UBC’s Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment policy
This notice is being sent to HEADS-UP on behalf of Hubert Lai, Q.C, University Counsel. Please distribute this notice to all faculty members, staff, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in your units.
UBC is required to have policies and systems that comply with all granting agencies. In addition to meeting this basic requirement, UBC’s policies are designed to provide a high level of protection for the integrity of the University and its faculty and staff. To this end, UBC has had a policy on conflict of interest and conflict of commitment since 1992. The policy was substantially revised in 2006 and, for faculty members, the paper-based declarations were replaced with a web-based disclosure system. For staff members, paper-based declarations were replaced with e-mails. These changes, particularly the introduction of a simplified web-based disclosure system, enabled major improvements in conflict tracking, approval, and management.
The policy and web-based system underwent further review and upgrades in 2012. In order to ensure that all faculty members and staff members are aware of UBC’s current conflict of interest and conflict of commitment systems and standards, the Office of the University Counsel has prepared a summary of the material changes to UBC’s Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment policy. To review this summary, please click here:
http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/2013/07/Summary-of-Significant-Changes.pdf
In addition, the Office of the University Counsel is offering information sessions throughout 2013 for every Faculty. Sessions are being held at Point Grey, Okanagan, and hospital-based locations. For information about information sessions that have already been scheduled, please click here:
http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/upcoming-training/
You are welcome to come to info sessions that are not in your home Faculty. Also, if you would like to arrange an information session for your unit or management team, or if you have any questions about conflict of interest and conflict of commitment at UBC, please contact Christine Hjorleifson:
Christine Hjorleifson
Conflict of Interest Administrator
Office of the University Counsel
Tel: 604-822-8623
Email: christine.hjorleifson@ubc.ca