Axe ’Em, Jacks!
HOP policy 01-402 is intended to protect the reputation and integrity of SFA and its faculty and staff. It establishes a transparent process for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest, conflicts of commitment and outside activities. By doing so, the university ensures accountability and promotes ethical conduct.
As employees of SFA, we have a professional obligation to perform our duties and responsibilities in a manner that upholds the integrity of our roles and avoids any actual or perceived conflicts. A conflict of interest arises when personal interests interfere with — or appear to interfere with — our responsibilities to the university. Employees may participate in work or activities with outside organizations, provided that these activities comply with the disclosure and approval requirements.
To maintain transparency and trust, it is important that all potential conflicts are disclosed so they can be appropriately managed and mitigated. Each university employee is required to disclose any potential conflict of interest, including:
• personal relationships/nepotism
• vendors and contractual relationships
• outside employment or activity
• and gifts.
Note: Research-related conflicts of interests are managed by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. For more information, visit the research compliance resources page.
Conflict of Interest FAQs
What is a conflict of interest?
A conflict of interest is generally an issue of financial or personal gains. This conflict occurs when an employee has outside interests or loyalties that could compromise their judgment, actions or reponsibilities to SFA.
Examples:
- A business-related conflict of interest can happen when an SFA employee has a financial interest in a company that SFA is considering doing business with.
- An employee is invited to speak at a conference because of their expertise. In appreciation of their contribution, the conference organizers provided a gift and covered the emloyee’s travel expenses.
What is a conflict of commitment?
This conflict is generally an issue of time. It occurs when the time or effort that an employee spends on an outside activiity directly interferes with the employee’s job duties.
Example:
A full-time SFA employee is currently working a second job in the evenings. As a result, the employee has been arriving late to the office, appears less focused and leaves early to attend to their evening job. The outside employment is starting to affect the quality of their work and reliability.
Am I allowed to have outside employment?
Yes, the policy does allow for outside employment; however, you must request prior approval. This request can be completed online through your mySFA account.
Who is required to complete the disclosure?
All SFA employees are required to complete a disclosure statement.
How do I report outside activity or employment?
Outside activities should be reported online via your mySFA account, under the "Employee" tab.
When are disclosures due?
Employees must submit a disclosure statement annually and within 30 days of any change.
What if I didn't get prior approval and the activity is already underway?
You should log in to your mySFA account and submit the disclosure form immediately.
What if I fail to disclose?
Non-compliance with this policy can lead to disciplinary action in accordance with applicable procedures up to and including termination.
What activities do I need to disclose?
You are required to disclose any of the following: outside employment, service on external boards regardless of compensation, substantial interest in a business entity, and any receipt of gifts with a value exceeding $250. You should also disclose any immediate family members' interest in a business entity that could appear to be a conflict of interest.
If an employee has questions relating to disclosures, contact the Office of Compliance at sfacompliance@sfasu.edu.