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62673
Federal Register
 /Vol. 62, No. 226/Monday, November 24, 1997/Notices
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONPrivacy Act of 1974
AGENCY
:
Office of Inspector General,Department of Education.
ACTION
:
Notice of a new System of records.
SUMMARY
:
In accordance with thePrivacy Act of 1974, as amended, theDepartment of Education (ED) publishesthis notice of a new system of recordsentitled Hotline Complaint Files of theInspector General.’The system willcontain records of telephone calls andletters directed to the Office of InspectorGeneral (OIG) Hotline citing complaintsand allegations of wrongdoingconcerning ED programs, ED operations,and recipients of ED-administeredprogram funds. It also will containinformation on OIG’s handling of thesecomplaints. The allegations reportedthrough the Hotline may give rise to theopening of an investigation, audit, orother OIG inquiry or be referredelsewhere for resolution. TheDepartment seeks comment on this newsystem of records described in thisnotice, in accordance with therequirements of the Privacy Act.
DATES
:
Comments on the proposedroutine uses of this system of recordsmust be received by the Department onor before December 24, 1997. TheDepartment filed a report of the newsystem of records with the Committeeon Governmental Affairs of the Senate,the Committee on Government Reformand Oversight of the House of Representatives, and the Administratorof the Office of Information andRegulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) onNovember 18, 1997. Normally, thissystem of records would becomeeffective after the 30-day period forOMB review of the system expired,unless OMB gave specific notice withinthe 30 days that the system was notapproved for implementation orrequired an additional 10 days for OMBreview. However, the Secretaryproposes to exempt this system of records from certain requirements of thePrivacy Act, as authorized under 5U.S.C. 552a(j)(2) and (k)(2), and thissystem will not be implemented untilthe proposed exemptions become final(See the separate notice of proposedrulemaking published elsewhere in thisissue of the
Federal Register
). TheDepartment will publish any changes tothe system of records that are a result of comments on the system.
ADDRESSES
:
All comments on theproposed routine uses should beaddressed to the Privacy Act Officer,Information Management Group, Officeof the Chief Information Officer, U.S.Department of Education, 600Independence Avenue, S.W., Room5624, GSA Regional Office Building 3,Washington, D.C. 20202–4651.Comments may also be sent through theInternet to: Comments@ed.govYou must include the term ‘‘Hotline’’in the subject line of the electroniccommand.All comments submitted in responseto this notice will be available for publicinspection, during and after thecomment period, in Room 5624, 7th &D Streets, S.W., between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Eastern time,Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.On request the Department suppliesan appropriate aid, such as a reader orprint magnifier, to an individual with adisability who needs assistance toreview the comments or otherdocuments in the public rulemakingdocket for this notice. An individualwith a disability who wants to schedulean appointment for this type of aid maycall (202) 205–8113 or (202) 260–9895.An individual who uses a TDD may callthe Federal Information Relay Service at1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8p.m., Eastern time, Monday throughFriday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
:
Dianne Van Riper, Assistant InspectorGeneral for Investigation Services,Office of Inspector General, U.S.Department of Education, 600Independence Avenue, S.W., Room4106, Switzer Building, Washington,D.C. 20202–1510. Telephone: (202) 205–8762. Individuals who use atelecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal InformationRelay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,Monday through Friday.Individuals with disabilities mayobtain this document in an alternateformat (e.g., Braille, large print,audiotape, or computer diskette) onrequest to the contact person listed inthe preceding paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
:
Electronic Access to This Document
Anyone may view this document, aswell as all other Department of Education documents published in the
Federal Register
, in text or portabledocument format (pdf) on the WorldWide Web at either of the followingsites:http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htmhttp://www.ed.gov/news.htmlTo use the pdf you must have theAdobe Acrobat Reader Program withSearch, which is available free at eitherof the previous sites. If you havequestions about using the pdf, call theU.S. Government Printing Office tollfree at 1–888–293–6498.Anyone may also view thesedocuments in text copy only on anelectronic bulletin board of theDepartment. Telephone: (202) 219–1511or, toll free, 1–800–222–4922. Thedocuments are located under OptionG—Files/Announcements, Bulletins andPress Releases.
Note:
The official version of this documentis the document published in the
FederalRegister
.
General
The Privacy Act of 1974 (see 5 U.S.C.552a(e)(4)) requires the Department topublish in the
Federal Register
thisnotice of a new system of records. TheDepartment’s regulations implementingthe Privacy Act of 1974 are contained inthe Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)in 34 CFR Part 5b.The Office of Inspector General (OIG)has long maintained a Hotline thatreceives numerous telephone calls andletters citing allegations of wrongdoingconcerning ED programs, ED operations,and recipients of ED-administeredprogram funds. These Hotlinecomplaints may give rise to the openingof an investigation, audit, or other OIGinquiry or be referred elsewhere forresolution. Records in the Hotlinesystem of records contain informationobtained from complainants who reportindications of wrongdoing relating to EDprograms and operations. In addition,information on the OIG disposition of the complaints is maintained in thesystem. That information may includename and address (if available) of thecomplainant, date the complaint wasreceived, identity of individuals againstwhom the complaint is filed, affectedprogram area, nature and subject of thecomplaint, and any additionalwitnesses, contacts, and specificcomments provided by the complainant.Information gained through theHotline has until now been retained ingeneral complaint files. In order to moreeffectively carry out OIGs mission of combating fraud, waste, and abusethrough administration of the Hotline,OIG intends to reorganize Hotlinecomplaints so that they will beaccessible by an individual identifier, if appropriate, and to incorporate thatinformation into the Hotline ComplaintFiles System. The records contained inthis system are used by the OIG infurtherance of the responsibilities of theInspector General under the InspectorGeneral Act of 1978, as amended (IGAct), to conduct and supervise audits,
 
62674
Federal Register
 /Vol. 62, No. 226/Monday, November 24, 1997/Notices
investigations, inspections, and otherinquiries relating to programs andoperations of ED; to promote economy,efficiency, and effectiveness in theadministration of those programs andoperations; and to prevent and detectfraud and abuse in those programs andoperations.The personal data on individuals willbe maintained only to the extent that theinformation is considered necessary tomeet the purposes of the IG Act. Hotlinecalls not resulting in investigations aredestroyed when five years old inaccordance with the National Archivesand Records Administration’s GeneralRecords Schedules, GRS 22/item 1a. If OIG opens investigations based uponHotline information, the resultinginvestigation files will be part of anotherexisting system of records, theInvestigative Files of the OIG (18–10–0001). Investigative case files aredestroyed 10 years after close-out inaccordance with GRS 22/item 1b.The records will be kept in locked filecabinets and in computer terminals thatare secured in controlled areas. Accessto records is limited to authorizedpersonnel who must use a key toretrieve records in the file cabinets andhave a password to gain access torecords on the computer terminals.
