Conflict of Commitment – Staff
Policy number: 1.24
Policy section: Institutional Affairs
Revised Date:
1. Definitions
Definitions of capitalized terms are set forth in Appendix A.
2. Policy Statement
The University expects staff to commit their professional skills and obligations, work effort, and University resources primarily to the fulfillment of their Position Expectations. University staff can participate in Activities not directly related to their Position Expectations, but these Activities must not interfere with their Position Expectations. University staff must obtain prior approval for all Activities outside their Position Expectations which occur during their Regularly Scheduled Work Hours.
This policy complements University Policy 1.3 Conflict of Interest.
3. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to University staff on Activities that may create a Conflict of Commitment. A Conflict of Commitment arises when Activities interfere with the ability of staff to fulfill the duties of their Position Expectations. There are opportunities for professional interactions and development that may benefit the University community and its individual members, but which may also present the potential for or the appearance of conflicting responsibilities for the individuals within the University community. In evaluating a Conflict of Commitment, University staff will not compromise University interests and will treat those interests as paramount to all other professional interests. All decisions and actions of University staff involving a Conflict of Commitment are to be made in a manner that is consistent with this policy. This policy shall apply to all University staff.
4. Required Approval for Conflicts of Commitment
Staff must disclose any proposed Activity, arrangement, or set of circumstances giving rise to a Conflict of Commitment, and no such Activity, arrangement, or set of circumstances shall be permitted without prior approval of such Conflict of Commitment by a direct supervisor, Dean, and appropriate Vice President or Senior Vice President. A Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Form must be submitted for approval on an annual basis and whenever new Activities arise.
5. Advance Disclosure of Activities
- Disclosure Requirements. University staff should not engage in Activities during their Regularly Scheduled Work Hours. However, if staff do engage in Activities, paid or unpaid, during Regularly Scheduled Work Hours, staff must disclose the activity and use either vacation time or unpaid leave when engaging in the approved Activity. Disclosure and approval must happen prior to the Activity.
- Disclosure of Potential or Proposed Conflict of Commitment. Each University staff member, who becomes subject to the Disclosure obligation under this Section, shall promptly complete, sign, and file with their direct supervisor, Dean, and Vice President/Senior Vice President a Potential/Proposed Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Form relating to the subject Conflict of Commitment.A Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Form must be submitted on an annual basis and whenever a new Activity arises.
6. Approval Process
With respect to any purported Conflict of Commitment involving the Activities of a staff member, the direct supervisor, Dean and Vice President/Senior Vice President shall promptly review the Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Form and notify the staff member of the decision and actions necessary in order for the staff member to undertake the Activity.
7. Terms and Conditions
The direct supervisor, Dean and Vice President/Senior Vice President shall have the authority to (1) grant or not grant approval to any purported Conflict of Commitment Activity; or (2) grant approval subject to actions necessary for such Conflict of Commitment Activity to be approved. After approval, if it is determined by the direct supervisor, Dean, or Vice President/Senior Vice President, that the Activity does create a Conflict of Commitment, the approval can be revoked.
8. Violations
The University shall have the authority to investigate any suspected violation of this policy by any University staff member. A violation of this policy may be grounds for employee disciplinary action that the University deems appropriate.
Appendix A: Definitions
“Activity" means any commitment, internal or external to the university, a staff member undertakes for compensation that is not part of Position Expectations and that occurs during the Regularly Scheduled Work Hours. This is not intended to apply to professional development activities or campus events or organizational activities that staff participate in but for which there is no compensation.
“Conflict of Commitment” means a situation in which a staff member engages in an Activity, paid or unpaid, that involves a commitment of time or effort that may interfere, or appear to interfere, with fulfillment of the staff member’s obligations to the University, even if the Activity is valuable to the University or contributes to the staff member’s professional development and competence. In some cases, Conflicts of Commitment can involve a disproportionate distribution of time and/or effort on an Activity such that the staff member cannot adequately perform Position Expectations.
“Dean” means (a) the Dean of each University’s academic college/schools or their designee, (b) the Dean of Graduate Studies of the University or their designee, and (c) the Dean of Central University Libraries of the University or their designee.
“Direct Supervisor” means the named supervisor to whom the staff member reports and who conducts time approvals and annual performance reports.
Please visit this link for the Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Appendix B: Conflict of Commitment Disclosure Form for Staff
Appendix C: Related Resources
Adopted: February 10, 2025