PAc-5 Consulting

PHILOSOPHY:

An agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Morehead State University is charged with responsibilities for instruction, research, and public service. These responsibilities often involve University faculty members and academic administrators in activities which are beyond the campus and in addition to their formally assigned duties. The University views professional consulting whether private or as a representative of the University as an activity to be encouraged. This policy is an outgrowth of the following institutional concern: (1) the need to comply with federal regulations concerning time and effort reporting for federally funded grants and contracts; (2) the need to safeguard the University's primary educational mission from possible conflicts of interest; and (3) the need to clarify those circumstances when a University faculty member or academic administrator may be gainfully employed by a third party.

DEFINITION:

1. This policy is limited to instruction, research, professional, and/or public service consulting activities for which remuneration is received from a third party and which occur during the time when the employee would normally be assigned to duties by the University. These times are generally 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday but may vary depending on the specific employee’s assigned work. Excluded are vacation periods, weekends, holidays, and other times when the employee is not assigned duties by the University.
2. University faculty members and academic administrators must request authorization to perform instruction, research, and public service activities for a third party during their work period. Work periods may vary widely due to individual faculty assignments. Such expectations should not be so restrictive as to make private consulting prohibitive. An Authorization to Perform Private Consulting (see UAR 114) must be submitted and permission secured from the individual’s supervisor and Dean prior to performing any private consulting activity with notification to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The form should indicate the nature of the work to be performed, the estimated time per week involved, duration of the assignment, and the arrangements made for classes and other responsibilities. The form and administrative decision shall be kept as a matter of record by the appropriate Department Chair/Associate Dean and Dean with notification to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. A Dean’s personal forms are approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
3. Those administrative officers who approve the form are instructed to be assured that regularly assigned duties of the employee will continue to be performed satisfactorily.

DUTY:

A faculty member or academic administrator is expected to perform University duties in the most effective manner of which the faculty member or academic administrator is capable. The individual's first duty and first responsibility is to the University. Outside service should not be undertaken, whether with or without pay, that might interfere with the discharge of this paramount obligation. Administrative officers are responsible for seeing that the regular University duties are accomplished.

REQUIRED ADVANCE APPROVAL:

An individual must request approval in advance of accepting a consulting assignment. A written form outlining the nature of the work to be performed, the estimated schedule of absences, and whether the work is undertaken for compensation or otherwise shall be given to the next level of administration. Such request shall be submitted through the Dean to the Vice President for Academic Affairs provided there is concurrence at each previous level. The final approval authority is the appropriate Dean for faculty members and Department Chairs and the Vice President for Academic Affairs for Deans.

CONSULTING TIME:

Time off from the regular work schedule for consulting shall be limited to four days per month. Time not used is noncumulative except by special permission of the Department Chair and Dean.

USE OF UNIVERSITY FACILITIES:

Activities that involve significant use of other University personnel, facilities, or equipment must be performed on a contractual basis with the University.

TIME AND EFFORT REPORTING:

All individuals performing consulting services relating to externally funded projects are required to comply with Time and Effort Reporting regardless of when the services are performed.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRIVATE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES:

The University assumes no responsibility for private professional services performed by members of its faculty. The name of the University is not in any way to be connected with the service rendered or the results obtained. The faculty member or academic administrator must make it clear that the consulting work is a personal matter. The faculty member or academic administrator must not use the official stationery of the University nor stationery having a University address or a University telephone number.

A faculty member shall not accept or retain consultation which would bring the faculty member as an expert, or in any other capacity, into conflict or in competition with the interests and purposes of the University.