A conflict of interest is an activity with the potential or the appearance of having the potential to compromise a university employee's professional judgment or objectivity. Conflicts of interest should be eliminated when possible or otherwise formally disclosed and managed.
Some examples include:
- A contract with IU in which an employee holds a financial interest. Please also see the State COI page of our website.
- Gifts, gratuities, or other benefits received from university contractors or vendors.
- Nepotism - Supervision (even indirect) or influence over another IU employee with whom you have a personal or familial or personal relationship. This can also include relationships that involve the academic progress of students with whom you have a personal/intimate or familial relationship. Please see the Nepotism page of our website for more information.
- Teaching classes that directly compete with Indiana University for other institutions (in-person or online).
A conflict of commitment refers to the time or effort an employee devotes to external activities to the extent that the outside activity interferes with the employee's fulfillment of university responsibilities or if an employee uses university resources during an external activity. Conflicts of commitment are not allowed for IU employees.
University resources, including but not limited to vehicles, trademarks, facilities, and supplies, should not be used for external activities. There are important differences in this area between the approaches that Indiana University takes with academic appointees, and those with other employees.
Academic Appointees
- All academic appointees are required to meet the professional obligations of their appointments.
- Academic appointees may engage in Outside Professional Activities if they do not constitute a conflict of commitment, which arises either when outside professional activities interfere with the fulfillment of an academic appointment, when an activity is undertaken for another organization in competition with Indiana University, or when externally funded research is managed entirely outside of Indiana University.
- Full time tenured and tenure track academic appointees may spend, on average, one non-weekend day per week on Outside Professional Activities.
All other employees
- University work activities are expected to be devoted to official functions of the university.
- Non-university activities may not interfere with university duties and responsibilities, and must be done on the employee’s own time.
- Employees should not accept compensation from other entities for work performed in the course of their employment at IU.
Some examples include:
- Engaging in outside activities (paid or unpaid) that require a time commitment that is incompatible with your job at IU
- Utilizing university resources (including, but not limited to, facilities, equipment, intellectual property, and electronic resources) to support an employee's external activities.
