IV.8 REPORTING OUTSIDE INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

The following statements about the reporting of outside interests and activities are adapted from Provost John Wiley's annual memo on this subject.

An annual report on outside activities must be filed by each faculty, limited and academic staff member with half-time appointments or more as part of their institutional responsibilities. The University's policies--the Wisconsin Administrative Code (UWS 8.025), FPP Chapter 8, and ASA Chapter 12--contain specific requirements on what must be reported.

In brief, University employees may not use their public position for personal gain in a manner contrary to the interests of the University of Wisconsin System. ("Personal gain" includes money, gifts in kind, equity, or anything of value to the recipient.) In addition, they may not, in a manner contrary to the public interests of the UW System, use or attempt to use their public position or state property, including property leased by the state, to gain or attempt to gain anything of substantial value for their private benefit, their immediate family, or any organization with which they are associated (UWS 8.03).

Staff members should consult their department chairs or directors before making commitments to outside activities. Further consultation with the appropriate dean and/or the Institutional Advisory Committee on Outside Activities may be necessary before approving an unusual arrangement.

An online form exists for reporting outside activities. The web form is sufficiently flexible to allow Individuals associated with more than one department (other than zero-percent appointments) to report to each. Completed forms are reviewed by the department chair or director as well as by the Dean. The Dean forwards these reports to the Provost's office. Reports residing in that office are open records and accessible to the public and the press.

Anticipated service as an expert witness in a civil or criminal legal proceeding must be reported promptly to the Dean for transmission to the Chancellor.  This requirement is independent of the above concern.   (See FPP 8.13 and ASA, 12.04.)

Investigator's Financial Disclosure Form for federally funded research: In addition to the University outside activities report, federal rules require that an Investigator's Financial Disclosure Form for Federal Projects be completed every year. While separate in the past, this form now includes the UWS8-required University outside activities report and is required of all faculty and academic staff involved in federally funded research. If the investigator and/or his/her immediate family receive payments from any single for-profit enterprise which total $10,000 or more, or have ownership interests of 5% or more in a single for-profit enterprise, those interests must be listed on the form. The form will be forwarded to the Graduate School after review and signature by the Department Chair and the Dean. The Graduate School will review to see, in those cases where a potential conflict exists, whether a conflict exists with the investigator's federally funded research and will inform him/her what action, if any, is necessary. No proposals for federal support will be approved by the L&S Dean's office unless a current version of this form is on file.

Go to:

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES REPORT

UW-MADISON INVESTIGATOR'S FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM FOR FEDERAL PROJECTS