Conflicts of Interest Policy
SDSU Research Foundation is concerned about conflicts of interest between SDSU Research Foundation and its clients and vendors, and between SDSU Research Foundation and its employees. While you are employed with us, SDSU Research Foundation is entitled to your undivided loyalty. That means that you have an obligation both to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest with the Foundation and its clients and vendors.
An obvious conflict of interest would include engaging in, or preparing to engage in, a business that competes with SDSU Research Foundation's business. Other obvious conflicts would occur if you or a close relative accepted a gratuity, gift or premium from a vendor who is seeking to do business with SDSU Research Foundation or where an SDSU Research Foundation project, department, or agency enters into a business relationship with an entity that is substantially owned or operated by an employee or relative of an employee of San Diego State University or the SDSU Research Foundation.
For these reasons, you should not engage in, directly or indirectly, either on or off the job, any conduct that is disloyal, disruptive, competitive, or damaging to the SDSU Research Foundation. For example, employees should not accept employment outside the Foundation if that employment is to be conducted during the hours that the employee is working for SDSU Research Foundation or if such employment conflicts with the effectiveness of the employee's work for the SDSU Research Foundation.
Further, employees should not utilize SDSU Research Foundation information or services for their personal use, nor should they perform activities that are unrelated to SDSU Research Foundation work during working hours. In the event that an employee is engaged in a business relationship that poses either a direct or indirect conflict of interest with SDSU Research Foundation including but not limited to instances where an individual who has influence over transactions involving purchases, contracts or leases, has entered into a business transaction that presents a direct or indirect conflict of interest, it is imperative that the employee disclose, as soon as possible, the existence of the conflict of interest to an officer of the SDSU Research Foundation. Overall, you are expected to represent SDSU Research Foundation in a positive, ethical, and loyal manner.
Materials, products, designs, plans, ideas, files, techniques, procedures, research, computer programs, formulas, patterns, methods, models, films, audio tapes, specifications, processes, strategies, bids, proposals, financial information, lists of customers, inventions, discoveries, films, tapes, programs, drawings and other data of this organization are the property of SDSU Research Foundation and should not be used for personal gain or given to an outside firm or individual except through regular channels and with appropriate authorization by SDSU Research Foundation management. Any transfer of material or disclosure of information, even though it is not apparent that an employee has personally gained by such action, constitutes unacceptable conduct.
Any employee found to be in violation of the SDSU Research Foundation's conflict of interest policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate termination. If you have any questions as to whether any action you take may constitute a conflict of interest or violation of this policy, you should speak to your supervisor or to the Director of Human Resources & Risk Management immediately.
Updated 12/15/2009