Minutes of a Regular Meeting, June 22-23, 2004 - Digital Collections

REGENTS’ POLICY MANUALSECTION 3—GENERAL POLICIESFull-time and nine-month faculty with the rank of instructor or above will accrue 12 days of extendedsick leave per year. Such faculty members working at least half-time (.50 FTE) but less than full-time(1.0 FTE) will receive leave accrual based on their FTE. There is no maximum on the accrual ofextended sick leave. No cash payment will be made for any time accrued.(RM, 4-4-91, p. 22303; 6-19-96, p. 24943; 1-27-2004, p. 28924)3.1.7—FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST-NORMAN CAMPUSI. PURPOSE OF POLICYThis policy addresses situations where there might be a potential financial conflict between aparticular outside interest of a faculty or staff employee and the obligation that the employee owes to theUniversity, such that an employee’s profit or advantage may come, or reasonably appear to come, at theexpense or well-being of the University.The purpose of this policy is to aid in identifying apparent, actual, and potential financial conflicts ofinterest and assuring that such conflicts do not improperly affect the activities or professional conduct ofthe University or its employees. For purposes of this policy, the term University shall refer to theNorman Campus only.It is not the intent of this policy to restrict legitimate work appropriate to the employee’s profession ordiscipline, but only to provide the University with authority to take action that is appropriate,proportionate, and focused on substantial financial conflicts of interest that compromise an employee’sprofessional judgment.II. STATEMENT OF GENERAL POLICYThe University is a public institution committed to the mission of teaching, research andcreative/scholarly activity, and professional and University service and public outreach. To these ends,the University balances an assortment of principles: maintaining an atmosphere that promotes free andopen scholarly inquiry; facilitating the transfer of information and technology for the benefit of thepublic; and serving as a prudent steward of public and private resources entrusted to it. Faculty and staffhave a primary commitment to their basic University duties of teaching, research and creative/scholarlyactivity, and professional and University service and public outreach. These basic duties often limitoutside activities. As a result, professional and personal activities may present financial conflict ofinterest situations which should be evaluated under the auspices of this and other applicable Universitypolicies.Employee participation in outside professional, commercial, and pro bono publico activities can makeimportant direct and indirect contributions to the strength and vitality of the University. Throughparticipation in such activities, employees may add to knowledge and understanding that is relevant anduseful to teaching and research within the University, develop sources of funding and support foractivities carried out in the University, and establish relationships valuable to the University. Because ofits value to the University, its rewards for individual employees, and its contributions to the larger societyof which the University is a part, the University recognizes that employee participation in outsideprofessional, commercial, or pro bono publico activities is often appropriate.THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 171