Conflict of Interest
ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø is committed to the principles of transparency, integrity, independence, and responsible stewardship. Faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in outside professional, scholarly, and community activities that enrich their expertise and support the College's educational mission.
Outside activities, however, must not interfere with an individual's College responsibilities or compromise—or appear to compromise—the integrity of College decisions. Employees are expected to avoid actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest and to disclose situations that may require review.
Do I Need to Disclose?
Consider submitting a disclosure if any of the following situations apply to you.Outside Employment
- Consulting Work
- Second Job
- Paid Professional Services
Financial Interests
- Business Ownership
- Investments
- Financial Relationships
Board & Leadership Roles
- Board Membership
- Advisory Committees
- Decision-making Roles in Outside Organizations
Use of College Resources
- Facilities
- Equipment
- Staff Support
- Confidential Information
Family & Personal Relationships
- Hiring Decisions
- Supervisory Relationships
- Employment Actions
- Close Personal Associates
Research & Sponsored Activities
- Grant-Funded Research
- Sponsored Projects
- Research Collaborations
- External Funding Relationships
When in doubt, disclose. Submitting a disclosure does not automatically mean there is a conflict of interest or policy violation. Many situations can be appropriately reviewed and managed through disclosure and, when necessary, a Conflict Management Plan. If you're unsure whether a situation should be reported, submit a disclosure or contact HR for additional guidance.
What is a Conflict of Interest?
A conflict of interest exists when an employee's personal, financial, or outside professional interests could influence—or appear to influence—their ability to make objective decisions on behalf of ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø.
Having a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean someone has acted improperly. Many conflicts can be appropriately managed through disclosure and, when necessary, a Conflict Management Plan.
When Should I Disclose?
You should disclose any situation that could create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest, including situations involving you, a family member, household member, or close personal associate.
Examples include:
- Owning, managing, or having a significant financial interest in a company that does business with, seeks to do business with, or could benefit from decisions made by ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø.
- Serving as an officer, director, trustee, advisory board member, or other decision-maker for an outside organization whose interests overlap with your College responsibilities.
- Holding outside employment, consulting engagements, or other compensated professional activities that may conflict with your College responsibilities.
- Using College facilities, equipment, staff, student assistance, laboratories, confidential information, or other College resources for outside activities.
- Supervising, hiring, evaluating, or making employment or purchasing decisions involving a family member, household member, or close personal associate.
- Having access to non-public College information that could benefit you, a family member, or an outside organization.
- Holding an appointment or formal affiliation with another college or university.
- Serving in an elected office, political appointment, or leadership role that could overlap with College business or decision-making.
- Requiring students to purchase textbooks, software, subscriptions, or other instructional materials from which you receive royalties or other financial benefits.
- Having a family member or close personal associate applying for employment at or admission to ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø when your role could influence those decisions.
These examples are not all-inclusive. If you are unsure whether a situation should be disclosed, contact the Director of Employee Relations and Support.
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Reporting ConcernsÂ
Employees who become aware of an actual or potential conflict of interest or other ethical concern are encouraged to report it through one of the following resources:
- Their supervisor
- The anonymous reporting system ()
- The Ombuds Office
ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø prohibits retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports a concern or participates in an investigation.
Frequently Asked QuestionsÂ
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