The University of Iowa community is committed to the principle of free, open, and objective inquiry in the conduct of its teaching, research, and service missions. Further, The University of Iowa encourages its employees to engage in external activities that promote the University's mission, contribute to their professional fields, enhance their professional skills, and/or enhance the public good. However, the University also expects its employees to fulfill their University obligations first and foremost commensurate with their appointment requirements. To ensure that external activities are conducted in a manner consistent with institutional and public values, the following policy conveys expectations and procedures to ensure that University employees avoid improper conflicts whenever possible, or otherwise disclose activities for review and management.
After consultation with their relevant employees, individual units within the University may adopt more stringent rules, which must be approved by the vice president or Executive Vice President and Provost responsible for that unit. Other University policies that address conflicts of interest not covered by this policy are referenced at the end of this chapter.
It should be noted that the following rules governing outside professional activities do not apply to the intramural practice of medicine, nursing, and dentistry conducted in the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing by members of those faculties according to the plan approved and regulated by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and specific provisions of the Iowa Code.