All OSU employees contribute to ethical, honest behavior

From the Office of the President, Jayathi Y. Murthy

March 20, 2024

Dear OSU Community:

OSU’s commitment to provide excellent and transformative teaching, research, scholarship and innovation is advanced by the university’s ongoing dedication to maintaining an ethical environment that encourages honesty, integrity, respect and responsibility in our decision-making and actions.

Each year, we provide an official reminder to university employees and other community members of OSU’s commitment to accountability, ethics and integrity. We also share how to report concerns regarding possible misconduct.

Resources to support decision-making and behavior

• The University Code of Ethics, adopted by the OSU Board of Trustees in 2014, demonstrates and lays the foundation for the university’s commitment to ethics.
• University policies provide important guidance for behavior and decision-making.
• University employees are considered public officials under Oregon state ethics law and are subject to its provisions, including those regarding conflicts of interest, receiving gifts, nepotism and use of an OSU position for personal financial benefit.
• All employees are required to take the ethics module of OSU’s critical training program. This training includes information about the University Code of Ethics, how the state of Oregon ethics law applies to employees, how to be a good steward of OSU resources, and where to seek guidance for tough decision-making or to report unethical behavior. Information can also be found on the university’s ethics webpage.

OSU Accountability and Integrity Hotline

All employees are expected to report known or suspected violations of law or university policy, including illegal or fraudulent activity, misuse of university assets, theft of university property, discrimination or harassment, and unsafe working conditions. Additional examples are available on the OSU Accountability and Integrity Hotline website. The OSU Accountability and Integrity Hotline is confidential, anonymous, and administered by EthicsPoint, an independent, third-party vendor. All actionable reports made through this hotline are reviewed by the Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance, an independent OSU unit. Employees who provide a good faith report of fraud, waste or abuse are protected from retaliation under Oregon state law. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, online or by calling (855) 388-4971.

Other investigation offices

Other university offices are set up to receive topic-specific reports or complaints and conduct investigations regarding, for example, environmental health and safety concerns, bias incidents, human resources issues, research misconduct, and other matters. Reports of harassment or discrimination, including sexual misconduct, should be reported to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Incident reporting, safety and advocacy resources can be found at the bottom of the OSU Home Page via the Reporting and Advocacy Resources link.

You are welcome to seek support services or report directly to these other offices, or through the Accountability and Integrity Hotline and the report will be routed to the appropriate office for review. 

Please help OSU remain an ethical and honest place to work. Thank you for the service and important contributions you provide to Oregon State University and to the communities across Oregon and beyond.

Sincerely,

Jayathi Y. Murthy

President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president