Animal Program: Whistle Blower Policy and Posting

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Policy Number:
UW-4117
Old Policy Number:
2003-017-io
Responsible Office:
Research Animal Resources and Compliance

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The university encourages the reporting of concerns related to animal welfare. This policy provides the mechanisms to report concerns regarding animal welfare.

Policy:
  1. Any individual who has concerns related to the use of animals in teaching, research, or outreach at UW–Madison may express those concerns without fear of reprisal. To that end, UW–Madison will not tolerate any reprisal against an individual who has, in good faith, come forward with concerns or allegations of wrongdoing involving the care and use of animals. Any such reprisal is prohibited by state law and university policy, and perpetrators are subject to sanctions.
  2. This policy provides three separate avenues for individuals to express concerns relating to the use of animals in teaching, research, or outreach:
    1. Any individual may report concerns to the tip line maintained by the Office of Research Compliance in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (608-890-1273). If anonymity is requested, UW–Madison will strive to maintain it, but it cannot be absolutely guaranteed.
    2. Any individual may report concerns to persons with authority over UW–Madison’s animal care and use program, which includes the chair of the appropriate Animal Care and Use Committee, the director of the Office of Research Compliance, the assistant director of Research Animal Resources and Compliance (RARC), the chief campus veterinarian, and the university’s institutional official.
    3. UW–Madison employees may report concerns under the procedures of the Wisconsin Whistleblower Law, which protects state employees from retaliation for disclosing certain information. More information about the Whistleblower law is available on the website of the UW–Madison Office of Human Resources. The procedures outlined in avenues 1 and 2 above may not qualify an employee for protection under the Whistleblower Law. 
  3. Each college/school is responsible for posting this policy in sufficient numbers and locations to ensure employees’ awareness.
  4. Colleges or schools wishing to modify the posting to include additional college/school contacts may do so as long as, at a minimum, the following are included:
    1. Chair of the Animal Care and Use Committee with oversight responsibility for that facility
    2. Director of the Office of Research Compliance
    3. Assistant Director of RARC
    4. Chief Campus Veterinarian

Get a copy of the whistle blower poster.

Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Associate Vice Chancellor of Research Policy and Compliance
Policy Manager:
Associate Vice Chancellor of Research Policy and Compliance
Contact:
IACUC Administrator -- IACUC Administrator, iacuc_administrator@rarc.wisc.edu, (608) 262-1238
Effective Date:
06-30-2003
Date Issued:
06-30-2003
Revised Dates:

11-01-2010, 11-01-2014, 06-01-2019

Retrieved:
02-01-2025 19:32:49