Issued June 20, 1989
from the Office of the IANR Vice Chancellor
Since we have several new administrators within IANR, we thought it would be helpful to provide you with an update on our philosophy and procedures associated with staff engaging In professional activities outside of the University. Section 3.4.5 of the Bylaws of the Regents of the University of Nebraska address outside employment.
The Bylaws specifically encourage University staff members "to engage in professional activities outside of the University as a means of broadening their experience and keeping them abreast of the latest developments in their specialized fields; provided such activities do not interfere with their regular duties at the University, or represent a conflict of interest."
Departments Heads, Center Directors, and division Deans and Directors are expected to play a key role in administering the outside professional activities of your staff. You have primary responsibility for reviewing the specific nature of each proposed outside professional activity within your respective areas of administrative responsibility and to deny approval of any such activity which would interfere with the normal University duties of the staff member involved or which would represent a conflict of interest All consulting requires approval even if it does not need to go to the Board of Regents for approval.
Our policy permits staff members to request permission to consult up to an average of two days per month. We permit faculty to be granted authorization to consolidate up to two months allocation at one time in order to provide four days consecutively if it meets with your approval. The Board of Regents adopted a policy (December 11, 1976) to clarify the meaning of the words 'two days per month". The Board interpreted this language to mean 'two days per month during the assigned work week. The two days per month cover the time faculty would normally be doing University activities. This does not include weekends or vacations.
Since we have been receiving several of the consulting request forms that do not clearly specify the time commitment, please make a special effort to insure that the forms clearly indicate that the staff member will not be consulting more than the above stated periods. For staff who are involved in multiple consulting activities, it is important that the total commitment does not exceed the two days per month authorization.
We have been permitting faculty to request five days consecutively for consulting on international activities in order to combine it with the two weekends from a convenience standpoint. Since IANR encourages our faculty to become involved in internationally-related activities we do not believe it is appropriate for staff to accept consulting fees for programs associated with University of Nebraska contracts. We encourage the individual to accept the responsibility with the understanding that the contract will reimburse his/her time to the unit. The individual will be permitted to obtain the routine work day adjustment authorized for international service.
Our philosophy is to permit staff to engage in consulting activities and we believe it is important for you as supervisors to be aware of outside professional activities that your faculty are involved in during evenings and weekends as well. This will protect both the individual and the University in the event a problem should arise. Please assure your staff that we do not discourage consulting but merely want to protect everyone involved.
If you have any questions regarding our consulting policies or procedures, please contact Alan Moeller and he will attempt to obtain information pertaining to your inquiry.
Consulting Request Information Form
See Also:
Outside Employment -- Section 3.4.5 of the Bylaws of the NU Board of Regents
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