The University of Texas at Dallas (“UTD”) is committed to ensuring personal, financial, and organizational conflicts of interest do not interfere with the openness and productivity of our academic and research environments. UTD’s concern with conflict of interest reflects the ever-increasing complexity of our society, our various relations with each other and with outside institutions, along with the heightened national and governmental sensitivity to such matters. UTD takes the position that faculty and researchers can participate in situations involving the appearance for conflict in conjunction with appropriate monitoring by UTD administration.

The Office of Research Integrity and Outreach provides a framework for faculty and researchers to disclose and manage potential conflicts through education and procedures that emphasize transparency and accountability. UTD policies and procedures balance the professional autonomy of investigators inherent in the self-regulation of research with the institutional responsibility UTD accepts to know what conflicts might exist at the institution, and to manage, reduce, or eliminate those conflicts.

A conflict of interest or commitment is created when the personal, financial, or organizational interest of an investigator could bias or unduly influence the design, conduct, or reporting of research at UTD, or interfere with the investigator’s performance of his or her institutional responsibilities to UTD. Institutional responsibilities at risk for the appearance of conflict include data collection, publication of research results, intellectual property assignment and licensing, data management, purchasing, mentoring, and facilities use.

The University Research Integrity Committee (“Committee”) is charged with assuring the integrity of research endeavors undertaken at and on behalf of UTD by identifying and addressing situations involving the appearance or occurrence of conflicts of interest and commitment. The Conflict of Interest Office (“COI Office”) within the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach is responsible for administering the Committee and assisting the Committee in assuring institutional and investigator compliance with federal and state laws and regulations concerning conflict of interest and commitment. The COI Office provides the education and procedures needed by investigators to identify and manage research and other responsibilities at risk for the appearance of conflict of interest or commitment.

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