Compliance and Risk Management Program

Ultimate responsibility for knowing, educating, monitoring, and enforcing legal and regulatory requirements related to federal  and state laws and regulations, accrediting agency requirements and other external compliance rests with the senior staff member in charge of the area affected by such laws and regulations. 

Hamilton coordinates compliance activities across the campus through a delegated structure. The Compliance Oversight Leadership Team (COLT) is tasked with developing and overseeing the Risk and Compliance Governance program for Hamilton College. 

COLT is responsible for overarching compliance activities, including policy development and acceptance, risk assessment and prioritization at a strategic level. Policies will be owned by Divisions of Hamilton College or the Office of the President if applicable to the entire campus. Responsibility is delegated to departments as needed. COLT will maintain a working Policy Page to provide a centralized location for policies.

Each senior officer assigns one leader as a member of the Compliance Oversight Leadership Team. These representatives will be responsible for:

• Monitoring information related to legal, regulatory, and other external compliance as it affects their division;
• Working with constituents within their division to uncover and obtain relevant information including, but not limited to:
  • official and unofficial policies and guidelines
  •  data pertinent to compliance
  • records of past compliance (or noncompliance) issues
• Reviewing information collected to determine compliance status;
• Recommending actions and initiatives to reduce exposure, for example, training, consulting with outside experts, policy development;
• Establishing timelines and monitoring mechanisms for divisional compliance and risk management activities; and
• Gathering information for regular reports to Senior Staff and the Board of Trustees Audit Committee.

COLT is co-coordinated by the Director of Procurement and Administrative Services and the Information Security Officer.

Last Reviewed: March 2020
Last Updated: March 2021