Special reviews

Generally, individuals should first contact their immediate supervisor or university faculty or unit financial manager to discuss concerns in a timely manner. This is an important step because there may be clarifying information that supervisors or others are aware of that may immediately resolve the concern. Individuals can contact Audit Services if they are hesitant to work with their faculty or unit contacts.

Audit Services will evaluate the individual’s concerns to determine if a review is required. The individual reporting the issue may be contacted to obtain additional information. Information received by Audit Services will be treated in a confidential and sensitive manner.

We may determine that the concerns reported would be better addressed under the Safe Disclosure (Whistleblower) Policy or the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy. We will provide guidance and support for filing reports under these policies if that is determined to be necessary.

The university’s Safe Disclosure (Whistleblower) Policy was implemented in 2012 to meet the requirements of the Act. The Policy is intended to apply only to the Disclosure of Wrongdoing, as that term is defined in the Act and may be amended from time to time. This Policy is not intended to apply to other types of disclosures, and is not intended as a dispute resolution mechanism to replace grievances, appeal hearings, and other administrative processes. At the time this Policy was approved, the definition of Wrongdoing was:

1. An act or omission constituting an offence under an Act of the Legislature or the Parliament of Canada, or a regulation made under an Act
2. An act or omission that creates a substantial and specific danger to the life, health or safety of persons, or to the environment, other than a danger that is inherent in the performance of the duties or functions of an employee
3. Gross mismanagement, including of public funds or a public asset
4. Knowingly directing or counseling a person to commit a wrongdoing described in clauses (a) to (c);

To make a report to the Designated Officer under the Safe Disclosure (Whistleblower) Policy, contact the Office of the Vice-President (Administration) at 204-474-8889 or vpadmin@umanitoba.ca

The university’s Responsible Conduct of Research Policy and the Code or Research Ethics were implemented in 2013 to define the institution’s expectations for the responsible conduct of research.

The Responsible Conduct of Research Investigative Procedure details how the University will manage disclosures and investigate allegations under the policy. Breaches as defined under the policy include several examples, one of which pertains to the financial mismanagement of grants or award funds. This includes using grant or award funds for purposes inconsistent with the policies of the funding agencies, misappropriating grant and award funds, contravening a funding agency’s policies, or providing incomplete, inaccurate or false information on documentation for expenditures from grant or award accounts.

To make a report directly to the Designated Officer under the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy, contact the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International) at 204-474-6915 or research_communications@umanitoba.ca