Quality Control Missing at TTU's EthicsPoint

Report Submission Date
10/7/2013
Reported Company/Branch Information

Name	Texas Tech University
Location	Texas Tech University - Lubbock 150 Administration Bldg. Box 42005
City/State/Zip	Lubbock, TX, 79409

Violation Information
Issue Type
	Other Human Resource Concerns
Relationship to Institution
	Other/Anonymous
What is the general nature of this matter?
	I would like to file a complaint regarding a previous Ethics Point "investigation." The "investigation" did not address any of a number of listed concerns regarding unethical leadership behavior at the top at Texas Tech University. I can only assume there are no standards for an Ethics Point investigation. The one I received seemed Ethics Point-less.
How did you become aware of this possible violation?
	It happened to me
Where did this incident or possible violation occur?
	In whichever office conducts EthicsPoint investigations or the offices above that one that ordered the investigator to avoid any stated issues and offer political sounding nonsense.
Please provide the specific or approximate time this incident occurred.
	Sep 14, 2013, 3:53 PM
How long do you think this problem has been going on?
	Don't know
What leads you to believe the problem has been ongoing?
	The litany of false statements offered by Texas Tech administrators listed in my 8/27/13 complaint and the investigators complete avoidance of stating or addressing. I do know Chancellor Hance and President Nellis repeatedly ignored concerns submitted directly to them on the issue. I imagine it would have been very difficult for a lower level staffer to even ask questions that clearly revealed senior Tech administrators to be bald faced liars and bullies.
Please identify the person(s) you feel are engaged in this behavior.
	EthicsPoint Investigator Duane Nellis - President - Stuck head in sand Kent Hance - Chancellor - ignored lies by Tech marketing people and intimidation by Facilities AVP
For the persons named above please indicate whether or not they are affiliated with Texas Tech.
	All are affiliated with Texas Tech, unless Tech contracts out EthicsPoint investigations
Have you or someone else previously reported this problem to your supervisor or management? If so, by whom, to whom, when, and how?

Report Submission Date (My original complaint)
8/27/2013
Reported Company/Branch Information
Name Texas Tech University
Location Texas Tech University - Lubbock
150 Administration Bldg.
Box 42005
City/State/Zip Lubbock, TX, 79409
Violation Information
Issue Type
Inappropriate Supervisor Directive
Relationship to Institution
Other/Anonymous
What is the general nature of this matter?
Assistant Vice President Hugh Cronin of Facilities Management is purposefully barricading Texas Tech's Feral Cats under buildings without food or water, which is defined as animal cruelty under Texas law. Multiple times Cronin has said all cats have been removed and multiple times cats have been seen barricaded under buildings with no food or water.
How did you become aware of this possible violation?
Other
If other, how?
TTU employees and area animal service organizations
Where did this incident or possible violation occur?
Drane Hall over the last week, other buildings prior to this
Please provide the specific or approximate time this incident occurred.
Thursday evening August 22 all cats removed
Friday morning August 23 two cats sighted behind metal grate with no food or water
Friday evening Cronin orders sheet metal installed so cats cannot be seen
Monday August 26 - two more cats sighted after someone removed sheet metal.
Tuesday August 27 - one more cat sighted
How long do you think this problem has been going on?
1 to 3 months
What leads you to believe the problem has been ongoing?
A June 3rd Tech announcement said the University would partner with local animal service organizations on cat removal. This turned out to be a complete untruth. Hugh Cronin did not ask for and turned down numerous offers of aid on the safe and ethical removal of Tech's community cats.
Please identify the person(s) you feel are engaged in this behavior.
Hugh Cronin - Asst. VP
Chris Cook - Comm/Mktg
For the persons named above please indicate whether or not they are affiliated with Texas Tech.
Yes, they are affiliated with TTU
Have you or someone else previously reported this problem to your supervisor or management? If so, by whom, to whom, when, and how?
I wrote President Nellis on this very issue and received no reply
Do you suspect or know that a supervisor or management is involved?
Yes
If yes, then who?
Chris Cook wrote that PETA was involved in helping TTU address the issue. PETA officials, when contacted regarding Tech's animal cruelty, said they had not been contacted by TTU. Cook's blatant misrepresentation is an ethics violation.
What leads you to believe that a supervisor or management is involved?
Chris Cook wrote that PETA was involved in helping TTU address the issue. PETA officials, when contacted regarding Tech's animal cruelty, said they had not been contacted by TTU. Cook's blatant misrepresentation is an ethics violation.
Please identify any persons who have attempted to conceal this problem and the steps they took to conceal it.
President Nellis ignored it
Chancellor Hance ignored it
Details
There are many e-mails and pictures. The e-mails can be gotten internally via an IT search of Cronin's and Cook's communications. Pictures exist on the website for the Humane Society of West Texas and the State of the Division blog.

Follow-Up Notes
Sep 02, 2013, 12:38 PM - Reporter
A petition for TTU to install one way excluder devices instead of sheet metal barricades was submitted to President Nellis. This petition had over 330 signatures and was sent due to the urgent need to allow cats out of crawl spaces to obtain food and water.

