Conflicts of Commitment/Interest & Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs
Conflicts of Commitment & Interest
Conflicts of commitment and interest can arise from relationships with industry, academic organizations, and government agencies around the world. Pursuit of outside professional activities must be done transparently and must not improperly influence an employee’s professional judgment, exercise of University responsibilities, or performance of University-related activities. To ensure that any potential conflicts—foreign or domestic—are identified and managed appropriately, research personnel must accurately disclose covered activities and interests in accordance with University policy:
- The Outside Consulting and Other Commitment policy requires faculty and P&A employees with appointments of 75% or greater to submit a completed Request for Outside Commitment (ROC) form to obtain prior review and approval of outside professional commitments.
- The Individual Conflict of Interest policy requires disclosure of one’s outside professional activities, significant financial interests, and business interests on a Report of External Professional Activities (REPA), (annually, and within 30 days of material financial or professional changes).
Foreign Talent Programs
As explained in Foreign Government-sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs, these programs can give rise to conflicts of interest or commitment, and are of continuing concern to federal science and law enforcement officials. Any plans to accept talent program opportunities must be reported so that University officials can help assess, explain, and mitigate the potential risks to federal research opportunities.