Provost Eli Capilouto said UAB encourages its faculty to share its expert knowledge with business, industry, government and other organizations while complying with reporting requirements that serve the interests of all parties and protect the integrity of the university.

This review provides a forum to address the increasing public attention on consulting within higher education and the complexities of relationships that can develop. It also provides the university with a mechanism for suggesting improvements to the process.

The working group, led by Associate Provost Harlan Sands, includes Pat Greenup, Ph.D., Chair of the Faculty Senate; Lauretta Gerrity, D.M.V., associate vice president for Research Compliance and Operations; David Warnock, M.D., director, Office of Human Research; Kathleen Kauffman, legal counsel, UAB Health System; Lesley Early, director, Conflict of Interest Review Board; and several other faculty and staff representatives.

No changes have been made to existing university policies that outline acceptable circumstances for providing contracting services inside or outside UAB and require prior written approval. The policy is published in its entirety in the UAB Faculty Handbook and Policies.

New approval forms for faculty consulting and conflict of interest disclosures have been developed and now are available online.