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RNUA: Frequently Asked Questions

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On this page you'll find answers to commonly asked questions regarding the following aspects to the reporting of non-university activities:

Policies

1. Why is the reporting of non-University activities necessary?
Illinois state law and the University’s Statutes and General Rules require faculty and other academic staff members to report certain categories of activities. Most external activities are compatible with, and often beneficial to, the University duties of academic staff members. The reporting and approval process is not intended to discourage non-University activities that do not present any conflicts. However, some activities might present conflicts with University duties, so they must be carefully reviewed and monitored to prevent problems. Our policy and the reporting/approval process have been developed to manage conflicts by informing academic staff of the University’s policies in these matters, guiding them as they engage in non-University activities, and enabling these activities to be monitored appropriately.The university Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest, including sanctions, is available here.

2. Who must report?
All paid academic staff with University of Illinois appointments greater than 0% must participate in the RNUA process. Academic staff includes the faculty ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor (and all of the foregoing whose appointments contain such terms as "research," "adjunct," "visiting," or "clinical"), instructor, and lecturer, as well as academic professionals and postdoctoral associates. Students, including medical residents, are not considered academic staff, and do not need to file a report. Civil Service employees are covered by a different policy and do not need to complete the RNUA.

3. Why do part-time academic staff members have to report?
Although the state law requires full-time staff members to make disclosures, the Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest also requires part-time staff members to disclose outside activities. Even part-time employees may have outside activities that are in conflict or appear to be in conflict with their University duties.

4. How often does an academic staff member have to complete a form?
The state law requires forms to be submitted annually. Forms should be updated in the interim, and prior approval sought, if significant changes in activity occur. It is the responsibility of the unit head to collect any revised forms from faculty and academic staff members and to carefully review the proposed activities. The unit head should submit updates to the college office, which will forward them to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research if necessary. Whether or not an updated form is filed, advance written approval of all external income-producing activities is always required.

Procedures

1. Who signs and approves the individual forms (first level of review)?
The executive officer of the unit in which faculty and academic staff members hold their primary appointments is responsible for evaluating all potential conflict situations reported (or otherwise known) before acting to approve or disapprove the activities. In cases of joint appointments greater than 0%, the unit executive officer of the secondary unit should also review and sign the form.

2. Who signs and approves the unit head’s form?
The academic officer next in the administrative reporting line (dean, vice chancellor, etc.) signs the unit head’s form.

3. Which forms should be forwarded to the college office (for a second level of review)?

forms indicating a “yes” response to any of the four boxes in Part I;
forms reporting more than one day per week outside activity during the contract period in Part II;
forms indicating non-approval of retrospective or prospective activities;
all Unit Heads’ forms must be forwarded to the college; and
the Unit RNUA checklist.

In turn, the college office will forward to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research all forms received from the unit heads, along with the unit checklists.

Disclosure

1. Do I need to have prior approval for outside activities?
Yes. Academic staff members must obtain prior written approval from their unit executive officer to engage in non-University, income-generating activities and all other external activities that may conflict with their University responsibilities.

2. Does the amount of money received for a non-University activity need to be reported?
Information about payment is not required on the form itself. Unit heads may request additional information, including compensation, to help them assess the potential, actual, or apparent conflicts presented by an outside activity.

3. How should time spent on non-University activities be calculated?
All time should be reported in terms of the number of days devoted to it. Eight hours of activity equals one day, regardless of time of day or day of week.

4. When reporting time spent on non-University activities, do I have to include travel time?
Yes.

5. Does the ownership of rental property need to be reported?
Yes. Time spent on this activity should be reported. Ownership of income property must also be considered when assessing potential conflicts of interest and/or conflicts of commitment in the screening questions in Part I of the form.

6. Must non-University activities performed during evenings, holiday and weekends be reported?
Yes. All non-University activities, regardless of time of day or day of week, should be reported.

7. I have a nine-month appointment. Do I have to report my summer activities?
Although staff members are not legally obligated to the University during the summer, the potential exists for conflicts of interest between non-University activities and University appointments. Therefore, summer activities should be considered when responding to the screening questions in Part I of the form. However, as long as no actual or potential conflict of interest exists, staff members on a nine-month appointment do not need to list their summer activities in Part II of the form.

8. Do new staff members have to report their activities performed before their University of Illinois employment?
No. They need only report their activities prospectively.

9. Does time spent working for other University units on a contractual basis need to be reported?
No. Payments received through the University are not within the scope of the reporting process which covers only non-University activities.

10. Do staff members who are out of the country, on a leave of absence, on sabbatical, or on sick leave need to complete a reporting form?
Not while away. The unit head should indicate on the checklist the reason the form was not completed (e.g., on medical leave, sabbatical, etc.), and prepare an RNUA form on behalf of the individual to keep in the department files. The unit head cannot “report” information on behalf of others, but must note on page 1 of the form why the individual did not complete the form, and must sign page 2 to indicate administrative review. Unit heads should note the absence and anticipated return date on the checklist. The department is responsible for seeing that they complete and submit a form upon their return. If the absent employee applies for a federal grant or contract while on leave or out of the country, a reporting form must be filed before the proposal is sent to the funding agency.

Supplemental Information

1. How do I obtain additional copies of the forms?
You can download a Word or PDF version of the form or you can make photocopies of a blank form.

2. Are instructions for completing the form available?
Yes. Instructions for academic staff are available in HTML or PDF. Instructions for administrative review and approval are also available in HTML or PDF.

3. I still have questions. Is more information available?
If you have additional questions, please contact the conflict of interest officer at coi@uic.edu or 312-996-4070.

Statement of Economic Interests

1. I just received a "Statement of Economic Interests" in the mail. Is that the same as the RNUA?
No; they have different functions. All paid full time and part time academic staff must complete the RNUA. Only employees meeting specific criteria (see below) must complete the Statement of Economic Interests in addition to the RNUA.

2. Where do I find information that will help me fill out the Statement of Economic Interests?
Information about the Disclosure of Economic Interests including FAQs, is available here.

3. What are the criteria for filing the Statement of Economic Interests?
The criteria applicable to University of Illinois employees can be found in the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act 5 ILCS 420/4A-101(f):

Persons who are or who function as the head of a department or other administrative unit;
Those who have supervisory authority over or direct responsibility for the formulation, negotiation, issuance or execution of contracts entered into by the State in the amount of $5,000 or more;
Those who are a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on a grant;
Those who have supervisory responsibility for 20 or more employees; or
Those who have responsibility for the procurement of goods and services (University P-Card, i-buy).

The above criteria are coded as position descriptors in BANNER, with the exception of the PI's and Co-PI's who are identified through Grants and Contracts. In addition, a list of employees coded in BANNER as meeting the criteria is distributed to Unit Human Resources Contacts for review prior to being submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State.

Please note: Employees of University Related Organizations (i.e. University of Illinois Foundation and Alumni Association) are not required to file a Statement of Economic Interests.