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Whistleblower Communications

The Associate Chancellor – Government, Community and Campus Liaison is the Locally Designated Official (LDO) for UC Berkeley, charged with implementing the Whistleblower Policy and Whistleblower Protection Policy. The Office of the Chancellor can be reached through the web at http://office.chancellor.berkeley.edu/.

Audit and Advisory Services (http://www.audit.berkeley.edu/) is responsible for performing investigations arising from allegations of misuse of University resources or property.

Administrative officials should be aware of and alert to communications that may constitute a protected disclosure of a known or suspected improper governmental activity. A protected disclosure is any good faith communication, oral or written, formal or informal that discloses (or demonstrates the intention to disclose) information about:

• An improper governmental activity; or
• Any condition that may significantly threaten the health or safety of employees or the public, if the disclosure or intention to disclose was made for the purpose of remedying that condition.

Administrative officials must report to the LDO any known or suspected improper governmental activity – whether reported as a protected disclosure by their subordinates or discovered in the course of performing their duties – when any of the following conditions are met:

• The matter is the result of a significant internal control or policy deficiency that is likely to exist at other units within the institution or across the University system;
• The matter involves the misuse of University resources or creates exposure to a liability in potentially significant amounts;
• The matter involves allegations or events that have a significant possibility of being the result of a criminal act (e.g., disappearance of cash);
• The matter involves a significant threat to the health and safety of employees and/or the public;
• The matter is judged to be significant or sensitive for other reasons; or
• The matter is likely to receive media or other public attention.

Administrative officials may not directly or indirectly use or attempt to use the official authority or influence of his or her position or office for the purpose of interfering with the right of a person to make a protected disclosure.

The Whistleblower Policy and Whistleblower Protection Policy can be found on the Office of the President's web site at http://ucwhistleblower.ucop.edu/.