Conflict of Interest

Standards of Conflict of Interest at KSU

The University System of Georgia (USG) is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct in pursuit of its mission to create a more educated Georgia. This includes fundamental values of transparency and objectivity. USG employees are required to be honest, fair, and impartial in dealings with, and on behalf of, the USG. In accordance with USG policies, Kennesaw State University (KSU) employees are required to make every reasonable effort to avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest. Please refer to the button below for the Board of Regents (BOR) Policy Manual for additional information.

(BOR) Policy Manual

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Reporting and Disclosing Potential Conflict of Interests

All faculty and staff have an ongoing responsibility to report and fully disclose any personal, professional, or financial interest, relationship, or activity that has the
potential to create an actual or apparent conflict of interest with respect to the employee’s KSU duties, and obtain an approved management plan that properly
defines and manages any actual and apparent conflicts of interest.

Each KSU employee with a work commitment of 30 or more hours per week, and faculty members on contracts of nine months or more must obtain written approval prior to engaging in compensated outside activities that relate to the employee’s expertise or responsibilities as a KSU employee. Such activities include consulting, teaching, speaking, and participating in business, professional, or service enterprises. Employees who do not fall under these categories do not need written approval in advance of engaging in compensated outside activities so long as the outside activity does not create a conflict of interest or otherwise violate BOR policy.

To submit a request to engage in an outside activity, or to disclose a conflict of interest, please access the Outside Activities and Conflicts of Interest Dashboard in OwlExpress.

The Dashboard is located under the Employee Services tab in OwlExpress.

OwlExpress

Using KSU Resources for Assistance

Use of KSU Resources

Generally, KSU resources may only be used in furtherance of authorized KSU business. However, KSU employees may request to use KSU resources through a written contract that provides that the university will be paid for the use of any KSU personnel, facilities, equipment, or materials at a rate which is at least the rate KSU charges to outside entities. Approval of such a contract must be obtained pursuant to KSU’s contracting policies and is in addition to the approval required to engage in the outside activity. Furthermore, such use shall be tightly controlled, and employees must be able to provide information as to the location of all KSU equipment and resource usage upon request.

Required Statements

1. Any agreement for an outside activity executed between an outside entity and a KSU faculty or staff member must include the following statement:

“The consultant has certain obligations to Kennesaw State University as a faculty member as described in the Intellectual Property Policy of Kennesaw State University (IP Policy). In the event that there is any conflict between the consultant’s obligations to the IP Policy and their obligations to the entity for whom they consult, the obligations to the IP Policy shall control.”

2. Any presentations or reports written, signed, or prepared by a KSU faculty or staff member for an outside entity as part of an outside activity must state:

“This content represents the opinions of the consultant. It carries no endorsement by Kennesaw State University.”