Compliance and Ethics

knolls hall

University of the Pacific is committed to actively promoting our values, including integrity, accountability, respect, civility and diversity and inclusion. As part of our commitment these values, Pacific promotes ethical behavior, principled decision making and compliance with laws, regulations and university policies.

Compliance: It’s Everyone’s Responsibility


If you have a concern that a Pacific employee or a Pacific practice is not in compliance with laws, regulations, or university policies, that concern should be reported. 

If you would like confidential guidance about how to report a concern, you are invited to contact the University Ombuds, ombuds@pacific.edu. 

Concerns about a Pacific employee should be reported to the employee’s Human Resources Business Partner or the Chief People Officer, ckeller@pacific.edu. 

The university provides a confidential, 24/7 Ethics and Compliance Hotline hosted by a third-party provider, EthicsPoint, for reporting concerns related to legal or policy violations, misconduct, or unethical behavior. The hotline serves as an additional reporting channel for individuals who may not feel comfortable raising concerns with their supervisor, management, or other University representatives. Reports can be made at any time, and all concerns are reviewed and addressed appropriately. If you prefer, you can remain anonymous* and EthicsPoint will exclude any identifying information.

(*Please note that even when a concern is shared anonymously, unique details might make it possible to identify the reporter. Conversely, if insufficient information is shared, the university’s response may be limited.)

Compliance & Ethics Reporting Hotline
Call 1.800.854.8443 or make a report online. 

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This federal law covers many subjects but most people are familiar with the privacy rights and protections it provides to certain medical records. FERPA stands for the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and is another federal law regarding privacy of education records.

Both federal laws concern the privacy and protection of information. HIPAA sets standards for the use and disclosure of patient records and gives patients the right to view and correct their records. 

Similarly, FERPA outlines the circumstances in which an educational institution may share student education records and how and when a student (or their parent) may have access to that information. While the subject matter is the same, the specifics regarding who can access the records and the circumstances in which you can share them differ.

Both laws contain specific exceptions allowing for disclosure of information in the case of a threat to the health and safety of the patient/student or others.

Given that HIPAA concerns the privacy of health information, many people logically assume students’ health records maintained by a campus health clinic or a school’s athletics department would be covered by HIPAA. However, HIPAA has some specific exceptions for health information, one of which is covered by FERPA. FERPA covers student educational records, which include health records that directly relate to a student and are maintained by a qualifying educational institution.

Student health records are still private and must be maintained securely with restricted access. When it comes to determining when and with whom student medical information can be shared, we must follow the university’s FERPA policies and procedures. 

In some cases, FERPA is more restrictive than HIPAA rules. For example, for treatment purposes, HIPAA allows medical information to be freely shared between medical providers without patient permission or notice. Under FERPA, information maintained in a student record can only be shared with a treatment provider with student consent or if the disclosure meets one of the FERPA exceptions to consent.

University Policies
Privacy Program
Make a Report or Ask a Question