Academic Staff
Policies & Procedures
UWPA 11
OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
11.01 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. On occasion a conflict of interest may occur between individuals' administrative job responsibilities to the university and their right to academic staff governance participation. In such cases, the staff members shall abstain from any action and, if necessary, remove themselves from participation in such activities and/or actions that may be deemed a conflict of interest between their administrative job responsibilities to the university and their right to academic staff governance participation.
11.02 OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES. Rules and procedures governing outside activities on the part of members of the academic staff, including teaching and research activities in the case of teaching members of the academic staff, are intended to ensure primary concern for all normal university responsibilities while permitting broad participation in public service or endeavors related to fields of interest.
11.03 DEFINITIONS.
1. "Outside activities" are those activities of a member of the academic staff which are outside of their institutional responsibilities during any period of employment by UW-Parkside.
2. "Reportable outside activities" are those activities of an academic staff member which are:
a) Extensive or recurring paid consulting or other remunerative outside activities in a staff member's field of interest which result in earnings of $5,000 or more in a year from a single source or requiring in excess of 250 hours of the individual's time during the year.
b) Associated with organizations, as defined in UWS 8.02 (3) and (12), related to staff members' fields of academic interest or specialization.
c) University research funded in whole or part by non-governmental sponsors through contract, grant or restricted gift, where the staff member has a financial interest in the sponsor or the research results.
11.04 COVERAGE All academic staff employed 50% or more time shall be bound by these regulations except teaching members of the academic staff who are bound by UW-Parkside Faculty Policies and Procedures 7.07-7.15.
11.05 INSTITUTIONAL ETHICS COMMITTEE
1. The Institutional Ethics Committee consists of the members of the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee and the members of the Academic Staff Policies and Procedures Committee.
2. The purpose of the committee is to assist faculty and academic staff in meeting the obligations set forth in the University of Wisconsin System Code of Ethics (UWS 8).
3. The committee is to provide any member of the unclassified staff with consultation and advice on the application of UWS 8.
11.06 ANNUAL REPORTING OF OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES.
1. Members of the academic staff engaging in reportable outside activities shall annually, on or before April 30, file a report of outside activities with their supervisor/director or other higher level authority.
2. The supervisor/director or higher level authority shall notify in writing any member of the academic staff whose outside activities are deemed by him/her, after consultation with the University Ethics Committee, to be excessive or improper.
3. A member of the academic staff whose outside activities are judged to be excessive or improper may appeal the decision through the academic staff grievance procedures.
11.07 PREAPPROVAL OF REPORTABLE OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES.
1. Prior to undertaking reportable outside activities, a member of the academic staff shall request in writing the permission of his/her supervisor/director or, where appropriate, other higher level authority. This request shall describe the nature of the activity, the estimated time required, and the estimated remuneration.
2. Within 15 days of receipt of the request the supervisor/director or appropriate higher authority shall advise the academic staff member in writing that:
a) There is no conflict prohibited by this chapter and the academic staff member may proceed; or
b) There may be a conflict and further consultation with the individual and/or the University Ethics Committee is necessary prior to reaching a determination; or
c) There is a conflict which must be resolved in one of the following ways:
1) The staff member shall not proceed with his/her university duties which result in conflict, so long as the conflict remains; or
2) The staff member shall not proceed with his/her outside activities which result in conflict so long as the conflict remains.
3. If the staff member is advised that conflict applies to his/her case, the staff member may appeal the decision through the academic staff grievance procedures within 15 days after notice of the decision of the supervisor/director or other appropriate administrator.
11.08 SERVICE AS AN EXPERT WITNESS OR CONSULTANT. Any expected or anticipated service by academic staff as expert witness in legal proceedings, or as staff, adviser, or consultant to granting agencies, shall be subject to the approval procedures provided by UWPA 11.07.
11.09 USE OF UNIVERSITY FACILITIES.
1. Prior to undertaking outside activities requiring the use of institutional facilities and/or staff, the member of the academic staff shall request in writing the permission of the chancellor, describing the institutional facilities and/or personnel required for the outside activity.
2. The use of institutional facilities for outside activities shall be decided by the chancellor as guided by the policies and procedures of the campus and UWS 21.
11.10 ABSENCE FROM REGULAR DUTIES. Academic staff members who wish to be absent or excused from regular duties due to reportable outside activities must obtain prior written permission from their immediate supervisor.
11.11 STUDENT RESEARCH PROTECTION. A member of the academic staff must inform students engaged in research under his/her supervision of any financial interest which the academic staff member has in the research activity, including, but not limited to, financial arrangements involved in the direct support of the activity, agreements made by the academic staff member to obtain data for the research, or agreements concerning copyright or patent rights arising from the research.
Approved by the Academic Staff Committee, October 12, 1982, and Revised
June 9, 1986, March 7, 1991, December 3, 1998, June 12, 2007, January 7, 2009.
