The following policies apply to full-time and part-time Academic Appointees (faculty) who own and/or operate their own businesses. It has been created to ensure that faculty maintain a proper separation between their employment at Indiana University Kokomo and any companies they own and/or operate.
Conflict of Commitment
Academic Appointees must ensure that the time spent operating companies does not detract from the performance of their duties for the university. As such they are held to the Indiana University Conflict of Commitment policy.
Conflict of Interest
Academic Appointees must be cognizant of how their research activities might benefit the financial operations of their company. They must abide by the Indiana University Conflict of Interest policy.
Academic Ethics
Faculty must maintain a clear division between their role as faculty and their activities as owner and/or operators. Indiana University Kokomo treats the failure to maintain such a division as if it were a breach of the Code of Academic Ethics. This section discusses maintaining such a division.
Clear Separation of Company from Regular Coursework
There should be no direct connection between the Academic Appointee’s company and any regular curriculum deliverables within their courses. In other words, students in regular courses shall not be given assignments where they are performing work for the company.
Employment of Students
Academic Appointees must take special care when employing current students within a company they own/and or operators. The following guidelines apply:
- Indiana University Kokomo students may work at a company owned and/or operated by a faculty member.
- No student currently enrolled in a faculty member’s course may also directly report to the faculty member within their company. They must be supervised by someone else. This includes internships and practicum—a faculty member cannot be the faculty member of record on an internship and a student’s direct supervisor at the company.
When faculty employs students within a company, they should report such employment to their dean to verify no conflict exists.
Compliance
Deans and the office of Academic Affairs are responsible for ensuring these policies are adhered to. Violations of these policies will be dealt with as violations of the Indiana University Conflict of Commitment Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy, and/or Code of Academic Ethics, as appropriate.
Approved by Deans Council, September 1, 2016