8-00.3 Procedure III - Ethics

Communication is critical in addressing ethics-related questions and issues in a timely manner.

In order to provide Greenville Technical College (the “college”) employees with a means to communicate with the Ethics and Compliance team, two processes have been established. One process is related to answering situational questions that may not be clearly defined in the Ethics Policy, State Ethics Act, Advisory Opinions or Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) resources. The other process is related to reporting potential ethics violations.

Please note that both Questions and Reports may be submitted anonymously. However, it is preferable to include your name and contact information in case there is a need for clarification or additional information regarding a question or report.

  1. Questions regarding Ethical Issues
When an employee cannot resolve an ethical issue with the resources available on the Ethics webpage, the question should be submitted via email (ethics-questions@gvltec.edu).
A question should only be submitted after the employee has reviewed the Ethics Policy, the provisions of the State Ethics Act, the Advisory Opinions in the Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) and consulted with their supervisor.
The email should include a description of the issue in question along with as much detailed information as possible. If the employee wishes to receive a personal response, the employee’s contact information should be included in the initial e-mail.
The question will be researched and an opinion will be rendered as soon as reasonably possible. Response times will vary depending on the amount of research needed to address the issue that is presented. Please note that some issues may require the State Ethics Commission to be contacted for an Advisory Opinion. This process can take more than 30 days.
It is anticipated that questions will arise on issues which have not yet been resolved and an employee has yet to make a decision. However, if there is a question regarding something that has already occurred, please submit the question so that guidance on how to address the issue in the future can be given.
Only advice and guidance regarding the questions asked will be given. It is ultimately the responsibility of the employee to act in an ethical manner.
The questions and the related responses may be added to the college’s Ethics website as an FAQ for future reference.

  1. Reporting Potential Violations of the Ethics Policy

If a Greenville Technical College employee believes, in good faith, that another employee has committed an act that violates the college’s Ethics Policy, a report can be made using e-mail. When reporting a potential violation, please do the following:

  • Document as much information as possible regarding the time, place, and personnel involved with the potential violation. Also, please include all facts that describe the violation.
  • Report the potential violation by e-mailing the information regarding the incident to the Deputy Ethics and Compliance Officer at ethics-report@gvltec.edu. Include as much detail regarding the matter as possible. Please note that this information can be sent anonymously; however, it is preferable that you include your contact information in case additional details regarding the incident are needed.
  • You may also report a potential violation by calling the South Carolina State Inspector General at 1-855-723-7283 (1-855-SC-Fraud) or visiting the State Inspector General’s website at http://oig.sc.gov/Pages/Complaint1.aspx.

Confidentiality and discretion are extremely important. Every effort will be made to keep contact information confidential. However, certain circumstances may require that the information be shared with other individuals related to the ethics investigation.

All reports of potential violations will be impartially investigated to the extent that relevant and accurate information is received and confirmed. In general, initial investigations will be handled by the Deputy Ethics and Compliance Officer.

Depending on the type and severity of a potential violation and the employees affected, independent investigators, regulators, or law enforcement may be contacted to aid in conducting an investigation. Once an investigation has concluded, appropriate actions will be taken.

  1. False Reports

Making false accusations against an employee regarding an ethical violation will not be tolerated. If a report of a potential violation is made and it is determined that the report contains false statements and/or was not made in good faith, the employee who made the report will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

  1. Retaliation

Retaliation in any form is strictly prohibited.

Any adverse action taken against an employee who, in good faith, reports a potential violation will not be tolerated.

Any individual who takes or attempts to take such an action against any party associated with an investigation of the potential violation will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Any action deemed to violate the law will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

  1. Additional Information

The number of questions submitted and violations reported will be tracked to help determine topics that may need to be included in subsequent ethics training sessions. Please note that the identities of individuals submitting questions or reporting violations WILL NOT be included in this tracking data. In addition, web analytics will be used to assess reach and frequency information is accessed