2019 Annual Report

Enhance operational transparency and accountability by making University policies publicly accessible and up-to-date.

• Coordinate timely review of university policy documents.
• Convene policy working groups.
• Manage university policies and policy platform.

Fiscal Year Achievements

• 1,259 documents created or updated including Policies, Procedures, and Standards.
• Launched new website featuring easy access to our resources, trainings, and PolicyStat.
• Conducted 58 trainings (46 at UNC) and developed web-based training resources.
• Held monthly meetings of the pan-University Policy Review Committee.
• Recruited and trained more than 15 unpaid undergraduate intern analysts.

Empower University stakeholders to generate actionable and effective policies through policy research and consultation.

• Benchmark with peer institutions.
• Maintain a customer service-oriented mindset.
• Coordinate with University stakeholders.
• Field on-going and ad hoc research inquiries.

Fiscal Year Achievements

• Assisted campus units with policy development including Admissions, Athletics, Carolina Performing Arts, Communications, Dentistry, Development, Digital Accessibility, Education, EHS, EOC, Facilities, Finance, The Graduate School, Human Resources, Internal Audit, ITS, Nursing, Research, Student Affairs, University Council, and the University Registrar.
• Created briefs and reports for University leaders on retaliation, flexible work arrangements, international visiting scholars, online courses, foreign influence, CCTV, campus safety policies, export controls, vaping, clear bag, and the University pandemic policy.
• Participate in cross-disciplinary groups with policy implications including Academic Barrier Policy Subcommittee, Operational Excellence Steering Committee, Digital Accessibility Liaisons, Employee Forum, APT Policy Redevelopment, and the Campus Safety Commission.

Provide resources that help create an ethical culture enabling everyone to thrive and feel a sense of belonging.

• Respond to reports received through Carolina Ethics Line to ensure that every situation and concern is properly addressed.
• Continue to grow Integrity Advisors and Speak Up Carolina to promote an inclusive and ethical campus culture.

Fiscal Year Achievements

• Responded to 77 cases in Carolina Ethics Line, assigning and refer ring each case to an internal investigator, and coordinated the investigation of complex, high risk, and high visibility Carolina Ethics Line cases
• Celebrated Global Ethics Month with a variety of events highlighting ethical issues including:
  • A talk by Professor Eric Muller on the Ethics of Laws and Lawyers in Nazi Germany.
  • Instagram series of “Ethics Horror Stories”.
  • Tabling in the Pit and at Employee Appreciation Day.
• Provided Ethics consultations for three University Units.
• Processed three referrals from the North Carolina State Auditor Hotline.

Remain proactive in identifying threats to the University’s integrity and ensuring that policies evolve to address emerging issues.

• Identify, track, research, and analyze risks or threats in higher education.
• Conduct environmental scans of current events, researching potential implications for University operations and climate.

Fiscal Year Achievements

• Conducted monthly meetings with internal and external Integrity Advisors.
• Partnered with various national organizations including ACUPA, public administration and university policy associations, benchmark institutions and NAVEX.
• Communicated and translated higher education risks for UNC stakeholders.

The Office of Ethics and Policy has set the following goals for the 2021 fiscal year:

• Improve the professionalism and responsiveness of Carolina Ethics Line investigations.
• Institutionalize an equity review component into the existing University policy review process.
• Increase University-wide fidelity to the official University Policy Process.
• Define meaningful metrics to track progress on University policy document reviews, revisions and compliance with the University policy process.
• Form a relationship with the UNC System Policy Office to ensure that the Office of Ethics and Policy is the primary conduit for policy updates between the System Office and campus.
• Conclude Request for Proposal (RFP) evaluation of policy management vendors. Determine the best policy management solution for the University and engage a new vendor if needed.