Conflict of Interest Overview
All University officers and employees are expected to act with integrity and good judgment with those individuals and entities doing business or seeking to do business with the University.
It is the policy of the University of California that its officers and employees shall comply with the provisions of State and Federal law governing the acceptance of gifts and gratuities. All University employees must disqualify themselves from participating in decisions in which they have a personal economic interest. The primary legislative document governing conflict of interest and related issues is the State of California Political Reform Act of 1974 (the Act).
In addition to compliance with the requirements of law, University officers and employees must avoid the appearance of favoritism in all of their dealings on behalf of the University. Employees must comply with the requirements set out in UC Business and Finance Bulletin G-39 – Conflict of Interest Policy and Compendium of Specialized University Policies, Guidelines, and Regulations Related to Conflict of Interest.
All University officers and employees are expected to act with integrity and good judgment and to recognize that the acceptance of personal gifts from those doing business or seeking to do business with the University, even when lawful, may give rise to legitimate concerns about favoritism depending on the circumstances. If a University officer or employee has any question regarding the propriety of a gift, disclosure of the gift or proposed gift, they should ask a supervisor or other appropriate University official for a determination of the proper course of action.
If there is any doubt of the supervisor, employee or other party as to the proper course of action with regard to any conflict of issue action, they must contact the Conflict of Interest Coordinator for clarification on the issue.
The University Conflict of Interest Code is revised annually and submitted to the Fair Political Practices Commission for approval. The Commission is the state body that administers, interprets and enforces the California Political Reform Act. The University's approved Code has the force of law and any violation of the Code by a designated employee is deemed a violation of the Political Reform Act.
The State of California Political Reform Act places the responsibility upon the individual to be familiar with the requirements of the Act and with the University of California Conflict of Interest Code adopted in compliance with the Act. Violation of the Act subjects the individual, not the University, to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties. If you have any questions about the Act or the necessity of disqualifying yourself from participating in the making of the decision about your activities, you should contact the Conflict of Interest Coordinator at the campus.
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