Ethics and Compliance Office
The UC Merced is committed to advancing the highest standard of ethics and compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. As written in the University of California Standards of Ethical Conduct, pursuit of the UC’s mission of teaching, research and public service requires a shared commitment to the core values of the university as well as a commitment to the ethical conduct of all university activities. This website is intended to provide campus community members with ethics policies, resources, training and procedures and to provide information regarding how to voice concern about potential violations of the university's ethics rules.
Internal Audit
It is the policy of the University of California to maintain an independent and objective internal audit function to provide the regents, president and campus chancellors with information and assurance on the governance, risk management and internal control processes of the university.
Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD)
The Discrimination and Sexual Violence Prevention website provides multiple channels to report incidents, information about campus services and links to government, informational and advocate websites.
Office of the Ombuds
The Office of Ombuds is a place where UC Merced community members — students, staff, faculty, lecturers, postdoctoral scholars and administrators — can go for assistance in resolving conflicts, disputes or complaints on an informal basis*. We are a voluntary, off-the-record office resource. Visitors’ identities and the content of their conversations are always confidential, except in rare cases when the campus ombuds determines there is a risk of imminent harm to self or others.
Please note: Contacting the Office of the Ombuds does not put UC Merced on formal notice of your concerns.
Policies and Procedures
This is the official website for UC Merced’s administrative policies. Its purpose is to make the campus’s policies and procedures widely accessible and to increase individual and departmental compliance. Administrative policies may be issued by the Board of Regents, the Office of the President or the campus.
Risk Services
Risk Services is dedicated to partnering with campus units for safeguarding the resources of the University from risks and losses or events that may impede its mission critical activities. Risk Services provides guidance for risk assessment and mitigation, loss prevention and control, facilitates insurance needs, and directs claims processing.
Threat Management (BIT)
When responding to an emergency, perceived emergency, or suspected criminal conduct, call 911. If you encounter a disruptive employee, whose behavior may include threats to self or others, you should call a member of UC Merced Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). The BIT is comprised of a small group of UC Merced administrators responsible for the university employee threat assessment and management process.
If you are a supervisor, manager or other person in authority who receives a report of threat to self or others by a UC Merced employee, you should immediately contact a BIT member.
Whistleblower / Locally Designated Official (LDO)
The Locally Designated Official (LDO) responds to reports of known or suspected improper governmental activities/Whistleblower reports. The LDO also evaluates formal complaints made by individuals who allege that employment actions were taken against them in retaliation for having reported suspected improper governmental activity.
