Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment - UTDPP1100

Policy Statement

Sec. 1 Applicability:

This policy applies to all UT Dallas employees.

Sec. 2 Purpose:

This policy is intended to protect the credibility and reputation of UT Dallas and its employees.

Sec. 3 Primary Responsibility:

The primary responsibility of employees of UT Dallas is the accomplishment of the duties and responsibilities assigned to one's position of appointment.

Sec. 4 Un-Managed Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment Prohibited:

UT Dallas employees may not have a direct or indirect interest, including financial and other interests, or engage in a business transaction or professional activity, or incur any obligation of any nature that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the employees' duties to their institution.

Activities on behalf of outside entities or individuals must not interfere with an employee's fulfillment of his/her duties and responsibilities to UT Dallas. Such conflicts of commitment may arise regardless of the location of these activities, the type of outside entity, or the level of compensation.

Sec. 5 Use of Property:

UT Dallas property may only be used for State purposes appropriate to UT Dallas's mission. Use of UT Dallas property for any outside activity must be approved in accordance with applicable rules and policies.

Sec. 6 Noncompliance:

Noncompliance with this policy may subject one to discipline in accordance with applicable procedures up to and including termination of employment.

Sec. 7 Education and Training:

This policy and other related policies will be distributed to those responsible for approving and managing outside activities and interests on an annual basis. Individuals responsible for approving and managing outside activities and interests will be subject to training on an annual basis.

Sec. 8 Definitions:

Conflict of Commitment - A state in which the time or effort that a UT Dallas employee devotes to an outside activity directly or significantly interferes with the employee's fulfillment of their institutional responsibilities or when the employee uses State property without authority in connection with the employee's outside employment, board service, or other activity (See Sec. 8, RR 30104). Exceeding the amount of total time permitted by institution policy for outside activities creates the appearance of a conflict of commitment.

Conflict of Interest - A significant outside interest of a UT Dallas employee or one of the employee's immediate family members that could directly or significantly affect the employee's performance of the employee's institutional responsibilities. The proper discharge of an employee's institutional responsibilities could be directly or significantly affected if the employment, service, activity or interest: (1) might tend to influence the way the employee performs his or her institutional responsibilities, or the employee knows or should know the interest is or has been offered with the intent to influence the employee's conduct or decisions; (2) could reasonably be expected to impair the employee's judgment in performing his or her institutional responsibilities; or (3) might require or induce the employee to disclose confidential or proprietary information acquired through the performance of institutional responsibilities.

Immediate Family Members - include:

1. a spouse;
2. a dependent child or stepchild or other dependent, for purposes of determining federal income tax liability during the period covered by the disclosure statement; and
3. a related or non-related, unmarried adult who resides in the same household as the individual and with whom the individual is financially interdependent as evidenced, for example, by the maintenance of a joint bank account, mortgage, or investments.

Related Policies

• UTDPP1101 - Outside Activity Policy: Executive Officers and Employees Involved in Procurement Activities or Contract Management
• UTDPP1102 - Outside Activity Policy for All Employees, Excluding Executive Officers and Employees Involved in Procurement Activities or Contract Management