Compliance FAQs

Compliance means abiding by applicable laws, regulations, and policies. In an institution of higher education, compliance is less about regulating individual behavior than it is about understanding applicable regulatory requirements that apply to University activities and ensuring TWU meets them. As TWU engages in a broad range of activities, the number and scope of applicable laws, regulations, and policies is vast. That makes understanding them and complying with them a challenging, TWU-wide endeavor.

Ethics is the opportunity to contribute, influence, and lead through the discipline of doing what is right. It means upholding the values of TWU; behaving in an ethical manner; performing all duties with professionalism, accountability, competence, and honesty; focusing on solutions rather than fault and blame; and acting with initiative. When members of the TWU Community operate with integrity, it generates trust, enhances communication, improves the University’s culture, and supports the University's mission and vision.

TWU’s Compliance and Ethics Program:

• Fosters a University culture that does not tolerate illegal or unethical behavior and prompts faculty and staff to consider the potentially adverse consequences of unethical conduct;
• Solves problems by improving collaboration and communication;
• Reduces the risks of non-compliance, while increasing the likelihood of early detection and correction; and
• Provides a source of best practices and assistance for the entire TWU Community.

It is important to note that the Office of Compliance does not assume the duties of the existing substantive compliance areas. All ongoing compliance activities continue in their existing reporting structures because these functions were designed to address specific legal and regulatory requirements. Instead, Compliance’s role is to centralize the information produced by these activities, to coordinate these efforts, and to assess University-wide compliance performance.

Compliance functions at TWU are integrated into the activities that take place across our campuses every day. Compliance officers and other employees charged with compliance duties work within many units, either individually or as part of multi-person teams, to ensure that TWU is compliant with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The Office of Compliance coordinates these activities, working with leaders throughout the University to identify and fulfill legal and policy responsibilities. Ultimately, TWU’s success in maintaining compliance depends on the individual commitment of every TWU Community member.