8. Conflict of Commitment/Conflict of Interest

University Community members who are Stanford faculty and staff owe their primary professional allegiance to the University and its mission to engage in the highest level of education, research, health care and business practices.

A conflict of commitment can arise when a person’s external activities, e.g., consulting agreements, speaking engagements, public service, personal business, etc. interfere with the person’s responsibilities to the university. A conflict of commitment usually involves issues of time allocation.

Outside professional activities, private financial interests or the receipt of benefits or gifts from third parties can cause an actual or perceived conflict of interest.

Relationships between Stanford and its vendors or sponsors must be free of any real or perceived impropriety or favoritism. University Community members should not solicit any gift, and should not personally accept any material gift, gratuity or payment, in cash or in kind, from any third party seeking to do business with the University or currently doing business with the University.

In order to protect our primary mission, University Community members with other professional or financial interests shall disclose them in compliance with applicable conflict of commitment/conflict of interest policies and, if permitted, manage them in compliance with all controls put in place. The policies are available on the following websites: