University researchers are under greater scrutiny for conflicts of interest since the Board of Regents revised a research conduct policy last week.
The University’s sexual harassment, nepotism and consensual relationship policies were also reviewed at the meeting.
Although the minimum amount of financial interest that University employees must report increased by $5,000, the disclosure of those interests will be more formally monitored. Besides expanding disclosure requirements for the conflicts of interest policy, regents also broadened the policy’s scope.
“In the past, the conflict of interest policy only covered academic employees,” former Graduate School Dean Mark Brenner said. “Now it is for all employees as well as students and others involved with the design, conduct or publishing of research at this University.”
Under the new policy, faculty members earning more than $10,000 from commercialized research must tell the University formally, said Regent Julie Bleyhl, who chairs the faculty, staff and student affairs committee that passed the policy.
“If they’re receiving more than $10,000, it doesn’t matter where the money came from for the research,” Bleyhl said. “They must disclose what money they’re receiving and from whom.”
But professors are already required to disclose all financial relationships to their department heads on an annual basis, said Richard Bianco, acting assistant vice president for regulatory affairs. The new policy simply reinforces more formally what is already being done departmentally, he said.
“The amount of money involved is not the issue, it’s the relationship,” Bianco said. “We don’t want a graduate student working for a faculty member that would be making money on the project without disclosure.”
Brenner, a horticultural science professor, said the policy dates back to the creation of the 1980 Bayh Dole Act. The act states that the federal government has access to results derived from federally sponsored research.
“The University must protect that intellectual property and license it so it can be commercialized,” Brenner said.
After commercialization comes the possibility of great financial gain for faculty members, the department and the University, Brenner said. That’s what drove the creation of the policy, he said.
Regents also made progress on updating the policies on sexual harassment, nepotism and consensual relationships.
If approved when voted on in October, the consensual relationship policy will be expanded to cover professor-student relationships on campus.
“If you’re in a consensual relationship with someone, you should not be grading, evaluating, promoting or hiring them,” said Julie Sweitzer, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. “You shouldn’t be evaluating someone whom you’re closely, personally involved with.”