To avoid Conflicts of Interest:

• Disclose your duties in the best interests of the university and in such a manner that professional judgment in administration, management, instruction, research, and other professional activities are not affected by any outside financial and/or personal interests;
• Recognize your University appointment as your primary position; and
• Conduct your affairs so as not to derive private gain from your association with the university, except as provided by policy, including but not limited to:
  • Not assisting any person and/or organization for any fee or other compensation in obtaining any contract, license, or other economic benefit from the university,
  • Not receiving material compensation from others for performance of university duties, and
  • Not using university property and/or resources for personal gain except as authorized by university policy.

Should you encounter any potential activity(ies) for which expectations and responsibilities are unclear or that involve foreign affiliations, contact the COI office (ndsu.coic@ndsu.edu) and/or your supervisor to discuss how to address the issue.

Note: Some conflicts cannot be avoided, but can be mitigated via a Management Plan that will be individually developed based on the disclosure.

What if I am unsure whether a particular situation amounts to an actual or perceived Conflict of Interest or Commitment?

The Discloser does not decide whether a conflict exists.

• It is your responsibility to report Significant Interests completely, accurately and in a timely fashion in your Annual COI Disclosure in Novelution.
• It is the responsibility of the COI Committee to evaluate Disclosures of Significant (Financial) Interests, determine if any Conflicts of Interest exist, and support the  development, if applicable, of a Management Plans for Significant Interests and/or Conflicts of Interest.
• Management plans must be signed/approved by the Discloser, his/her department Chair/Head, applicable Dean or VP, and the COI Committee Chair.