Conflict of Interest Laws

WSCUC ACCREDITATION Policy


Handbook https://www.wscuc.org/handbook2023/#wscuc-policies

 

Pacifica Graduate Institute WSCUC Documents

 

Excerpt on Conflict of Interest

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Comparative Sample Conflict of Interest Policies:



From Columbia University 
Columbia University is a private institution that was founded in 1754. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,832 (fall 2022), and the campus size is 36 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/columbia-university-2707#:~:text=Columbia%20University%20is%20a%20private,a%20semester%2Dbased%20academic%20calendar.

The following test is excerpted from:
https://universitypolicies.columbia.edu/content/statement-university-policy-conflicts-interest

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Self-Dealing Conflict


The possibility of a self-dealing conflict typically occurs where an officer has a significant personal interest in a transaction to which the University is a party coupled with some degree of influence or control over the outcome. In such an instance, since the officer may derive a private or personal benefit from the transaction, the officer is vulnerable to the charge that his or her influence within the University might be used to advance this private interest or benefit. 


Conflict of Commitment
This conflict arises where there may be in fact an appearance of competing demands upon the time and energy of an officer as a result of his or her outside activities and interests which would interfere with the officer’s ability to meet his or her responsibilities to the University. The University expects that an officer’s outside activities and interests will not interfere with his or her teaching, scholarly research, or other obligations to the University.

Within this general framework, officers of instruction are permitted to engage in outside consulting activity up to an average of one day a week. An officer of administration, research, or the libraries or a supporting staff member normally may not undertake any outside employment except after consultation with his or her department head or supervisor.

An officer of instruction is not permitted to take on a regular teaching assignment in another educational institution during the academic year except with the special permission of the Provost on the assurance of the Department Chairman to the Dean that such employment will not impair the instructional offerings of the department.

An officer should not accept a regular and continuing position with significant responsibilities for the management of an outside commercial enterprise or without appropriate approvals accept any other outside position that would impair the officer’s ability to fulfill his or her obligations to the University.


Inappropriate Use of University Name or University Resources
Another situation in which a conflict may arise because of an officer’s outside activities, affiliations, or concerns is when the officer seeks to use the University’s name or the University’s resources, such as its facilities or equipment, to advance his or her own private interests. The University’s name, facilities, and equipment are to be used for the furtherance of University goals and not for the benefit of, or to imply the University’s support of, a non-University activity. An example of the inappropriate use of the University’s resources is the use of University equipment at an officer’s disposal in pursuit of research for a private firm.

Use of University Name
No officer shall use the official title of the University, or any of its parts, in whatever form that title may appear except in connection with legitimate University purposes. For example, neither the name of the University nor its letterhead may be used by any officer in sponsoring or recommending any commercial service or product regardless of whether that officer has any interest in the promotion. An officer may not use the University’s name and address on stationery in connection with an outside organization that he or she established or of which he or she is a director unless the officer’s participation in that organization is at the request of the University or is otherwise a part of the officer’s normal University duties.

Use of University Facilities and Equipment
University materials, supplies, facilities, or personnel must not be diverted by an officer to promote an outside activity or interest of his or her own. The University may grant permission to an officer in his or her pursuit of outside activities or interests or to an employee of another institution or entity to use University facilities, but only under the following conditions: where there is evidence that the work of such officer or employee, supported by University resources, will be of significant benefit to the University; where there is supervision of such work by a University faculty member holding a tenured appointment; and where the initial period of the work is limited to one year, renewable for not more than two years.
 

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