Policy on Conflicts of
Commitment Involving Outside Professional Activities
(By Action of the University Faculty Council: November 29, 2005;
Amended March 28, 2006; Board of Trustees: April 7, 2006)
1. Rationale
All
Academic Appointees are required to fully meet the professional obligations of
their appointments. Full-time Academic Appointees are expected to devote their
primary professional time and energy to carrying out teaching, research, and
service responsibilities on behalf of
This policy
supplements existing University and campus policies that also apply to faculty
work; applicable University policies are outlined in Appendix A. Consistent
with the provisions of this University policy, each campus will establish its
own procedures for implementation.
2. Policy
a. Academic
Appointees may engage in Outside Professional Activities, provided that these
activities do not constitute a Conflict of Commitment and comply with all other
applicable University policies (see Appendix A).
b. Full-time
tenure-track faculty shall be permitted to spend, on average, one non-weekend
day each week during the period of appointment, not including official
university holidays, on Outside Professional Activities.
c. Academic
Appointees shall not use University resources in the performance of Outside
Professional Activities without the written permission of their dean or unit
head and without compensating the University.
Where resource usage is de minimis
and the cost difficult or impossible to calculate, such use of University
resources shall not require reimbursement.
d. An Academic
Appointee’s compliance with this policy shall not be determined on the basis of
income earned from Outside Professional Activities or the percentage of the
appointees’ University compensation that such income constitutes, unless
required by law.
3. Examples of
possible Conflicts of Commitment that must be disclosed
a. An outside professional activity
that may substantially reduce the time available for the appointee to carry out
the primary obligations of his or her appointment.
b. Teaching for another educational
institution, including online teaching.
c. Undertaking externally funded
research activities where the financial sponsorship is managed entirely outside
d. Undertaking activities that
compete, or have the potential to compete, with
4. Implementation
All Academic
Appointees at
All disclosure
statements are to be submitted in writing to the appropriate dean or unit
head. The dean/unit head or his/her
designee will review submitted disclosure statements within 30 days and will
work with the Academic Appointees to determine if a Conflict of Commitment
exists and if so, what steps must be taken to eliminate or properly manage that
conflict. Administrative decisions will be documented in writing. If the
dean/unit head and Academic Appointee disagree, they may seek additional advice
regarding the proposed activity from the campus Dean of the Faculties. Appeals from administrative decisions
concerning conflicts of commitment are subject to applicable University
policies and procedures.
5. Compliance
Instances of
deliberate breach of policy, including failure to file or knowingly filing an
incomplete, erroneous, or misleading disclosure, or failure to comply with
prescribed procedures for managing an identified conflict of commitment, will
be adjudicated in accordance with the Code of Academic Ethics and applicable
misconduct policies and procedures at the appropriate campus of
6. Application
This policy shall
apply to all Academic Appointees, both full-time and part-time. The potential for conflicts of commitment is
likely to rise in proportion to the particular commitment that exists between
an individual Academic Appointee and the University. For example, the kinds of
external activities likely to compete with a full-time appointee’s primary
duties may not apply to part-time appointees.
Accordingly, this policy defines in a consistent manner the types of
situations that could pose conflicts and that should be reported. The
evaluation of potential conflicts will take into account the particular facts
of individual situations, including the nature of the relationship that the
University and the Academic Appointee have with each other.
7. Definitions
A Conflict
of Commitment arises when an Outside Professional Activity
interferes with an Academic Appointee’s performance of University Responsibilities.
Academic Appointee
refers to any person who has either a full- or part-time academic appointment
in the University.
University
Responsibilities refers to the responsibilities of an
Academic Appointee to perform University Activities as defined by University
policy (or in a contract).
University Activities
refers to activities related to the research, teaching, and service mission of
the University. Service activities
include service to the appointee’s profession and service to the community that
is related to the appointees’ professional qualifications.
Outside Professional
Activities refers to external activities within
the scope of the appointee’s professional qualifications that are not
undertaken in fulfillment of the University Responsibilities of an Academic
Appointee, but which enhance the performance of those responsibilities.
Appendix A
Code of Academic
Ethics
Policy on Financial
Conflicts of Interest in Research
State Law on
Conflicts of Interest
Appropriate Duties of
Employees (Ghost Employment)
Sabbatical Leaves
Policy
Partially-Paid Family
Leave Policy
Policy on Outside
Activities and Extra Compensation
Political Activities
of Academic Personnel
Applicable campus
policies (including misconduct)