Conflict of Interest (COI)
The Conflict of Interest Program in the Office for Research Protections manages all disclosures for outside interests and activities for Penn State faculty, staff, and students.
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COI Menu
COI News and Announcements
All full time faculty, including teaching faculty, must submit an annual disclosure in COINS. See the following resources for assistance:
- When: Disclosure Timeline: When to Disclose
- How to Disclose: Step-by Step Instructions via Role-based Learning Paths
- What to Disclose: Disclosure requirements for Penn State Faculty
About the Conflict of Interest Program
The Conflict of Interest and Outside Activities Program manages all financial interest disclosures for the University’s teaching faculty, research community and University Officials, and provides support to both the Individual and Institutional Conflict of Interest Committees. The program also maintains the University’s individual and institutional conflict of interest policies, guidelines, and procedures and strives to ensure compliance with all federal regulations and University policies (RP06 and AD83). Additionally, the program reports on Outside Professional Activities (AC80).
Individual Conflict of Interest
Are you an Investigator under Policy RP06? If you are responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of University research, regardless of your official job title or funding source, you need to know your disclosure requirements. Learn when and how to disclose your Significant Financial Interests (SFI).
Outside Professional Activities
Planning to consult, teach for another institution, or launch a startup? Penn State supports external professional services that enhance our mission, provided they don’t compete or conflict with your primary duties, as required by Policy AC80. Learn how to request prior approval and disclose your activities in COINS.
Institutional Conflict of Interest
Are you a University Official as defined in Policy AD83?
Learn about your annual disclosure requirements, find out what financial interests must be reported, and disclose your activities in COINS.
COINS
All full-time faculty, (including Penn State Health physicians who are also College of Medicine faculty), University Officials, postdoctoral fellows, and those who are named as investigators / key personnel on sponsored or IRB research proposals are required to make a disclosure in COINS (Conflict Of Interest System), Penn State’s online disclosure system. COINS also supports prior approval submissions for outside professional activities such as starting a company or engaging in outside teaching during your appointment period.
International Collaborations
Federal sponsors of research have begun to place increased scrutiny on researcher involvement with foreign institutions and governments, particularly as it relates to the protection of U.S. research and intellectual property. University faculty commonly collaborate with foreign universities and institutions for the purposes of advancing research and academics. While these relationships are often beneficial and are encouraged by the University, it is necessary to carefully consider the nature of such collaborations and to be fully transparent about them.
Some Significant Financial Interests which researchers disclose under policy RP06, as well as certain Outside Professional Activities which faculty disclose under policy AC80, also need to be included in “Other/Pending Support” on grant or contract applications. Researchers are encouraged to visit the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research’s Research Security Program website, and review the Guidance for International Activities section as well as the Disclosure Management section.
Office for Research Protections
Address
200 Innovation Blvd.
Suite 110
University Park, PA 16802
The Office for Research Protections (ORP) ensures that research at the University is conducted in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines that protect human participants, animals, students, and personnel involved with research.