FACULTY EMPLOYMENT
CONFLICTS

Conflicts of Interest

University Regulation R04.10.030 (BOR 4.10)

A. Notice: Regents' Policy and this regulation regarding conflicts of interest will be communicated to all affected persons - regents, employees and other University representatives. Policy and regulation will be enforced in a timely and consistent fashion. Units of the University of Alaska are directed to post, permanently, copies of Regents' Policy 04.10.030 and this regulation on appropriate bulletin boards.

B. Purpose and Scope: Regents' Policy 04.10.030 and this regulation apply to and provide guidance for all persons employed by the University, regardless of position. Regents' Policy 04.10.030 applies to individual members of the University of Alaska Board of Regents as "officers" and "representatives" of the University when applicable.

C. Rationale: In order to maintain the highest ethical standards in all associations and activities with outsiders that take place on behalf of the University, every employee of the University is expected to accord the University his/her primary professional loyalty and to arrange outside obligations, financial interests and activities so as not to conflict or interfere with this over-riding commitment. All University employees will conduct both University business and their individual activities in a manner which will withstand the sharpest scrutiny and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

D. Disclosure: All University employees will follow the practice of full prior disclosure, in writing, of the precise nature of any association, relationship, business arrangement of circumstance that might suggest that decisions were made contrary to the best interests of the University and/or for an employee's personal gain or the gain of an employee's family, close friends or business associates. All such prior disclosures will be done through organizational channels to the University president in case of employees, or to the board president in the case of regents.

E. Areas of Potential Conflict: The following activities and situations present conflicts of interest or commitment.

1. Use of University Resources: The unauthorized use of any University resources by a University employee, including equipment or services of University employees, for his/her own personal benefit.

2. Disclosure of Privileged Information: The unauthorized disclosure or release of any data of a confidential nature by a University employee, secured through one's employment, such as educational, medical, personnel, security records of individuals; anticipated material 96 Appendix B Conflicts of Interest requirements or price actions; possible new sites for University actions; knowledge of forthcoming programs or of selection of contractors or subcontractors in advance of official announcements; results, materials, records of information stemming from University activity that are not generally available.

3. Acceptance of Gifts: Direct or indirect acceptance by a University employee of a loan, gift or favor of more than nominal value from any organization or person doing or seeking to do business with the University. Nominal value is generally considered to mean low cost advertisement items, i.e., calendars, cups, pens, etc. This subsection should not be deemed to prohibit normal loans made in the ordinary course of business from banks or financial institutions that have or expect to have relations with the University.

4. Provision of Gifts: Direct or indirect provision by a University employee of a gift or favor of more than nominal value to any organization or person doing or seeking to do business with the University.

5. Interest in Supplier or Contractor: Direct or indirect interest by a University employee in any organization that has, or is seeking to have, business dealings with the University where there is an opportunity for preferential treatment to be given or received except (a) with the knowledge and written consent of the board or University president, or (b) in any case where such an interest consists of securities in widely-held corporations that are quoted and sold on the open market, or in private corporations where the interest is not substantial, e.g., not more than 5 percent of the voting stock or controlling interest of such organization.

6. Competition with University: Direct or indirect engagement by a University employee in any other enterprise for remuneration when the activity is in direct competition with the University, except with the knowledge and prior written consent of the president or his designee.

7. Sale or Lease of Property: Direct or indirect selling or leasing by a University employee of any kind of property to or from the University or to any organization or person that is, or is seeking to become, a supplier of goods, services or property to the University, except with the knowledge and prior written consent of the president or his designee.

8. Employment by Supplier: Direct or indirect service by a University employee as an officer or director of, or as a consultant to, or to be otherwise employed by any organization doing or seeking to do business with the University, except with the knowledge and prior written consent of the University president or his designee.

9. Outside Activities: Devotion of so much time or creative energy by a University employee to extramural activities that the employee compromises the amount of quality of his/her participation in the instructional, scholarly or administrative work for which the employee was hired. No more than 20 percent of an employee's total professional effort may be directed to such extramural activities.

10. Research: Direction of students by a University employee into a research area from which the employee hopes to realize financial gain.

A University employee will be considered to have done indirectly the things or activities described in subsection 04.10.030.E whenever any part of the actions or things are accomplished by or through the spouse, child, parent or sibling of the employee or by an association, trust or organization in which the employee or the employee's spouse, child, parent or sibling has a substantial interest; or through any device or artifice intended to evade the effect of the regulation.

08/07