An email from the UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau distributed this morning reminded UC Berkeley faculty and staff of the university’s policy on whistleblowing, listing additional resources for how to report improper activities and promising protection for whistleblowers.
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization or a company.
The following is the email the chancellor sent out to the campus:
Dear UC Berkeley faculty and staff,
The University of California encourages all employees to report improper governmental activities by UC or a UC employee that violates a state or federal law or regulation (e.g., corruption, malfeasance, bribery, theft or misuse of government property, fraud, coercion, or conversion) or wastes money, or involves gross misconduct, gross incompetence, or gross inefficiency.
In an effort to provide employees with information on how to report improper governmental activities, below are links to both UCOP’s and the State Auditor’s websites related to whistleblowing. These websites tell you about where to report, how to report, the resolution processes and the protection you will be provided.
Yours sincerely,
Robert J. Birgeneau
Chancellor
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
HOW TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON SUSPECTED IMPROPER ACTIVITIES AND PROTECTION FROM RETALIATION
The University of California wants you to report improper governmental activities, and will protect you from retaliation for whistleblowing.
Please visit the UCOP website at http://ucwhistleblower.ucop.edu
TO PRINT A POSTER
Please visit the Office of Human Resources website at http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/policy/whistleblower.pdf and click on Whistleblower.
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STATE AUDITOR’S WEBSITE
A Message from the State Auditor:
CALL THE STATE AUDITOR’S WHISTLEBLOWER HOTLINE TO REPORT THE IMPROPER ACTS OF STATE AGENCIES OR EMPLOYEES In addition to the above procedures, you have the option of reporting improper governmental activities directly to the State Auditor whistleblower hotline at 1 (800) 952-5665 or to the California Attorney General hotline at
1 (800) 952-5225 or visit http://bsa.ca.gov/hotline/filecomp.html.
According to campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof, the email reminder was a routine notification that happens often to make sure everyone on campus is aware of UC policies and practices.
Alan Kolling, campus whistleblower coordinator at the Office of the Chancellor, said under state government code, the email must be sent out annually on or before July 1, directed towards all faculty, staff and student staff.
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University of California Berkeley
Chancellor Birgeneau ($500,000 salary) has forgotten that he is a public
servant, steward of the public money, not overseer of his own fiefdom.
Recruits
(using California
tax $) out of state, foreign $50,000 tuition students who displace qualified sons,
daughters of Californians from public university
education.
Spends
$7,000,000 + for consultants to do his & vice chancellors work
(prominent
East Coast University accomplishing same 0 cost).
University accrues $150 million of
inefficiencies over his 8 year reign.
Pays ex Michigan governor
$300,000 for lectures.
In procuring $3,000,000 consultants failed
to receive proposals from other firms.
Latino
enrollment drops while out of state jumps 2010.
Tuition to
Return on Investment drops below top10.
NCAA places
basketball program on probation: absence institutional control.
These
are not isolated examples: it’s all shameful. There is no justification for
such actions by a steward of the public trust. Absolutely none. Like with an
addiction, admitting you have a problem is the first step toward correcting it.
Birgeneau’s practices will
not change. UC Board of Regents Chair Sherry Lansing must do a better job of
vigorously enforcing oversight by President Yudof than has been done in the
past to Chancellors who, like Birgeneau, treat the university as their fiefdom.
Until demonstrable action is swiftly applied to
chancellors by the UC Board of Regents/President Yudof, the University of
California shouldn’t come to the Governor or public for support for any taxes, additional
funding.
I
have 35 years’ consulting experience, have taught at UC Berkeley, where I
observed the culture & the way senior management works. No, I was not fired
or downsized & have not solicited contracts from Cal.