Dated: November 18, 1997.
Thomas R. Bloom,
 Inspector General.
The Inspector General of the U.S.Department of Education publishes anotice of a new system of records toread as follows:
18–10–0004
SYSTEM NAME
:
Hotline Complaint Files of theInspector General ED/OIG.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
:
None.
SYSTEM LOCATION
:
Office of Inspector General, U.S.Department of Education, 330 C Street,S.W., Room 4116, Switzer Building,Washington, D.C. 20202–1510.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THESYSTEM
:
Categories include individuals whoare sources of information or have madecomplaints to the OIG Hotline,individuals who allegedly haveknowledge regarding wrongdoingaffecting the programs and operations of the Department, and individuals aboutwhom complaints and allegations havebeen made concerning wrongdoinginvolving the programs and operationsof the Department of Education. Theseindividuals may include, but are notlimited to, current and former EDemployees, grantees, subgrantees,contractors, subcontractors, programparticipants, recipients of Federal fundsor federally insured funds, and officers,employees, or agents of institutionalrecipients or program participants.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM
:
Records in this system containinformation obtained from complainantswho report allegations of wrongdoingrelating to ED programs and operations.Specific data may include name andaddress (if available) of thecomplainant, the date the complaintwas received, the affected program area,the nature and subject of the complaint,and any additional contacts and specificcomments provided by the complainant.In addition, information on the OIGdisposition of the complaint is includedin the system.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM
:
Inspector General Act of 1978, asamended (IG Act), 5 U.S.C. app. 3.
PURPOSES
:
Pursuant to the Inspector General Act,the system is maintained for thepurposes of maintaining a record of complaints and allegations receivedconcerning Department of Educationprograms and operations andconcerning the disposition of thosecomplaints and allegations.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THESYSTEM
,
INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS ANDTHE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES
:
The Department of Education maydisclose information contained in arecord in this system of records withoutthe consent of the individual if thedisclosure is compatible with thepurpose for which the record wascollected, under the following routineuses:(a)
 Disclosure for Use by Other Law Enforcement Agencies.
In the event thatinformation in this system of recordsindicates, either on its face or inconnection with other information, aviolation or potential violation of anyapplicable statute, regulation, or orderof a competent authority, the relevantrecords in the system of records may bereferred, as a routine use, to theappropriate agency, whether foreign,Federal, State, Tribal, or local, chargedwith the responsibility of investigatingor prosecuting such a violation orcharged with enforcing or implementingthe statute, Executive order or rule,regulation, or order issued pursuantthereto.(b)
 Litigation Disclosure.
(1) Introduction. In the event that oneof the following parties is involved inlitigation, or has an interest in litigation,ED may disclose certain records to theparties described in paragraphs (2), (3),and (4) of this routine use under theconditions specified in thoseparagraphs:(i) ED, or any component of theDepartment; or(ii) Any ED employee in his or herofficial capacity; or(iii) Any employee of ED in his or herindividual capacity if the Department of Justice has agreed to provide or arrangefor representation for the employee; or(iv) Any employee of ED in his or herindividual capacity if the agency hasagreed to represent the employee; or(v) The United States if ED determinesthat the litigation is likely to affect theDepartment or any of its components.(2) Disclosure to the Department of Justice. If ED determines that disclosureof certain records to the Department of Justice or attorneys engaged by theDepartment of Justice is relevant andnecessary to litigation, ED may disclosethose records as a routine use to theDepartment of Justice.(3) Administrative Disclosures. If EDdetermines that disclosure of certainrecords to an adjudicative body beforewhich ED is authorized to appear or toan individual or an entity designated byED or otherwise empowered to resolvedisputes is relevant and necessary to theadministrative litigation, ED maydisclose those records as a routine useto the adjudicative body, individual, orentity.(4) Opposing Counsels,Representatives, and Witnesses. If EDdetermines that disclosure of certainrecords to an opposing counsel,representative, or witness in anadministrative proceeding is relevantand necessary to the litigation, ED maydisclose those records as a routine useto the counsel, representative, orwitness.(c)
 Disclosure to Public and Private Entities to Obtain Information Relevant to ED/OIG Functions and Duties.
ED/ OIG may disclose information from thissystem of records as a routine use topublic or private sources to the extentnecessary to obtain information fromthose sources relevant to an ED/OIGinvestigation, audit, inspection, or otherinquiry.(d)
 Disclosure to Public and PrivateSources in Connection with the Higher  Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
ED/OIG may discloseinformation from this system of recordsas a routine use to any accreditingagency that is or was recognized by theSecretary of Education pursuant to the
of 00

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