Conflict of Commitment & Interest

Understanding Conflicts of Commitment

The University of Illinois Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest mandates disclosure and pre-approval of income-producing outside activities for all paid academic staff members, whether part-time or full-time employees. 

 

Overview

The University of Illinois Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest mandates disclosure and pre-approval of income-producing outside activities for all paid academic staff members, whether part-time or full-time employees. 

The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs oversees university-wide compliance with state and federal requirements. The OVPAA website provides forms, answers to frequently asked questions, and other resources relating to our annual disclosure process, the Report of Non-University Activities. At UIUC, the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation is responsible for the implementation of the policy.

greyop2
container

Contact 

Contact the campus Conflict of Interest Office with any questions or concerns at:

Linda K. Lee Drozt
Conflict of Interest Officer
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
217-333-0034
coi@illinois.edu

 

greyop2
container
bluemedsolid

 

Complete Your Annual Report of Non-University Activities (RNUA) Disclosure

View more details on the VPAA site

 

Submit Your RNUA Disclosure

Use START myDisclosure to file your annual RNUA form.

User Guide (Disclosers)

How to use the START myDisclosure RNUA system.

FAQs About RNUA

FAQs on what RNUA is, who must complete it, the review process, and common discloser questions.

 

 

greyop2
container

 

Additional Sponsor Reporting Requirements

If your research is funded by the Public Health Service (PHS) or National Science Foundation (NSF), you may have additional financial reporting, travel reporting, and training requirements.

 

myFCOI Checklist

Prior to initial award, renewal, or continuation, PIs certify that financial disclosures, travel disclosures, and training are up to date for all investigators participating in the project using this tool.

FCOI Compliance

If you research is funded by a Public Health Service (PHS) agency or the Department of Energy, you must complete additional Financial Conflict of Interest requirements.

PHS Financial COI Information Request Form

This form is used for reporting the financial conflicts of interest of senior and key personnel participating in research at the university, when funded by the Public Health Service (PHS).

NSF Conflict of Interest Disclosure

The National Science Foundation requires that investigators disclose all significant financial interests that are held personally or by his or her spouse or dependent children.

 

 

greyop2
container
bluesolid

 

Know the Policies

 

 

 

greyop2
container
whitesolid

 

Manage A Conflict of Interest

 

Familial Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest resulting from researcher family relationships can be managed by following standard university policies. Review policies and a sample letter that can be modified and sent to family members who serve as co-investigators or co-participants in a sponsored research project.

Faculty Appointments and Conflicts of Interest

Tenure-system faculty and full-time academic staff members are primarily committed to the teaching, scholarly research, service, and public engagement activities of the university. Written approval must be obtained before engaging in non-university activities.

greyop2
container

 

Resources For Unit Executive Officers

For unit executive officers (UEOs), unit facilitators, and more.

Conflict Management Guidance for UEOs

Examples of scenarios with conflicts: time commitments, reporting lines, consulting, fiduciary duties, outside research, political activities, and more.

Creating a Conflict Management Plan (CMP)

Basic steps and guidelines to use in creating a CMP.

Training for Reviewers (UEOs, Facilitators)

This training will cover the policy, accessing the system, entering activities, editing activities, monitoring review status of the disclosure, responding to reviewer feedback, and viewing past disclosures. Also—accessing unit disclosures, reviewing options, and retention of disclosures.

Letter Templates

Letter templates for conflict of interest situations.

greyop2
container

Conflict of Commitment or Interest Training

Training, presentations, and sponsor-specific requirements are available on the COI section of the website. For assistance or to schedule a departmental training session, contact the OVCR at 217-333-0034. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Research Integrity provides a discussion of Conflict of Interest as part of its Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Sponsored Programs Administration provides presentations and courses designed to offer insight into the world of sponsored programs, including the processes, policies, and procedures related to research administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

greyop2
container

Guidance on Conflict Management Mechanisms for Unit Executive Officers

The Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest requires that conflicts of commitment and interest must be managed or eliminated. The unit executive officer is responsible for managing actual and potential conflicts of commitment and/or interest.

  • Documentation of the department conflict management plan must be uploaded to the RNUA of the conflicted academic staff member or included as comments on the RNUA.
  • This guide provides suggested management mechanisms to address areas of conflict. Each situation is unique and may require management mechanisms not outlined here. Please consult your COI office for additional guidance. UIUC: coi@illinois.edu, 217-333-0034

Guidance on Conflict Management Mechanisms for Unit Executive Officers

Additional Guidance

Overriding the Automatic Forward for Further Review Setting

greyop2
container