Faculty Outside Activities and Disclosure Guide

Faculty may use this resource to help determine if an activity requires disclosure and / or prior approval per policy AC80 and RP06. This resource includes but is not limited to activities that require disclosure, prior approval, or further review under both policies. Be sure to review any college-specific guidelines. If you have questions about which activities require review and approval under either policy, please email coinsadmin@psu.edu.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Peer Review of articles and grant proposals1

No No Yes2
Academic Program Review at another institution  1 No No

Yes2

Exclusion: Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a U.S. government agency or U.S. institution of higher education does not have to be disclosed in COINS.

Preparing scholary publications1 No No Yes2
Editorial Services for educational or professional organizations1 No No Yes2

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

 

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Leadership positions in professional societies1

No No Yes2

Service with accreditation agencies1

No No Yes2
Serving on an advisory committee or evaluation panel for government funding agencies, nonprofit foundations, or educational organizations1 No No Yes2
Serving on (but not chairing) master's or doctoral thesis committee at another university1 No No Yes2
Chairing a master's or doctoral thesis committee at another university Yes3 Yes3 Yes2

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Outside Teaching during the appointment period

Yes3 Yes3

No

Exception: If the position is at a foreign university, compensation > $5,000, and related to your Penn State Institutional responsibilities, this must be disclosed in COINS.

Exclusion: Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a U.S. government agency or U.S. institution of higher education does not have to be disclosed in COINS.

Outside Teaching outside the appointment period Yes3 No

No

Exception: If the position is at a foreign university, compensation > $5,000, and related to your Penn State Institutional responsibilities, this must be disclosed in COINS.

Exclusion: Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a U.S. government agency or U.S. institution of higher education does not have to be disclosed in COINS.

Conducting short courses including non-credit or professional courses Yes3 No

Yes2

Exclusion: Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a U.S. government agency or U.S. institution of higher education does not have to be disclosed in COINS.

Presenting or conducting a workshop at professional meetings or other similar gatherings1 No No

Yes2

Exclusion: Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by a U.S. government agency or U.S. institution of higher education does not have to be disclosed in COINS.

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Scholarly collaboration with an institution of higher education where there is no compensation, agreement, contract, or required time commitment1

No No No
Scholarly collaboration with an institution of higher education where there is compensation, agreement, contract, or required time commitment Yes3 Yes3 Yes2

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Starting a company

Yes3 Yes3

Yes2

NOTE: There is no threshold for company ownership

Holding any equity in a private company Yes3 (disclose the time spent on company activities, not the equity) Yes3 (if founding or starting a company, be sure to request approval before filing the paperwork)

Yes2

NOTE: There is no threshold for this activity

Private consulting that does not involve research Yes3 No Yes2
An activity involving the conveyance of IP rights to another entity Yes3 Yes3 Yes2 (disclose the related significant financial interest)
Income from IP No No

Yes2 

NOTE: For the Department of Energy, there is no threshold for this activity. Disclose any amount received. 

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Holding a foreign or domestic position or professional appointment at another university, (paid or unpaid)

Yes3

Yes3

Exclusion: Appointments for the purpose of teaching outside of the Appointment Period do not require prior approval.

No

Exception: disclose in COINS if the position is at a foreign university, compensation is greater than $5,000, and related to your Penn State research. 

Running or having fiduciary responsibility for a research endeavor at another univerity (running a lab, institute or program) Yes3 Yes3 Yes2
Holding equity in a publicly traded entity No No

Yes2

Exclusion: income from investment vehicles, such as mutual funds and retirement accounts, if the Investigator does not directly control the investment decisions made in these vehicles.

Receiving compensation from a publicly traded or non-publicly traded entity Yes(disclose the associated activity) Yes3 (disclose the associated activity) Yes2

Becoming an employee of a third-party entity (includes advisory board positions that have fiduciary responsibilities)

Yes3 Yes3 Yes2
Being an expert witness Yes3 No Yes2
Practicing a licensed profession (e.g., veterinarian, architect, nurse, attorney) Yes3, if practicing beyond what is needed to maintain licensure or certification. No Yes2
Musical and other creative performances and exhibitions1 No No Yes2

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Participating in programs sponsored by foreign governments

Yes3 Yes3 Yes2

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Sponsored travel (travel paid for an entity other than Penn State)

Yes3 (disclose the associated activity)

Exclusion: Disclosure is not required if the activity associated with the sponsored travel is a scholarly activity (guest lecture, seminar, presenting at a conference, etc).

No

Yes2

NOTE: For DOE, there is no threshold. Disclose any amount received.

 

Exclusion: Do not disclose travel that is reimbursed or sponsored by a federal, state, or local government agency in the United States, an American institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an American academic teaching hospital, an American medical center, or a research institute that is affiliated with an American Institution of higher education.

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.

 

Activity Disclose per AC80 Prior Approval Per AC80 Disclose in COINS per RP06

Exceeding monthly or annual time limits

Yes3

Yes3

NOTE: Exceeding the annual time limits requires approval by the Provost

Yes(disclose the related significant financial interest)

Involving undergrad or graduate students in the outside activity Yes3 Yes3 Yes(disclose the related significant financial interest)

 

1This is a scholarly activity as defined by policy AC80.

2Disclose in COINS if financial interest is greater than $5,000 and reasonably related to your Penn State Institutional Responsibilities.

3If in the faculty member's area of expertise.