What is the Difference between the University Official Disclosure and the Researcher Disclosure Form?

Conflict of Interest Contact

101 Technology Center, University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-1775 • Fax: 814-863-8699
Email: coinsadmin@psu.edu

The Conflict of Interest Program in the Office for Research Protections manages all Significant Financial or Business Interest Disclosures for Penn State faculty, staff, and students.

Office Directory

The University Official and Researcher disclosures both ask about outside interests that you may hold. While both forms are collected in COINS and have some similar questions, the COI Program and COI Committees review the answers differently, as they take into consideration how the outside interest could affect, or appear to affect, the University, University research, students, teaching, and/or other activities.

Research Disclosure

The Researcher Disclosure focuses on outside interests related to your research/teaching/activities that you do at Penn State (per Penn State policy RP06). The Researcher disclosure is collected either because you are faculty and participate in the design, reporting, or conduct of research and/or because you are named on grants/funding that goes through the Office for Sponsored Programs.

Univeristy Official Disclosure

The University Official Disclosure asks broader questions (per Penn State policy AD83). The University Official disclosure is needed due to your position, as University Officials have the ability to make decisions on behalf of the University that could affect the University's research, teaching, outreach, business transactions and other activities.