Caltech Hotline

As Caltech pioneers new scientific and technological discoveries, our core values remain at the heart of everything we do at the Institute. It's important to continually let people know that management is in a position to provide guidance on compliance and ethical matters. Caltech's open-door approach allows anyone to communicate issues or questions to their immediate supervisor or manager, or to Human Resources, the Office of General Counsel, and Audit Services and Institute Compliance. Institute management has established various ways to help employees raise ethical and compliance concerns in an environment that protects them from retribution. One of these ways is The Caltech Hotline.

• Submission through the Online Hotline Form
• Anonymous via telephone at 626-395-8787 or toll-free at 888-395-8787
• Interoffice Mail to the Caltech Hotline at M/C 250-64
• U.S. Mail to the Caltech Hotline at:

Reporting Concerns

The Hotline provides students, faculty, and staff with a means of:

• Communicating concerns about potential violations of Institute policies, laws or regulations, unethical behavior, conflicts of interest, actual or suspected fraud, or other improper actions, without fear of retribution.
• Obtaining advice before making decisions that appear to have significant compliance or ethical implications.

Please be aware that the Caltech Whistleblower Policy prohibits retaliation against any individual who makes a good faith disclosure of suspected wrongful conduct.

It is Caltech's policy to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including whistleblower rights and remedies provided under 41 USC Section 4712, which is summarized at Employee Whistleblower Protection (Pilot Program).

Caltech is committed to the highest ethical standards. From its inception, the Institute has recognized that ethical behavior must be viewed as a personal and institutional responsibility.

• All members of the Caltech community are expected at all times to comply with the laws, rules, regulations and policies that govern behavior at the Institute.
• As employees of the Institute, each of us is responsible for making sure that our own conduct and the conduct of those we supervise fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
• We must recognize that even the appearance of misconduct or impropriety can be damaging to the reputation of the Institute, and act to avoid them.
• We are all individually responsible for protecting all Institute resources and information entrusted to us from loss, theft or other misuse.

Ethical issues are not always clear. You may find you need assistance in resolving certain ethical dilemmas. Resources are available to assist you:

• Staff members on campus and at JPL may contact their immediate supervisors.
• Students, faculty, researchers, and staff within the academic divisions may always contact their academic or research advisors, immediate faculty or staff supervisors, and higher levels of the divisional administration, up to the Division Chairs.
• Students may contact the Undergraduate or Graduate Deans.
• Any member of the Institute may direct questions regarding research integrity to the Campus Office of Research Compliance or the JPL Office of the Chief Scientist.
• Any member of the Institute may direct questions to Human Resources, JPL's Ethics Office, Audit Services and Institute Compliance, and the Office of General Counsel.

When  other  channels are  not available  or there  is a  need for confidentiality,  we encourage you to contact Campus'  Anonymous  Hotline  (x8787 on Campus,  toll  free 888-395-8787,   or  (626-395-8787);  JPL's Anonymous  Ethics Line (818-354-9999 or toll free  866-405-7536).