Description of External Relationship

Professor Busy has a consulting relationship and serves on the Board of Directors with NewTurns, a private corporation. She received more than $10,000 in compensation from NewTurns last year. She has no other consulting contracts, but occasionally serves as an expert witness for the EPA for minimal compensation and expenses. Prof. Busy also has a research project funded by EPA, but not directly related to the consulting that she does with NewTurns. Professor Busy currently has several graduate students as advisees and is a sought-after advisor. Professor Busy is applying for a new research contract with NewTurns.

Areas of Potential Conflict of Interest

A potential conflict arises because Prof. Busy has both a business and a financial interest in NewTurns. This represents a potential conflict of interest under the following provisions of the Regents Policy:

"An employee participating in clinical trials or evaluation or development of a technology, process, or product owned or controlled by a business in which the employee, an immediate family member or an associated entity has a business or significant financial interest."

"An employee assigning students, postdoctoral fellows, or other trainees to projects supported by a business in which the employee, an immediate family member or an associated entity has a business or significant financial interest."

Regents Policy on Financial or Business Conflict of Interest (June 8, 2001), art. 5, sec.III, subds.1(a) & (b)

Conflict Management Strategies

Professor Busy may accept the contract with NewTurns provided the following actions are taken and maintained during the course of the contract:

- Professor Busy will resign from her role as board member of NewTurns. She will continue her role as Principal Investigator of the EPA grant and the NewTurns contract.
- Professor Busy may remain a consultant for NewTurns, but for any consulting undertaken, she will provide a clear description of how her consulting duties differ from her University responsibilities, and will certify that she will comply with University requirements on the time limits for consulting. She will not use University resources, facilities, or services for consulting purposes without appropriate reimbursement to the University and prior written approval of the Department Head and Dean.
- Professor Busy will disclose her contract with NewTurns to the EPA and offer to have the results of her EPA research be reviewed by peers at the University prior to submission.
- Professor Busy will disclose to all students and postdocs involved in her research that she has a financial interest in NewTurns and that she has designated Professor Joyce within the School of X as the person students may contact if they believe their research efforts are improperly directed toward commercial areas, or if in any way their educational aims are not fully supported by Professor Busy’s work assignments. In addition, the college will assure that the majority of faculty on the students' thesis committees have no financial or business interests in NewTurns.
- Professor Busy will disclose her financial interests with NewTurns when submitting articles for publication and when making public presentations about this research.
- Professor Busy will disclose her financial interests with NewTurns when appearing as an expert for the Federal or State government, or for any other organization or agency.

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