Conflicts of Interest and Commitment and Outside Employment

Effective Date: April 1, 2024
Issuing Authority: Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance
Policy Contact: Associate Vice President for Human Resources, HR@mercer.edu, 478-301-2786

Purpose

Mercer University recognizes that external consulting activities are a proper and common feature of academic employment, contributing to the professional development of the individual and extending the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. The University permits and indeed encourages a limited amount of such activities where they (a) provide the individual employee with experience and knowledge valuable to teaching, research, or scholarship, (b) involve suitable research or scholarship through which the individual may make a worthy contribution to knowledge, or (c) constitute a public service, as long as they do not present unacceptable conflicts of interest or create actual or perceived conflicts of commitment with respect to the individual’s obligation to the University and the performance of University duties.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees of Mercer University.

Exclusions

None

Definitions

As used in this policy, the following term has the meaning specified below:

Employee: any faculty (including, but not limited to, regular, visiting, or adjunct), any individual who has an appointment at the University, and all regular and temporary staff.

Policy Statement

The following basic principles are adopted as University policy:

1. Full-time members of the faculty and non-faculty staff owe their primary professional responsibility to the University, and their primary commitment of time and intellectual effort should be to their institutional responsibilities. Outside activities, including outside employment, may not interfere with the individual’s institutional responsibilities.
2. No outside activities should result in any conflict of interest or commitment with the individual’s responsibilities to the University.
3. University resources (including space, facilities, equipment, and support staff) may not be used for outside activities without prior approval and appropriate payment to the University.
4. The University’s name may not be used in outside activities without prior approval. Faculty members and staff naturally may identify themselves professionally in terms of their institutional affiliation. Care shall be exercised, however, to ensure that external professional involvements do not imply University sponsorship or sanction.
5. Faculty members who wish to arrange consulting or other paid outside activities must obtain prior approval from their Dean. Non-faculty staff who wish to arrange consulting or other paid outside activities must obtain prior approval from the appropriate supervisor.
6. Outside employment is not permitted for staff where, in the opinion of the University, the outside job creates an actual or perceived conflict of interest or brings discredit to the University. Employees should notify their supervisor and/or Human Resources that they are considering outside employment opportunities that could potentially cause a conflict.

The University is subject to certain legal mandates with respect to managing, reducing, or eliminating potential conflicts of interest in research that is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Principal investigators and other persons within the University community who are responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research or educational activities funded or proposed for funding by these governmental agencies are required to disclose significant financial interests and relationships that may be affected by such research or activity.

Each college and school of the University has developed a written policy on consulting activities and conflicts of interest and commitment, along with procedures for monitoring and enforcing the policy. All full-time members of the faculty and non-faculty staff should refer to the current policy within their respective department and/or academic unit and be guided accordingly in the conduct of their government-sponsored research and other external consulting employment or business activities.