MCC Daily Tribune

President's Wednesday Message

Over the past few weeks, questions have arisen about the College's Ethics Hotline, so it seemed like a good time to provide some background and an overview. MCC implemented the hotline at the recommendation of then Interim President Tyree with support by the Board of Trustees, and it has been in place for about a decade. Over this time, there have been fewer than 100 complaints. Hotline reports are received and maintained by MCC's Internal Auditor until the issue is reviewed and--if needed--resolved. The report is then deleted from the system.

Based on patterns of concerns, MCC has provided training and workshops and implemented new policies. Individual reports that are found to have merit typically result in conversations to assure employees are aware of existing and applicable policies and regulations. In other cases, reports arise out of miscommunication, and they provide the opportunity for good dialogue and conversation.

MCC is not required to have a hotline, but it is considered a best (and, really, expected) practice. For example, SUNY has a hotline tool that is used by all state-operated campuses and some community colleges. At this point, having such an outlet for reporting concerns is an expectation for all government-funded institutions, an expectation that has been heightened in New York since issues related to conflicts of interests and ethics reform have taken center stage in Albany. If MCC did not have a hotline tool, our external auditors would recommend the College add one to ensure adequate protection from potential fraud, abuse, and misconduct that could have negative legal, fiscal and reputational consequences.

The MCC Ethics Hotline provides an option for employees and other members of the college community to identify themselves or remain anonymous. There are multiple avenues for employees and outside parties to report concerns - directly to their supervisors, Human Resources, Internal Audit, and more. While our goal is to sustain a College culture in which individuals feel comfortable and confident sharing concerns directly, we need to admit that this is not always the case. But, all employees need a vehicle by which they can be heard, and the Ethics Hotline offers this opportunity.

If you have additional questions about the Ethics Hotline, I encourage you to speak with Internal Auditor Dolores Pasto-Ziobro.

Please share your comments on the blog.

Anne Kress
President's Office
03/07/2018