With an organization as large as Lehigh it’s crucial that everyone takes ownership of ensuring that our operations and actions meet the university’s high ethical standards - and that they comply with the law.
Lehigh University’s EthicsPoint Hotline serves as a vital tool for faculty, staff, students, and external parties to raise concerns about conduct, fraud, and compliance issues. The Internal Audit team and the Office of General Counsel manage the hotline collaboratively.
EthicsPoint is a third-party system that has been in place for years at Lehigh and is widely used across other institutions. “It covers everything—student conduct, HR matters, fraud, misuse of resources, faculty misconduct,” Adrienne Larmett from the Internal Audit team shared. “It’s open to anyone—students, faculty, staff, alumni, even external community members—providing a formal mechanism for reporting concerns anonymously or otherwise.”
How Reports Are Handled
Once a report is submitted, both Internal Audit and General Counsel receive an alert to review and assess the details. Larmett explained, “We see the report within 24 hours, often immediately. The system allows us to communicate with the reporter anonymously if follow-up is needed and provides reassurance by showing the status of the investigation.”
The approach to investigations emphasizes discretion. “We try to do as much work behind the scenes as possible,” Larmett noted. “Often, we can review documentation or conduct analyses without engaging the people being reported until necessary.”
Reassuring Confidentiality and Preventing Retaliation
A key concern for people using the hotline is trust. The system ensures confidentiality and anonymous communication, which Larmett stressed as essential. “When we conduct reviews or investigations, we do so with as much discretion as possible. If reports involve sensitive matters like personnel conflicts, we partner with HR or other relevant departments.”
Katlyn Andrews, another member of the internal audit team, highlighted how reports on specific issues, like financial misuse, are investigated thoroughly yet discreetly. “We pull detailed documentation—such as financial records—and analyze them without immediately alerting the involved parties. This ensures both accuracy and confidentiality,” she said.
The hotline’s system provides reporters with visibility into the progress of their cases, offering reassurance that their concerns are being addressed. That’s especially important when a case requires extended investigations, audits, or legal consultation. “Even if resolution isn’t immediate, individuals can see that their report is being taken seriously,” Larmett added.
For More Information
If you want to learn more about the hotline or use it to report a concern, follow this link to the Internal Audit webpages.