Being proactive: Office of University Compliance seeks to expand their reach

Liberty University’s Office of University Compliance is continuing to make strides to enhance Liberty’s compliance with both state and federal standards and requirements.

Ashley Reich, senior vice president of University Compliance, has been working in the Office of Equity and Compliance (OEC) since October 2022. She took over her new role in the Office of University Compliance during its formation in October 2023.

The office was created after Liberty President Dondi Costin recognized a need for a proactive initiative surrounding university compliance.

Reich said that overall, the office exists to continuously compile, review and implement both state and federal compliance requirements on Liberty’s campus. 

“Our office has compiled all of the compliance requirements either from a federal or state standpoint, and we are collaborating with the departments that these compliance areas fall under,” Reich said. 

The office will soon be launching a survey to all of the campus departments required to meet compliance standards. According to Reich, the survey data will be used to collect info on passive and active requirements and risk assessments, as well as to choose a point of contact in each department to increase productivity moving forward.

Reich said that her goals for the department moving forward are to continue gathering knowledge about all of the different compliance requirements as well as to serve Liberty’s student body population by creating a culture of compliance. 

“Collectively, one of the goals we have is to have a very clear understanding of all of the compliance across the university,” Reich said. “Our office’s other goal is to serve and support. We are not looking to be a watchdog or a big brother.”

Reich described her passion for university compliance and her hopes for its continuance at Liberty.

“I feel very positive and hopeful for the future,” Reich said. “I have such a passion to see this project through. This legacy needs to be built beyond me.”

Reich encouraged students to reach out to lucompliance@liberty.edu with any compliance-related feedback, questions or concerns that they may have as well as visit www.liberty.edu/university-compliance. Reich oversees the Clery compliance area and welcomed students and staff to submit feedback and ideas to clery@liberty.edu related to the $2 million for campus security initiatives due to the recent U.S. Department of Education Clery Program Review. 

Smith is the news editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X