Conflict of Commitment

For Washington University Staff Employees

External Activities

Employees may not engage in external activities that interfere with the performance of their university duties, that disrupt the operations of their department or school, or that create an actual or apparent conflict of interest with their University responsibilities.
University staff employees, including senior administrators, may from time to time be involved in paid or unpaid activities unrelated to Washington University. Examples of such activities include consulting engagements, external board service (for either for-profit or not-for-profit entities), volunteer and community service activities, or other jobs.

The university realizes that many external activities benefit the community at large. However, employees should, in general, perform external activities outside of their University work hours; i.e., outside of their normal 37.5 or 40 work hours per week, depending on the area of the University in which they work. When that is not possible, employees must obtain prior approval to participate in external activities that occur during their normal university work hours, as follows. In situations where an employee will be paid by an external entity, advance written approval by the employee’s Vice Chancellor or Dean for the employee to participate in that activity must be obtained. For external activities that involve no payments to the employee by the external entity, advance written approval by the employee’s supervisor must be obtained. Supervisor-approved vacation time may be required to perform the external activities.

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Use of Washington University Affiliation in External Consulting Activities

University staff members, including senior administrators, and the organizations for which they consult must not state or imply any connection between Washington University and such consulting activities as reports, recommendations, analyses, and the like. They must not say or imply that the University endorses the conclusions of those activities. Staff members are responsible for notifying organizations for which they consult of this prohibition and must include the following disclaimer in all reports, recommendations, analyses, and the like prepared in connection with their consulting activities: “The information provided herein is solely the work of (name) in my personal capacity and is not related to Washington University in St. Louis or my employment there.”

Approved by University Council 06-16-05