General
Northcentral Technical College Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) requires Board of Directors, Officers, assigned staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As representatives of the Foundation and Northcentral Technical College (NTC), we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable Directors, Officers, assigned staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to raise serious concerns within the Foundation prior to seeking resolution outside the Foundation.
Reporting Responsibility
This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable Directors, Officers, assigned staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to raise serious concerns internally so the Foundation can address and correct inappropriate conduct and actions. It is the responsibility of all Directors, Officers, assigned staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to report concerns about violations of the Foundation’s Code of Ethics or suspected violations of law or regulations that govern Foundation operations.
No Retaliation
It is contrary to the values of the Foundation for anyone to retaliate against any Director, Officer, assigned staff, volunteer, or stakeholder who in good faith reports an ethics violation or a suspected violation of law, such as a complaint of discrimination, suspected fraud, or suspected violation of any regulation governing the operations of the Foundation. The Foundation will not tolerate any harassment. A Director, Officer, assigned staff, volunteer, or stakeholder who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of membership or employment as applicable.
Reporting Procedure
The Foundation has an open-door policy and suggests Directors, Officers, assigned staff, volunteers, and stakeholders share questions, concerns, suggestions, or complaints related to the Foundation with someone
who can address them properly as noted in the table below:
| Complainant | Compliance Representative* | Reporting Method |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Board Directors or Officers | Foundation Board of Directors’ President and/or Foundation Executive Director | Present concern in writing |
| Foundation Executive Director | Foundation Board of Directors’ President | Present concern in writing |
| Assigned Staff | Option 1 – Supervisor Option 2 - Foundation Board of Directors’ President and/or Foundation Executive Director |
Assigned staff may present concern verbally or in writing. The staff member’s supervisor will present the concern in writing to the Foundation Board of Director’s President and/or Foundation Executive Director |
| Volunteers and/or Stakeholders | Foundation Board of Directors’ President and/or Foundation Executive Director | Present concern in writing |
*If complainant is not comfortable going to the Foundation Executive Director or the Foundation Board of Directors’ President, they should contact the NTC Vice President of Human Resources & Risk Management.
The Foundation Executive Director is required to and responsible for reporting suspected ethics violations to the Foundation Board of Directors’ President. Both the Foundation Executive Director and Foundation Board of Directors’ President are required to and responsible for investigating and resolving all reported complaints and allegations concerning violations and, at his/her/their discretion, will advise each other and/or the Treasurer as appropriate. The Foundation Executive Director will advise the Foundation Executive Committee of all complaints and their resolution at least annually.
Accounting and Auditing Matters
The Treasurer shall immediately notify the Foundation Board of Directors’ President, Foundation Executive Director, and Finance Committee of any concerns or complaints regarding corporate accounting practices, internal controls, or auditing and will work with the Committee until the matter is resolved.
Acting in Good Faith
Anyone filing a complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and may lead to termination of membership or employment as applicable.
Confidentiality
Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant. Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.
Handling of Reported Violations
The Foundation Board of Directors’ President or Foundation Executive Director will notify the person who submitted a complaint and acknowledge receipt of the reported violation or suspected violation. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation.
For current contact information for the NTC Foundation Board of Directors’ President, Foundation Executive Director and Treasurer, refer to https://www.ntc.edu/about/foundation/directors-officers.
Whistleblower Policy approved by the NTC Foundation Board of Directors on November 17, 2021.