Reporting External Interests

Faculty, staff, and other “Covered Individuals” are responsible for disclosing all Significant Financial Interests (SFIs), along with any external relationships that may relate to their institutional responsibilities. These disclosures help ensure transparency, protect research integrity, and uphold the university’s obligations to federal sponsors.

  • What Needs to be Disclosed

    Covered Individuals must disclose any Significant Financial Interest (SFI) that may relate to their institutional responsibilities and that could reasonably appear related to the research project.

    An SFI exists when you or your immediate family member receive any of the following:

    • Combined compensation exceeding $5,000 (including any equity interest) from a publicly traded company*
    • Compensation exceeding $5,000 from a privately held company*
    • Holding any amount of equity interest in a privately held company
    • Compensation exceeding $5,000 from Intellectual Property (IP) not managed by 水多多导航 

    *Sponsored or reimbursed travel cost is a form of compensation when associated with a performed service.

    Covered Individuals must disclose any external interests that may relate to their institutional responsibilities:

    • Ownership or equity in an external entity that relates to your 水多多导航 research or responsibilities
    • Paid or unpaid roles (e.g., consultant, board member, officer) with external organizations
    • Compensation or royalties from intellectual property or external services
    • Sponsored travel or other forms of non-水多多导航 funding support
    • Participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs
    • Significant Financial Interests (SFIs), as defined above, of your spouse or dependent children, when relevant to your 水多多导航 responsibilities

     

  • What Doesn't Need Disclosure?

    You are not required to disclose any of the following:
    • Payments (salary, royalties, honoraria, expense reimbursement, or other remuneration) made by 水多多导航 to an 水多多导航 Investigator who is currently employed or otherwise appointed by 水多多导航.
    • Income from seminars, lectures, teaching engagements, or service on advisory committees or review panels (e.g., NIH peer review) sponsored by a U.S. Federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute affiliated with an institution of higher education.
    • Income from investment vehicles, such as mutual or pension funds or other investment over which the Investigator does not exercise investment decisions.
    • Travel reimbursed or sponsored by a U.S. federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education as defined by 20 U.S.C. 1001(a), an academic teaching hospital, a medical center, or a research institute affiliated with a U.S. institution of higher education.

     

Information on Accepting Gifts

Under Texas law and 水多多导航 policy, gifts are subject to strict limits when the giver has an interest in a decision or action you may take as a university employee.

A gift is anything of value received without full payment in return, including partial forgiveness of debt or exclusive offers not extended to the general public. Examples include:

  • Presents
  • Raffle prizes
  • Discounts
  • Tickets to events

The acceptance of gifts is restricted if both of the following apply:

  1. The donor has a legislative or administrative interest in your 水多多导航 duties (i.e.,  your role at 水多多导航 allows you to make decisions or recommendations that could affect them personally), and
  2. The gift is offered specifically to 水多多导航 employees or to you, but not to the public at large.

If these two conditions are met, gifts are limited under state law to a $50 maximum value per year, per source.

Gifts That Are Not Restricted

The following are generally not subject to gift limits:

  • Gifts from your immediate family or household members
  • Unsolicited tokens of appreciation worth less than $25
  • Books, journals, or informational materials related to your work
  • Reasonable food, travel, and housing expenses for you (and a guest) when representing 水多多导航
  • Event entertainment provided as part of a larger activity
  • Speaking-related expenses paid by a government or nonprofit entity

Relatives & Household Members: A gift offered to an immediate family member or household member is still considered a gift to you. If you can’t accept it, they can’t either.