Q: Which outside professional activities require disclosure?

A: All outside professional activities related to your area of expertise require disclosure, even if the activity was previously approved.

Q: Which outside professional activities require prior approval?

A: The activities listed in Policy AC80 require prior approval.

Q: Does all outside teaching require disclosure, even outside of the appointment period such as in the summer?

A: Yes, all outside professional activities outside of the appointment period require disclosure. However, outside professional activities outside of the appointment period do not count towards the monthly or annual time limits.

Q: What foreign activities require prior approval? Which foreign activities require disclosure?

A: Participating in a foreign talent recruitment program is one specific type of activity that requires both prior approval and disclosure. Generally, foreign activities are treated the same as domestic regarding prior approval and disclosure. It is the type of activity that determines if something needs prior approval or disclosure.

Q: In what cases are foreign activities treated differently than domestic activities?

A: Under policy AC80, foreign activities are not treated differently than domestic activities. For example, teaching at either a foreign university or domestic university requires both prior approval and disclosure if during the appointment period. (If outside the appointment period, it only requires disclosure.) Under policy RP06, foreign teaching needs to be disclosed in COINS if thresholds apply while domestic teaching does not.

Q: If a faculty member receives prior approval to start a company, do they need to request prior approval from their department head to continue to run the company in subsequent years?

A: Running a company does not require ongoing yearly approval. However, if you later decide you want to involve students, or if you are going to exceed the time limits, then you will need to request prior approval in COINS for those specific activities.

Q: How do I disclose company ownership in COINS?

A: Within 30 days of starting your own company, disclose company ownership in COINS by selecting the disclosure type “Non-Public Equity.” Then, disclose the time that you spent on company activities in the previous 12 months under the disclosure type “Consulting, Professional Services, Outside Employment or Operating Own Company.”

Q: Can faculty teach a course that is similar to the one they teach for Penn State at another university during the summer (when they are off contract)?

A: Per policy AC80, all outside professional activities (on or off contract) should not compete with coursework or services provided by the University. The University understands that this is your area of expertise and may be similar, so speak to your department head if this competes with University coursework.

Q: Can faculty help design curricular programs that mirror the University’s programs at other institutions?

A: Per policy AC80, all outside professional activities should not compete with coursework or services provided by the University. Consult with your department head to determine if it competes with the University’s curriculum.

Q: Can University employees negotiate a contract from a company for which they have partial ownership?

A: No, University employees (faculty and staff) cannot negotiate a contract on behalf of Penn State with their company, nor can they negotiate a contract on behalf of their company with Penn State. If you want to use your company as a supplier, you must go through Purchasing.

Q: If a faculty member receives prior approval to teach a course for another institution, and is later (e.g., the following year) invited to teach a different course, do they need to request prior approval from the department head again?

A: Yes, if teaching different course, this is a new activity. New activities require prior approval. However, if you know you are going to be teaching the same course for more than one semester, you can indicate this in your prior approval request in COINS.

Q: When an outside activity exceeds Policy AC80’s limit on hours, how often should the faculty member request approval for the activity – just once or annually?

A: When requesting approval for exceeding the time limits, you can indicate how often you plan on exceeding it during that year (just once, every month, etc.).

Q: What types of appointments or titles can faculty hold at other universities? Can faculty hold tenure at another university?

A: Full-time faculty cannot hold tenure at another university. Holding any appointment or professional position another university requires prior-approval and then disclosure under policy AC80. The only exception is if the appointment is solely for teaching outside of the appointment period, for example, teaching a course in the summer.

Q: How would a faculty member appeal a denial of prior approval?

A: Any faculty member can submit an appeal to the University Faculty Senate Faculty Rights and Responsibility Committee. The process and form are located on the University Faculty Senate website.