Nepotism

Nepotism

Submit the Nepotism Management Plan Review Form

Nepotism, as defined by the Conflicts of Interest and Commitment policy, occurs when an academic appointee or employee has supervisory or influential authority over another employee with whom they have a familial or personal relationship. This influence may involve decisions related to hiring, promotion, supervision, evaluation, salary, or working conditions. All employment situations that constitute nepotism are prohibited.

Familial relationship: a relationship between two individuals by blood, adoption, marriage or domestic partnership to the following degrees: parent, child, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, first cousin, grandparent or grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, step-parent, step-child, step-brother, step-sister, father-in- law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law or the equivalent for individuals in a domestic partnership. Note: this list of relationships is not to be considered an exhaustive list; other close, personal relationships between two individuals could be considered on a case-by-case basis to be subject to this policy.

Personal relationship: is a romantic/intimate relationship.

Nepotism also includes situations where one person in a familial or personal relationship exercises control over a funding source that compensates the other person, even if they are not directly supervising them. Examples include Principal Investigators on grants, fiscal officers with oversight of university accounts, and unit leaders who approve expenditures. Additionally, academic appointees and staff employees with student relationships are governed by UA-22, Employee Relationships Involving Students.

Preventing Nepotism in New Appointments and Transfers

• To prevent nepotism, academic appointees or employees with familial or personal relationships should not be appointed or transferred to roles that may result in supervisory influence unless an approved management plan is in place. Potential nepotism situations must be reported before appointment or transfer following the procedures outlined below.
• Situations of nepotism that arise in existing employment situations due to a change in relationship, must be reported promptly and addressed by an approved management plan.
• Existing situations of nepotism must be reported and addressed unless a management plan approved by the University Compliance Office is already in place. Other management plans in existence prior to the effective date of this policy should be provided to the University Compliance Office for review. 

Management Plan Review and Sign-off Process

To begin the process, please complete and submit the Nepotism Management Plan Review Form. Upon receiving the submission, our office will review it and notify you if a nepotism management plan is necessary. 

Management plans must be reviewed and signed by all involved parties, the relevant dean or director, the campus Vice Chancellor/Provost of Academic Affairs (for academic employees), or the HR director (for staff).

All instances of nepotism, as well as any existing approved management plans, must be reported on the university’s annual conflict of interest forms via Kuali COI. For additional information, please consult the full Conflicts of Interest and Commitment policy.