Whistleblower Protection
Version: 001
Renewal Date: 7/1/2026
Objective #
The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI), in light of its goal to operate in an open and transparent manner and in the spirit of the Tennessee Whistle Blower Protection Act, T.C.A. Section 8-50-116, establishes the following Whistleblower Protection Policy.
The purpose of this policy is to prohibit supervisory personnel from taking adverse or retaliatory actions against an employee as a result of the employee’s disclosure of alleged wrongful conduct. The employee who discloses the alleged wrongful conduct is a “whistleblower.”
UTFI strives to conduct all of its business activities in an open, responsible, legal, and accountable manner. To fortify this effort, and as a demonstration of the seriousness with which these responsibilities are accepted, this policy is intended to:
- Encourage individuals to bring to the attention of UTFI any known or suspected violations of improper, illegal, wasteful, or fraudulent activity regarding UTFI resources.
- Encourage staff and volunteers to come forward with credible information on illegal practices or serious violations of adopted policies.
- Prohibit UTFI employees from interfering with the right of an employee to blow the whistle.
- Prohibit UTFI employees from retaliating against an employee for having made a protected disclosure or for having refused an illegal order.
- Provide a procedure for filing and addressing complaints of retaliation for whistle-blowing.
Policy #
General Policy #
No adverse personnel action or other retaliatory action will be taken against a UTFI employee in reprisal for the employee’s disclosure of information regarding:
- A violation of law.
- Mismanagement/gross waste of funds.
- Abuse of authority.
Allegations regarding any of the foregoing are collectively referred to in this policy as “alleged wrongful conduct.”
No UTFI employee with authority to make or materially influence significant personnel decisions shall take an adverse personnel action or any other retaliatory act against an employee in reprisal for disclosing alleged wrongful conduct.
Harassment and Discrimination Concerns vs. Whistleblowing #
It is important to distinguish concerns about workplace harassment and/or discrimination from the types of concerns this policy is meant to address. Refer to TM0001 Code of Conduct and TM0007 Harassment and Discrimination Policy.
Scope and Application #
This policy applies to all UTFI employees, including full-time staff, part-time staff, student workers, student interns, and temporary staff for the organization.
Policy Implementation #
Any current or former employee who has been subjected to an adverse personnel action or retaliation based on their prior disclosure of alleged wrongful conduct may protest the personnel action or retaliation by filing a written whistleblower complaint with the CEO.
The procedure to file a complaint as well as the responsive actions for investigating and resolution may be found in the TM0017D Whistleblower Protection Procedure.
Definitions #
Retaliation: Retaliation is an adverse personnel action or other action to punish an employee who discloses alleged wrongful conduct.
Whistleblower: One who discloses alleged wrongful conduct.
Penalties/Disciplinary Action for Non-Compliance #
Violations of the policy and any subsections herein may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Policy Administration #
The table below identifies the responsible senior official, contact information and administrative responsibilities of policy matters.
| Subject Matter | Office Name/Position Title | Email/Web Address |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | UTFI Senior Official of Talent Management | [email protected] |
| Point of Contact | UTFI Executive Director of Talent Management | [email protected] |
| Policy Location | Public Listing | |
| Policy Review Schedule | Annual Review |
History of Revision #
Related Policies/Guidance Documents #
Policy:
TM0001 Code of Conduct
TM0007 Harassment and Discrimination Policy
Procedure/Forms: