Ethics

Conflicts of Commitment and Interest (link to policies)

The University of Iowa strives to ensure that its academic, health care, business, research, and teaching endeavors are conducted in a manner free of potential or actual conflicts of interest. A conflict exists whenever personal, professional, commercial, or financial interests or activities outside of the University have the possibility (either in actuality or in appearance) of:

  • Interfering with UI employees' ability to fulfill their employment obligations;
  • Compromising a faculty or staff member's professional judgment;
  • Biasing research or compromising, or giving the appearance of compromising, the sound professional judgment of its investigators; or
  • Resulting in personal gain for the employee or employee's immediate family, at the expense of the University and/or the state.

Given the breadth of activities conducted in fulfillment of the University’s mission, unique policies govern key areas of the University enterprise. Disclosure, review, and management are critical to the application of the following Conflicts of Commitment and Interest policies. Under these policies, few activities that represent, or appear to represent, a conflict are actually prohibited. Rather, the rules require conflicts to be disclosed, reviewed, and managed appropriately.

For additional information about management of conflicts of commitment or interest, including the eCOI Annual Disclosure requirement, please consult the following policies and resources:

Key Area

Policy

For More Information

Consensual Relationships

Consensual Relationships Involving Students (OM II-5)

Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity

Phone: (319) 335-0705 (voice); (319) 335-0697 (TDD) or email: diversity@uiowa.edu

Website: http://diversity.uiowa.edu/policies/consensual-relationships-involving-s...

Continuing Medical Education

Content Validation Guidelines

Continuing Medical Education Office, UI Carver College of Medicine

Phone: (319) 335-8599

Website: http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/cme/

eCOI Disclosure System

eCOI is an electronic disclosure system that fulfills reporting requirements of the COI-Research, Workplace, Health Care, and CME policies. For other requirements, see specific policies.

eCOI Website: http://research.uiowa.edu/era-ecoi

eCOI User’s Guide: https://ecoi.uiowa.edu/pdf/ecoi_user_guide.pdf

Employment (Nepotism)

Conflict of Interest in Employment (OM III-8)

University Human Resources COI-Employment

Phone: (319) 335-0056

Website: http://hr.uiowa.edu/policies/conflict-interest-employment

Faculty Effort

Conflict of Commitment (OM II-18.4)

Office of the Associate Provost for Faculty - COI

Phone: (319) 335-3991 or email: faculty@uiowa.edu

Website: http://provost.uiowa.edu/conflict-commitment

Health Care

UI Health Care Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy Regarding Interactions with Industry

UI Health Care Conflict of Interest Office

Phone: (319) 384-5252 or e-mail: coi@healthcare.uiowa.edu

Website: http://www.uihealthcare.org/ConflictofInterest/

Purchasing

Purchasing – Conflict of Interest (OM 11.14)

COI-Purchasing/Travel

Phone: (319) 335-0115

Website: https://uiowa.edu/ap-purchasing/coi-purchasing

Research

Conflict of Interest in Research (OM II-18.6)

Conflict of Interest in Research Office, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development

Phone: (319) 384-4256 or email: coi-research@uiowa.edu

Website: http://coi.research.uiowa.edu/

Workplace

Conflict of Interest in the Workplace (OM II-18.5)

For Faculty: Associate Provost for Faculty

Phone: (319) 335-3991 or email: faculty@uiowa.edu

 

For Staff and Executives: University Human Resources

Phone: (319) 335-2374 or email: HR-help@uiowa.edu

Website: http://provost.uiowa.edu/conflict-interest-workplace

Other Conflict of Interest Policies

Other UI Policies Related to Conflicts of Interest (OM II-18.7)

Please see the individual policies for additional information.