Conflicts of Interest & Commitment
CU Boulder encourages innovation, research, and scholarship that lead to commercial and consulting activities and global engagement. Such activities, however, have the potential to create actual or perceived conflicts of interest and commitment.
All faculty and any other employee (regardless of job title) or student responsible for the purpose, design, conduct or reporting of research on campus are required to disclose significant financial and personal interests and external professional activities. These includes ties to external entities, consulting and outside work and foreign activities.
The importance of disclosure
Requiring disclosure, vetting potential conflicts, and managing them through formal procedures helps to protect you, your department and the University.
- Your disclosure demonstrates your commitment to research integrity. Our reputation for research excellence rests on confidence that research is done without bias due to personal financial interest in the outcome.
- Disclosure helps maintain public trust. Reporting financial and other personal interests creates transparency and helps us manage potential conflicts before they become a problem. It also helps address concerns that professional decisions and actions be made without the undue influence of personal benefit.
- Your action helps us meet the requirements of federal grant sponsors. CU Boulder is obligated to have a robust conflict of interest policy, the centerpiece of which is annual disclosure of researchers’ external activities and interests.
Key Dates
The primary DEPA reporting period is January 15—March 31. Updates are required within thirty (30) days of a change in a previously disclosed interest or activity or having something new to disclose. New employees must submit a DEPA within thirty (30) days of their start date.
Between January 1—March 31, 2025:
- Having a current DEPA in submitted status (within one year of the date of the proposal submission date) on file will meet the DEPA requirement for proposal submission.
- Award monies will not be released unless either the PI's DEPA has been reviewed with no conflict within the last 12 months of the date of award acceptance, or a 2025 DEPA form has been submitted and reviewed or is under review with COIC authorization that funding can move forward.
Beginning April 1, 2025:
- PIs must have a 2025 disclosure that at least is in a submitted status before the proposal can be submitted.
- PIs must have a 2025 DEPA disclosure form submitted and reviewed or under review with COIC authorization for award monies to be released.
If the last DEPA filed is older than twelve (12) months, then disclosers must submit a 2025 DEPA before proposal submission.
It is the responsibility of PIs to ensure that all personnel involved in the design, conduct or reporting of research have met the DEPA requirements.
For researchers with MOUs requiring Monitoring Reports, submission is due at the time of the DEPA submission. Visit the page for the Monitoring Form and additional information.
Questions?
Please visit: Frequently Asked Questions or contact the COIC office at 303-492-3024 coi@colorado.edu.