How Can Conflicts of Interest Be Managed?
coi Heading link
The Annual Reporting of Non-University Activities is the implementation of policies and regulations.
- Resolution is situation-specific.
- Strive for the simplest effective means of managing the conflict.
- Resolution always begins with disclosure and sometimes involves a combination of conflict management techniques.
- The Unit Executive Officer works with the individual to create a mechanism to manage the conflict.
The options for management include (but are not limited to) disclosure plus Heading link
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The options for management include (but are not limited to) disclosure plus
- A statement demonstrating why the conflict is unlikely to affect the activity in question
- Removing the conflicted individual from the financial aspects of the project
- Implementing a process to ensure that results are verifiable
- Creating an oversight committee to monitor the situation
- Providing special protections for students
- Modifying the plan or scope of the activity/research
- Abstaining from promotional decisions for staff
- Removing purchasing decision authority
- Divesting financial interests
- Severing relationships that constitute actual or potential conflicts
- A leave of absence with or without pay
- Reducing the percentage of the individual ’s UIC appointment
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What is the Unit Executive Officer’s Role in Managing COI?
- The Unit Executive Officer must approve all external activities, whether they involve conflicts or not, as disclosed in the annual RNUA (Reports of Non-University Activities) process. The Unit Executive Officer holds primary responsibility for ensuring all disclosed activities are properly managed and monitored. Even beyond the RNUA process, all real or apparent conflicts are initially disclosed to, and managed in cooperation with, the Unit Executive Officer.
- According to University policy, the Unit Executive Officer holds primary responsibility for working with the academic staff member to manage conflicts. “It is incumbent upon the academic staff member and the unit executive officer to manage or resolve real or apparent conflicts.”
- The COI officer is an additional resource. According to University policy, “In trying to reach a mutually acceptable remedy, the advice of the dean or Vice Chancellor for Research may be sought.”
- If desired, the Unit Executive Officer may appoint a departmental COI committee as an additional resource.