Decision Matrix for Approval of Outside Activities and Conflict of Interest Disclosures

The Decision Matrix is intended as a quick reference guide. Printable PDF version available.

For more information, please see the FAQ’s or contact Compliance@utrgv.edu.

General Rule

Any outside activity or interest that may reasonably appear to create a conflict of interest, or interfere with an employee’s University responsibilities, must be reported in the Outside Activity Portal. This requirement applies regardless of:

category of employee (full-time, part-time, exempt, non-exempt, faculty),
location of activity (on or off campus),
the type of outside entity (individual, for-profit, not-for-profit, government),
and level of compensation (compensated or not compensated).

Specific Requirements and Exemptions

Category 1 - Scholarly and Professional Activities (applies to faculty and exempt staff)	Prior approval required? (employees, not covered family members)	Activity allowed during regularly scheduled work hours / responsibilities?	After-the-fact disclosure required?
Academic activities that are clearly related to UTRGV’s mission, provided they do not reasonably appear to create a conflict of interest or conflict of commitment. Examples: Serving on a federal, state, or local government agency committee, panel, or commission. Acting in an editorial capacity for a professional journal. Reviewing journal manuscripts, book manuscripts, or grant or contract proposals. Attending or providing talks or honorary lectures at scholarly and professional colloquia, other academic institutions, and conferences. Developing scholarly communications in the form of books or journal articles, movies, television productions, and similar works. Serving as a committee member or as an officer of a professional, academic or scholarly society or committee.	NO* (Provided they are clearly related to the University’s mission and do not reasonably appear to create a conflict of interest or interfere with the employee’s University duties and responsibilities.)	YES (Provided it does not interfere with University responsibilities.)	NO*
Category 2 - Board Service or Other Activity that is Personal (applies to faculty and exempt staff)	Prior approval required? (employees, not covered family members)	Activity allowed during regularly scheduled work hours / responsibilities?	After-the-fact disclosure required?
Examples: Serving on the board of a municipality, local religious congregation, neighborhood association, public, private or parochial school; political organization, social advocacy organization, youth sports or recreation leagues, affinity groups, and other similar outside boards or activities.	NO* (Provided they do not reasonably appear to create the appearance of a conflict of interest or interfere with the employee’s University duties and responsibilities.)	NO	NO* (even if the activity is compensated)
Category 3 - Outside employment, teaching, and board service that require prior approval (applies to full-time faculty and exempt staff)	Prior approval required? (employees, not covered family members)	Activity allowed during regularly scheduled work hours / responsibilities?	After-the-fact disclosure required?
Employee outside activities or employment *other than* activities described in Categories 1 or 2 above, and other than activities carried out wholly outside a faculty member's period of appointment at UTRGV (usually during the summer for faculty who do not have appointments for the full 12 months of the year). Outside employment or other compensated activities, such as service as a consultant or advisor to any entity. All outside teaching by faculty members, whether onsite or distance teaching, that is in or related to the same discipline as their area of teaching at UTRGV – EXCEPT serving as a thesis advisor or member of a thesis review committee. Service on outside boards regardless of whether compensation is received. Service on a board of a religious organization that provides services which the University provides (e.g., academic institution, health care services).	YES*	NO	NO* (Provided you are not engaged in research or sponsored programs, and not involved in procurement activities over $15,000. See Categories 4 and 5 below.)
Category 4 - Research and Sponsored Projects Applies only to employees engaged in research or sponsored programs. Applies to all such employees including part-time and non-exempt. Also includes students and, in some cases, collaborators.	Prior approval required? (employees, not covered family members)	Activity allowed during regularly scheduled work hours / responsibilities?	After-the-fact disclosure required?
The following outside activities and financial interests received or held by the employee or the employee’s covered family members, that reasonably appear to be related to the employee’s institutional responsibilities: Payments received by the employee or covered family member of $5000/year or more from an outside entity (other than payments from a federal, state, or local governmental agency, institution of higher education, an academic teaching hospital, medical center, or a research institute affiliated with an institution of high education). Interests in intellectual property and royalties Sponsored travel (other than travel reimbursed by a federal, state, or local governmental agency, institution of higher education, an academic teaching hospital, medical center, or a research institute affiliated with an institution of high education). Equity interests in any entity such as stock, stock options or other ownership interest or entitlement for the employee and covered family members Gifts totaling over $ 250 received in the last 12 months from a single entity, other than gifts from a covered family member. Fiduciary positions for which the employee received any form of remuneration or reimbursement for expenses.	YES for activities for which prior approval is required under Category 3, above. OTHERWISE NO*	NO	YES unless prior approval has been requested and obtained for this activity through the Outside Activity Portal*
Category 5 - Procurement Applies only to employees involved in procurement activities (meaning that they make decisions or recommendations regarding: contract terms and conditions, who is awarded a contract, preparation of a solicitation for a contract, or evaluation of a bid or proposal) with respect to purchases of $15,000 or more. Applies to all such employees including part-time and non-exempt.	Prior approval required? (employees, not covered family members)	Activity allowed during regularly scheduled work hours / responsibilities?	After-the-fact disclosure required?
The following outside activities and financial interests received or held by the employee or the employee’s covered family members: All outside employment or other compensated activity of the employee. All non-university employment or other compensated activity of covered family members that reasonably appear to be related to the employee’s institutional responsibilities. Any outside activity, regardless of compensation, that reasonably appears to create a conflict of interest or a conflict of commitment. Outside board service, unless entirely unrelated to university business. Any substantial interest in a business entity should be disclosed within 30 days after acquiring the interest. Gifts totaling $ 250 or more in a year from a single person or entity - other than gifts received from one’s parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild; one’s spouse of the spouse of anyone mentioned immediately above; or the parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of one’s spouse.	YES for activities for which prior approval is required under Category 3, above. OTHERWISE NO*	NO	YES unless prior approval has been requested and obtained for this activity through the Outside Activity Portal*

* NOTE: Faculty and exempt staff (those not eligible for overtime pay) without any outside activities or interests to report must still log into the Portal during the Annual Disclosure Period, which is January, February, and March each year-to report "No Activity" for the prior year.

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Institutional Compliance

Decision Matrix for Approval of Outside Activities and Conflict of Interest Disclosures