To submit your Conflict of Interest Disclosure or Activity and Interest Report, please visit the Conflict of Interest Review System.

If you have any questions or need any additional information, please contact the Conflict of Interest Office.

Conflict of Interest in Research

A conflict of interest exists when a researcher’s personal or financial interests could directly or significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of research at The University of Texas at Dallas (“UTD”). The presence of a conflict of interest does not mean that there has been or will be a misdeed; however, failure to disclose a conflict of interest may properly be viewed as a misdeed. An unreported conflict of interest may result from a failure to disclose a financial interest or, even more seriously, a false certification of the absence of a conflict of interest. Failure to report or providing a false certification of a conflict of interest constitutes noncompliance with UTD policy and may be cause for disciplinary action.

Conflict of Commitment in Funded Research

A conflict of commitment is created in research when an investigator engages in an employment, service, activity or relationship outside of UTD that interferes with the investigator’s performance of his or her responsibilities to a private or public sponsor of research performed at or on behalf of UTD. The nature of the conflict of commitment will depend on the investigator’s responsibilities to the sponsor, but can take the form of missing project deadlines, inappropriately sharing project data, failing to disclose patentable information, and accepting contractual obligations that conflict with his/her obligations to the sponsor. An unreported conflict of commitment may result from a failure to disclose an outside activity or, even more seriously, a false certification of that an outside activity does not overlap with funded research. Failure to report or providing a misleading information about an outside activity constitutes noncompliance with UTD policy and may be cause for disciplinary action.

University Research Integrity Committee

The University Research Integrity Committee is responsible for ensuring UTD has the appropriate policies, procedures, and education required to protect the integrity of the UTD research mission, for both the institution and individual investigator. The Committee is also responsible for the oversight of conflict of interest management plans related to research, in concert with the administrative support of the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach.

When a researcher discloses research at risk for the appearance of conflict of interest or commitment, a Conflict of Interest Management Plan Review Panel works with the investigator to consider the facts available and develop a plan to manage, reduce, or eliminate the appearance for conflict. All management plans will be approved by a Committee member, a representative of the researcher’s school, and a representative of the Provost’s Office. The plan is acknowledged by the researcher and monitored by the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach.

Other Responsibilities at Risk for Conflicts of Interest

When an employee discloses responsibilities at risk for the appearance of conflict of interest regarding purchasing, intellectual property, facilities use, or university administration, the COI Office works with the employee to consider the facts available and develop a plan to manage, reduce, or eliminate the appearance for conflict. All management plans will be approved by the employee’s supervisor and the next senior official. The plan is acknowledged by the employee and monitored by the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach.

Please contact the Conflict of Interest Office for more information about how UTD manages the appearance for conflicts of interest related to research and other institutional responsibilities.

Resources

• Conflict of Interest Responsibilities for Engaging with UTD Startups
• Conflict of Interest and Commitment Disclosure Responsibilities
• NIH Office of Extramural Affairs: Financial Conflict of Interest Guidelines
• Office of Research Integrity (ORI): Conflict of Interest and Commitment Resources

Public Reporting of Conflicts of Interest

The public disclosure of conflicts of interest is part of UTD’s institutional commitment to ensuring personal, financial, and organizational conflicts of interest do not interfere with the openness and productivity of our academic and research environments. UTD will make a good faith effort to provide information in an accurate and timely manner about conflicts of interest its faculty and staff have with outside entities. The information provided by this tool may differ from information in other public databases because of differences in reporting requirements. Inquiries about this tool or how UT Dallas manages collaborations with business entities should be directed to the Conflict of Interest Official.