Various agencies and organizations call upon university faculty members for professional services. The offering of such services is an expected function of university faculties, and the filling of requests for such services has become an integral part of the university life. At the University of Southern Indiana, the faculty is encouraged to participate in professional service arrangements with requesting agencies and organizations because such arrangements make possible the introduction and implementation of new educational ideas and information, provide research opportunities for both students and faculty, and bring recognition and economic benefit to the University.
The University is, however, concerned with such factors as possible conflicts of interest which may run counter to its policies; costs to the institution incurred in the use of laboratory, library, or other University resources; and possible loss of a faculty member's time for discharging assigned duties. For these reasons, this policy statement establishes guidelines for performing outside services, outside services being defined as follows:
Guidelines
- The policies stated here apply only to full-time members of the teaching faculty during the period they are on the payroll.
- A faculty member's compliance with general rules governing engagement in outside services for which there is payment or reimbursement shall be the joint responsibility of the individual faculty member and his/her department chair.
- Consulting is permitted provided the faculty member's full time obligation to the University is met.
- The academic activities of students and postdoctoral scholars must be free from the personal commercial and consulting interests of the faculty member.
- If a faculty member serving as a consultant to an outside agency or company requires the use of University facilities and/or equipment for purposes of the consultantship, such usage shall only be with permission of the department chair or dean.
- Preferential access to research results, materials or products generated from University teaching or research activities may not be provided to an outside entity for personal financial gain.
- Confidential information acquired through conduct of University business or research activities may not be used for personal gain, or to grant unauthorized access to others; confidential information includes any information that comes into your possession as a result of your employment by the University that is not broadly available to the general public.
- Reimbursement for service rendered to organizations not connected with the University will be in the amount agreed upon by the consultant and the organization.
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University-sponsored or -contracted projects will be in an amount agreed upon by the University and the sponsoring agency. In the case of contract research or instructional programs, however, the following policy will be followed:
Such time as is spent on contract research or sponsored instructional activities is reimbursed to the University out of contract funds, and that in no case will individuals receive while on the University payroll more than the amount of their normal salary as the result of participation in such research or instructional assignment.
Arrangements for such outside payments should be made through the dean, the provost, and the Business Office and Human Resources.
Outside Work
All regular full-time faculty and administrative staff appointments are assumed to entail full-time service to the University. Commercial activities, private employment, or other outside work for reimbursement not related to the University assignment shall not be undertaken without documentation and specific authorization by the department chair. In the event that a question arises about the conflict of outside work with effective service to the University, the faculty member is responsible for consulting with their respective department chair and dean. The decision by the dean, subject to review by the provost, shall be final on this point.