General FAQs

All University faculty, staff, and students (including full-time and part-time faculty and staff, visiting faculty, postdoctoral scholars, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and all research team members) who are in a position to influence or commit University resources.

Research team members include the principal investigator and any other person who is responsible for the design, conduct or reporting of research.

Anyone who can impact decision-making or offer advice on purchasing, hiring, or anything involving University funds or facilities.

• An actual Conflict of Interest arises in a situation where financial or other personal or professional considerations compromise an individual’s objectivity, professional judgment, professional integrity, and/or ability to perform his or her responsibilities to the University.
• Perceived or potential Conflicts of Interest exist in situations where an individual member of the University community, a member of the individual’s family, or a close personal relation has financial interests, personal relationships, or professional associations with an outside individual or organization, such that his or her activities within the University could appear to be biased against the University by that interest or relationship.

• At a minimum, you should submit a disclosure:
  • Annually
  • Within 15 calendar days of any change
  • Within 30 calendar days of employment start date
• An email notification will provide instructions when it is time to complete the annual disclosure.
• The disclosure system can be accessed at anytime on the Conflict of Interest Policy website.

Disclosures are automatically forwarded to your specific Designated Reviewer.  Please refer to the chart below for the general designation:

Upon receipt of your complete disclosure, your Designated Reviewer will determine whether an actual, potential, or perceived Conflict of Interest exists. 

You should not take part in the activity until a Management Plan has been developed and approved. Once finalized, the approved Management Plan will appear in your Novelution (disclosure system) profile. 

If a Designated Reviewer determines that an actual, potential, or perceived Conflict of Interest exists, they will work with you to develop a Management Plan in order to ensure the reduction, management, or elimination of any conflict. An Oversight Manager is then assigned to provide monitoring of these mitigation strategies. 

Yes, Designated Reviewers may delegate the review of Conflict of Interest disclosures to an appropriate member of their staff.

Yes. If you need expedited review of your disclosure due to a deadline or other time constraint, please contact your Designated Reviewer when submitting your disclosure to him or her. If your Designated Reviewer determines that there may be a potential or percieved Conflict of Interest, they whould request expedited Management Plan review and approval.

Yes, please send an email to conflicts.nd.edu to schedule a training. You can click here for access to on-demand training in eNDeavor.

The Current and Pending application is managed by Notre Dame Research. You can access their Current and Pending webpage here.