University Committee Annual Report to the Shared Governance Council

Committee on the Conflict of Interest in Employment
Report Year: 2023-2024

Committee Chair(s)
  • Lois Geist, Faculty Co-Chair
  • Jan Waterhouse, Staff Co-Chair
Committee Members
  • Tom Arne Midtrod, Associate Professor, History, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Term 2023-2026
  • Phuong Nguyen, Associate Professor, School of Planning and Public Affairs, Graduate College, Term 2023-2026
  • Meenakshi Sambharia, Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, Term 2022-2026
  • Lemuel Benedict Non, Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, Term 2023-2026
  • Erin Turnis, Assistant HR Director, State Hygienic Lab, Term 2021-2024
  • Wendy Askling, Assistant Director, Budgetary Operations, Tippie College of Business, Term 2020-2025
  • Donna Wong-Gibbons, Manager, Accounting & Financial Analysis, UIHF Revenue, Term 2023-2026
Committee ChargeThe committee’s main activity is receiving and responding to notifications and inquiries regarding possible conflicts of interest in employment. When in the best interests of the University, the committee works with college/division administrators to develop and monitor the effectiveness of management plans.
Current Year Meeting DatesThe committee held their annual meeting on September 25, 2023. In addition, Jan Waterhouse met individually with new committee member, Phuong Nguyen, on September 5, 2023.
Please indicate the typical frequency of meetings (e.g., first Tuesday of month at 4 pm). If there are subcommittees, please indicate the frequency of those meetings, too.All work is conducted digitally, with the exception of one annual meeting.
Current Year Activities
  • Received and approved 19 new management plans (16 simple submissions and 3 complex submissions).
  • Conducted annual reviews on 46 ongoing management plans and closed 4 no-longer-conflict cases.
  • Followed up on HR transactions and OIE notifications indicating potential conflict.
  • Followed up on funded grant/contract applications with potential conflicts.
  • Followed up on self-disclosed potential conflicts via annual certification.
  • Oversight of all Healthcare conflict of interest in employment management plans.
  • Maintained committee database on past and current cases.
Topics your committee will address during the coming yearEvaluation of new conflict of interest in employment submissions and continued monitoring of existing management plans.
Other issues of concernNone
What should we tell applicants for this committee regarding expectations of members (anticipated workload, existence of subcommittees, etc.)?
  • The work of the committee is confidential.
  • Effort is based on sporadic incoming submissions.
  • One meeting annually; all other work is done via email.
Recommendations, if any, to the shared governance groupsNone