The Humane Society of West Texas has a second petition with roughly 1,000 signatures asking TTU to reconsider its heavy handed, uncooperative stategies in regard to feral cat removal.

As of Labor Day 2013 cats have been barricaded under Drane Hall with no food or water for two weeks. TTU administration has shown no concern over the welfare of these animals and ramped up its intimidation of people on TTU's campus who are concerned about Tech's animal cruelty.

In one incident the TTU police were called and animal cruelty reported. Assistant Vice President Hugh Cronin was verbally abusive to the person making the report

Sep 11, 2013, 11:00 PM - Reporter
It's been two weeks since I submitted this concern. When might I hear something other than "we're looking into it?"

Oct 02, 2013, 10:14 PM - Reporter
Where do I file a complaint regarding this hapless ethics investigation? Are there no standards for an Ethics Point investigation? This one is Ethics Pointless.

Follow-Up Questions/Comments
Sep 02, 2013, 1:54 PM - TTU
Comment: Thank you for using the Ethics Point reporting system
and for your additional information. We are currently
looking into this matter.

Sep 04, 2013, 7:39 PM - Reporter
Reply: I request a formal reply to concerns stated in this report.

Sep 14, 2013, 3:53 PM - TTU
Comment: Hugh Cronin is no longer with the university. After his
departure, administration continued to seek
opportunities to partner with the campus and the
student organization in an effort to strengthen the
viability of the program intended to relocate the feral
cats away from residence halls, dining halls, and child
development center. Since your report, the university
has partnered with the campus feral cat caregivers to
ensure no cats are trapped under Drane Hall. During
this process, another opening was discovered in the
basement allowing cats to freely enter and exit the
building once again confirming cats had never been
completely trapped underneath the building. Before
the remaining opening is sealed, a university employee
will again put on protective hazmat gear and crawl
under the building to verify there are no cats. As soon
as the campus feral cat caregivers and anyone else
interested in this process witness the search and are
satisfied with the results, the opening will be
permanently sealed.

Thank you for using the Ethics Point reporting system.
Sep 15, 2013, 9:49 AM - Reporter
Reply: Finding a hole after the fact does not impact facilities management's behavior or intent in the handling of this situation. It promised to collaborate, then never did.

Your response did not address the unprofessional behavior of Hugh Cronin (verbal abuse) or Chris Cook (lying). It did not address President Nellis' or Chancellor Hance's ignoring the problem for weeks to months.

If this is the quality of investigation at a University level I am sorely disappointed. It confirms my assessment that corporate compliance programs exist for show.

Do you suspect or know that a supervisor or management is involved?
	Yes
If yes, then who?
	I know TTU Senior Leaders did nothing to make the Facilities AVP fulfill promises made. They covered up his unethical and pathological behavior with "after the fact" findings that had nothing to do with the AVP's intent or behavior. It seems TTU leaders don't have ethics standards for communication if their top person can offer a bald faced lie and this not be addressed at all in the investigation. The university's response feels like the usual political speech that dismisses serious concerns. Done in a university setting, it's especially egregious.
What leads you to believe that a supervisor or management is involved?
	Someone clearly botched an investigation. I believe this was due to fear of reprisal from TTU Senior Leaders for even asking my questions. That, or the investigator got nonsense speech from the parties involved and had neither the status or protection to challenge such.
Please identify any persons who have attempted to conceal this problem and the steps they took to conceal it.
	EthicsPoint would need to look at who was contacted by the investigator and their replies. The "investigation" itself is hapless. It completely avoids the cruel behavior of the AVP Facilities and the lie from the Marketing/Communications leader.
Details
	Having done many investigations over the years I could not believe the shoddiness of TTU's response to my initial EthicsPoint report. My concerns were not taken seriously and TTU's top leaders clearly endorsed the behavior of their underlings. Why did this occur?

Follow-Up Notes
There are no additional notes for this report.
Follow-Up Questions/Comments
Oct 09, 2013, 5:18 PM - TTU
Comment: This matter has been fully investigated. Texas Tech will continue to pursue best practices to ensure the health, safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff in cooperation with the appropriate organizations for the humane treatment of the feral cat population.

Chief Audit Executive and CPA
Texas Tech University System

Oct 10, 2013, 11:29 PM - Reporter
Reply: Horse hockey. What EthicsPoint supplied me was far from a full investigation. I welcome the complete investigation report, which shows an evaluation of Hugh Cronin's intimidating behavior and Chris Cook's lying. Both were completely ignored in the EthicsPoint reply to my initial concern.

Tech made numerous promises then never delivered. Your statement, in light of Tech representatives unethical behavior, is patently false. I'm sure there are obligations within the CPA code of ethics that you may wish to re-examine. Tech can lie and intimidate, but accountants are supposed to examine and report what they see.
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I suggest retiring Chancellor Kent Hance's Leadership class take this up as a case study.  Students can evaluate the behavior of Hugh Cronin and Chris Cook.  They can judge the quality of TTU's two EthicsPoint responses, neither worthy of the title "investigation."  Compliance, the lawyerization of business, is itself a race to the bottom.  Hance's TTU team is clearly winning.