Conflict of Commitment Policy

Addendum to the Dual Appointment and Outside Work for Pay Policies in the MSU Faculty Handbook
 

The Management Plan Request

See the College’s Conflict of Commitment Management Plan Template to submit a Management Plan request to your unit administrator.

In the College of Arts & Letters, we encourage faculty to share knowledge, expand opportunity, and engage in mentorship and stewardship in ways that sometimes lead to invitations for formal work agreements by organizations other than MSU. With this in mind, the College has created the process below.

The Outside Work for Pay Policy applies to any faculty and academic staff who is appointed 50% or more at MSU. If a full-time faculty or academic staff member also will be appointed at another institution, the dual appointment policy also applies. In the College of Arts & Letters, the Conflict of Commitment Policy provides a process through which a full-time faculty/academic staff member (90% or more) may request an waiver of the campus Dual Appointment Policy. The Dual Appointment Policy does not apply to those who have an employment percent of 89% or less (even though the OWP policy may still apply). For faculty/academic staff on an academic year (AY) contract, the dual appointment policy applies only to the time period between August 16 – May 15 of the given year. For faculty/academic staff on an annual year appointment (AN), the dual appointment policy applies to any non-vacation day or paid/unpaid leave of absence.

The MSU Dual Appointment Policy is as follows with additional information at the link below:

See also the FAQs for the Dual Appointment Policy and the OWP policy:

Limitations on performing a paid appointment at another institution through the College Conflict of Commitment Policy. Faculty members and academic staff may request a waiver of the MSU dual appointment policy through the College’s conflict of commitment process if all of the following conditions exist.

  1. The paid appointment at another institution will not exceed a total average hours worked of four (4) days a month, as per the MSU Outside Work for Pay Policy. See https://hr.msu.edu/policies-procedures/faculty-academic-staff/faculty-handbook/outside_work_for-pay.html
  2. The work in question will enhance the faculty/academic staff member’s expertise as a teacher and scholar in their discipline.
  3. The work will be of a professional nature and involve either teaching or curriculum development.
  4. The work will not interfere with the performance of the faculty/academic staff member’s University duties, including those non classroom responsibilities expected of all faculty/academic staff members.
  5. The work will not adversely affect the University’s interests or violate University policies or regulations.

Required Approval

  1. A faculty/academic staff member must use the College’s Conflict of Commitment management plan template to request and obtain the written approval of their unit administrator, Dean, and Provost’s Office before engaging in the paid appointment at another institution.
  2. If the unit administrator approves, the management plan will be submitted to the Dean and the Associate Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval.
  3. Unit and College administrators to whom the management plan is submitted may seek additional information or clarification from the faculty member regarding the proposed assignment before approval and moving to the management plan drafting stage.
  4. Unit and College administrators shall process completed request forms and management plans in a timely fashion.
  5. If a request to waive the University’s dual appointment policy through the College’s Conflict of Commitment Policy is denied, the unit administrator shall provide the faculty/academic staff member with written reasons for the denial. A faculty/academic staff member may not challenge a decision to deny through the Faculty Grievance Policy unless the faculty/ academic staff member alleges that the denial is contrary to University or College policy or established practice.
  6. All management plans must be reviewed annually.

Last edited on July 30 2020