Conflict of Interest Policy

All employees have an obligation to avoid situations which might make it difficult for them to act in the best interests of the University. All employees must avoid placing themselves in any positions or situations in which there may be a conflict, or the appearance thereof, between his/her personal interests and his/her duty to Adelphi. Areas of potential conflict include, but are not limited to, use of confidential information, purchases not subject to competitive bids, the acceptance of gifts, etc. All non-union employees will sign a “Conflict of Interest Affirmation” form acknowledging receipt of this policy at orientation and yearly.

While it is impractical to define every instance that might give rise to a conflict of interest, in general, each employee must avoid participating directly or indirectly in any transaction involving Adelphi that could result in a personal benefit to the employee, or their family or friends at the expense of the interests of Adelphi. Conflicts of interest exist whenever an employee or a member of the employee’s immediate family has an interest, direct or indirect, in any dealing with the University, and the interest is of such a nature that his/her decisions might be affected by it.

All situations involving potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed in advance to the appropriate supervisor who is then responsible for apprising the Office of Human Resources.

Examples of Conflicts

An employee or family member has a duty to disclose a potential conflict of interest even if it is not an example listed.

While it is not possible to enumerate all situations which might give rise to a violation of this policy, the examples given below indicate some conduct which should be avoided:

1. For an employee or any relative to have an interest in or be employed by any organization which has business dealings with the University where there is an opportunity for preferential treatment to be given or received.
2. For an employee to authorize for University use any product or service furnished by an organization or corporation through which the employee or family member(s) will receive a financial gain by such use.
3. For an employee, without proper authority, to give or release any data or information of a confidential nature to outsiders or to otherwise use information for personal advantage.
4. For an employee or relative to accept gifts in cash or kind (including materials or services or extravagant entertainment) at no cost or unreasonably low prices from companies doing business with Adelphi, particularly in situations in which it might be inferred that the intention was to influence the decisions of the employee and actions of the University.

It should be understood that while achieving results is essential, it is equally essential that we do so with integrity. Open disclosure and discussion of any questionable situation is at the heart of this policy. Employees are encouraged to bring to management’s attention any situation which raises a potential conflict of interest or the appearance thereof.

Conflict of Interest Form (PDF)