Current Topics / Finance and Operations

Current Topics

Among the responsibilities of Finance and Operations are a number of university initiatives, which we organize and help with regularly. Some of these initiatives are described in more detail below.

Cell Phone Policy (effective September 1, 2008)
Sustainability on Campus
Program Leaders Meetings
Privacy Protections for Health Information (HIPAA)
Privacy Protections for Consumers (GLB)
Financial Conduct Hotline

Sustainability at PLU

PLU partnered with the Russell Family Foundation to create a campus group to encourage the sustainable use of water and other resources on campus. The Sustainability Committee is currently working on changing the way our campus uses water. The remodeled Stuen, Xavier, Ordal and Foss halls, for instance, have reduced water usage with the installation of low-flow toilets, faucet motion sensors and faucet aerators. A bioswale near South Hall collects and naturally treats stormwater runoff from the parking lot, and drought-tolerant native plants are incorporated into the landscape to reduce the need for watering during the summer. To find out more about this committee, visit their webpage www.plu.edu/~sustain.

Go Green Measurement and Analysis Report by Sightlines 2009

Sustainability Initiatives at PLU: Fall Conference Presentation 2008

Creating a Sustainable Campus, CIC Presentation November 2007
CIC Presentation Handouts

Program Leaders Meetings

Presentation Materials

Privacy Protection for Health Information

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Pacific Lutheran University must take steps to protect the privacy of its students, faculty and staff health information. PLU has since formed a committee to ensure full implementation of HIPAA compliance regulations, protecting our employee and student information.

Privacy Protections for Consumers

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act mandates extensive privacy protections for consumers. Colleges and universities are considered financial institutions regulated through this law. Because they are also regulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), our privacy provisions meet the requirements of the GLB Act. However, colleges and universities are subject to provisions related to administrative, technical and physical safeguarding of customer information. Regulations carrying out this act are in effect as of May 23, 2003.

Financial Conduct Hotline

PLU has made a hotline available for anonymously disclosing evidence of unlawful or unethical practices. Using this hotline, you may report financial misconduct, although it is recommended that you first file a report with the University Dispute Resolution Committee (UDRC). Click here for more information about the UDRC. Please remember to report such practices within 90 days of the misconduct.

The financial misconduct hotline is available to call toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

1-866-943-5787

Information disclosed on this hotline is anonymous, as the number is designed to protect employees from workplace retaliation.

Please click here to read PLU's Policy on Disclosure of Financial Misconduct.

Photo by Angella Wehry