APM-671

The University’s rules surrounding academic appointments are contained in the Academic Personnel Manual. These rules include those involving appointment and promotion, recruitment, salary administration, and benefits.

APM Section 671 addresses the rules relating to Conflicts of Commitment for those faculty members participating in the UCR School of Medicine’s Health Sciences Compensation Plan. The policy sets limitations on the time that faculty may spend performing outside professional activities (21-days per year, including weekends) and sets an earnings threshold for outside professional income. According to the annual earnings threshold, faculty may keep all outside income up to $40,000. or 40% of their fiscal year base salary scale, whichever is greater. All amounts above that must be turned into the University and will be subject to an overhead assessment.

APM 671 also sets approval and reporting requirements for outside professional activities, which are broken into 3 categories, as follows:

Category I Activities

These are activities that are the most likely to cause a conflict with a faculty member’s commitment to the University. These activities require advanced approval from the Chancellor. Some examples include:

• Teaching or performing research outside of the University (such at another institution)
• Founding or co-founding a company
• Employment in one’s field outside of the University
• Assuming and executive or managerial position outside of the University.

Category I activities need to be reported in OATS.

Category II Activities

Category II activities present a lower risk for conflict. They do not require advanced approval but must be reported in OATS. Examples include:

• Consulting
• Presenting a workshop for industry
• Testifying as an expert witness
• Serving on a board of directors

Category III Activities

Category III activities present the least potential for conflict. For this reason, they do not require approval and are not required to be reported. Examples include:

• Serving on a government panel
• Developing scholarly or creative works
• Reviewing manuscripts or serving in an editorial capacity

When in doubt of what category a proposed outside professional opportunity falls within, please reach out to the Academic Affairs Department or to Compliance Advisory Services.