance on the part of the ASCOs. Please visit the link below for additional information on the ASCOs.
Internal Audit
The university has an Internal Audit activity which reports to the Chancellor and to the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Please visit the Internal Audit site for more information.
What is the University Compliance Program?
The Washington University Compliance Program is the expression of a commitment by Washington University in St. Louis to carry out its educational, research and health care activities in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and with the highest integrity.
According to federal government guidelines, an adequate compliance program includes:
- A resolution of the Board of Trustees establishing high standards of corporate integrity;
- A code of conduct informing employees of laws and regulations applicable to their activities and setting forth the institution’s specific compliance expectations of its employees;
- Specific employee training and compliance monitoring operations;
- Protocols and resources for investigating instances of potentially unlawful conduct.
Code of Conduct
In April 2000, Washington University’s Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the Washington University Compliance Program. A code of conduct was then developed with input from many members of the university community, and issued to university community members in April 2002. The most recent version of the code can be found at the link below.
Reporting Options
The university has several options to report suspected concerns. The link below contains additional information.