Welcome to the Uniformed Services University's on-line "Open Door Program."
The Open Door Program has been created for all members of the Uniformed Services University (USU): faculty, staff and students, to bring issues to my attention and I welcome those inputs.
USU is an extraordinary institution and I am deeply impressed by the commitment, integrity and imagination of the members of our community. Each of us become experts at our jobs and we all develop ideas and opinions about our work and our workplace. While I know there are many mechanisms in place for open communication, and I am committed to helping maximize all of them, I have inaugurated an "Open Door Policy" to provide an additional, user friendly option to allow members of this community to bring issues to my attention.
This program is not meant to replace the Brigade Open Door Policy, DOD hotline, the Faculty Senate, various committee meetings, discussions with colleagues, subordinates and supervisors (formal and informal), or any other existing methods of reporting, but rather to provide an alternative. In fact, it is of the utmost importance that we all commit ourselves to strengthen these methods. While the chores of meetings and the courage to be candid with our peers may be time and energy consuming, they are the foundation of our academic community.
Nevertheless, I understand that in an organization this large and this complex, it is unrealistic for me to expect people to simply "come through my door informally" to bring me information.
Further, I understand that even if people were to "come through my door," they might be reluctant to tell me some things in such a "face-to-face" setting. Clearly each of these factors limits my access to potentially important information.
I intend this program to compensate for those limits by providing members of the USU community with an efficient, effective, and "safe" environment to bring me information they believe I should have in order to properly evaluate and improve operations of the university.
The actual program uses software licensed and maintained (at a cost that is below that of a desktop computer) by EthicsPoint, a company dedicated to providing a safe reporting environment for universities and public corporations. By using it, the USU community can electronically send information to me at a time convenient to them without making an appointment or finding me in the halls or dining area. Additionally, my staff or I can request and receive additional information so I can provide users with a thoughtful response thru a confidential e-mail. If the person using the system believes it's necessary, they can even choose to remain anonymous.
Please use this new tool to let me know what we are doing well and who is doing it, what we are doing that you feel could be done better, and what we are doing that you feel we should not be doing. As always, whenever appropriate, I encourage you to report information through your management chain, or to one of the other offices available within the university prior to using this program.
How to file a report by phone:
- 1. Call the toll free number, 1-866-294-9317, available 24 hours a day. You will speak with a compliance specialist who will collect your information, and process your report through the system.
a. Users are automatically redirected to a secure server maintained by EthicsPoint. - Once you have completed your report, the compliance specialist will issue you a user name that will allow you to return to the system and monitor progress.
How to file a report using a USU computer:
- 1. First go to the USU website at http://www.usuhs.mil and click on the "Open Door Program" link on the bottom left.
- 2. Click on the button marked "Click here to file a report."
a. From here users are automatically redirected to a secure server maintained by EthicsPoint.
b. Follow directions on site.
- 3. Choose only one of the categories available when submitting a report.
a. What are we doing right, and who is doing it?
b. Are we doing anything that is foolish or wasteful?
c. Are we doing anything that seems wrong, or in need of correction?
- 4. Once you have completed your report, you will be issued a user name that will allow you to return to the system and monitor progress.
Click here to file a report: EthicsPoint Report
REMEMBER: Once you leave this page you are entering a secure site hosted by EthicsPoint who is not part of the University's website or intranet.
How to file a report using a computer outside of USU:
- Using any internet service provider you can access this program by logging onto http:// www.ethicspoint.com.
- Click on "File a report."
- At this point, instructions are the same as indicated above in items three and four.
- Again, this program is designed to be an alternative for you to voice your ideas, and I hope to hear from anyone who wishes to bring them forward.
*Additional Resources are located on left.
Contact Information
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4799
Room G056