A Framework for Assessing the Permissibility of Academic Leaders' Outside Activities

Policy Points Many have urged academic institutions to rethink conflict of interest policies governing leaders' outside activities, which pose not only individual conflicts for leaders themselves but institutional conflicts for their academic employers. Although the American Association of Medical Colleges and Association of American Universities have provided guidance on managing such conflicts, neither offer a structured approach for determining when and under what conditions it is appropriate for a leader to engage in specific outside activities. To address this gap, this article develops a decision-making framework that institutional oversight bodies can use to assess the permissibility of academic leaders' proposed outside activities.