External Employment & Conflict of Interest Draft Policy
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
The KFA has concerns about the draft of Policy HR1 Conflict of Interest that has been posted for comment on the policy blog. In the Policy, #4. Outside Activities (c) reads:
This policy requires that employees notify their immediate supervisor or appropriate vice-president as quickly as possible where that employee is simultaneously employed with another institution or organization or where their involvement in any outside activities may potentially compromise or diminish the employee’s ability to fulfill their employment obligations to the University as outlined above.
Employment other than at KPU is not necessarily a conflict of interest, and it is the position of the KFA that notification to the Employer of outside Employment must be limited to specific and identifiable potential conflicts of interest if they arise; otherwise, such notification falls outside the scope of the policy. The simple act of having another job is not an identifiable conflict of interest.
If the requirement of immediate reporting of employment outside of KPU to your supervisor is of concern to you, we encourage you to comment on the blog even if the same comment has already been made. It is our observation that the volume of comments on a particular matter indicates the seriousness of the concern among faculty members.
https://wordpress.kpu.ca/policies/2022/05/19/hr1-conflict-of-interest/
In Solidarity,
Mark Diotte
Acting President, Kwantlen Faculty Association