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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Policy Name: Textbook Royalties: Conflicts of Interest Pertaining to Textbooks
Policy Number: LR 404.20
Effective Date: July 7, 2007
Policy
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock adopts the following policy as a part of its Conflict of Interest policy to implement the provisions of Arkansas Act 105 and Act 106 of the 2007 Regular Session of the 86th General Assembly.
The following definitions are presented for purposes of this policy:
- Compensation. Any royalty or other recompense from the sale, use, or publication of any textbook in a class or classes taught by the employee.
- Proprietary Materials. Any textbook that includes the employee’s own writing or work.
- Textbook. Includes any printed material, course materials, or other property a student is required to have available for use in any coursework or instruction offered by or through the university.
- University. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Inducements
Neither the university, any department of the university, nor any employee of the university shall demand or receive any present or promised gift, payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services, or any other thing of value as an inducement for requiring a student or students to purchase a specific textbook for coursework or instruction offered by the university.
It is not a violation of the provisions of the policy for an employee of the university to receive, whether or not as a result of the employee’s request:
- Sample copied, instructor’s copies, or instructional material of a textbook required for coursework or instruction offered by or through the university; or
- Subject to the provisions of the following paragraphs, compensation from the sale or publication of proprietary materials.
An employee may receive compensation from the sale, use, or publication of proprietary materials which is pursuant to and as provided for in a written agreement with a third party entered into prior to the effective date of this policy, to the extent allowed by the university policies in force immediately prior to the effective date of this policy.
Proprietary Material Royalties
Compensation from the sale, use, or publication of proprietary materials pursuant to an agreement made after the effective date of this policy, or pursuant to a written agreement in effect prior to such date but amended after the effective date of this policy, constitutes a conflict of interest, making the use of proprietary materials, subject to the following:
- An employee must disclose the conflict of interest in writing to obtain prior written approval from the department chair and dean to require the purchase of the employee’s proprietary materials by the employee’s students. The request for approval shall include a description of and a justification for the use of the proprietary materials.
- The request for approval must state that all compensation received will be contributed to a unit, department or college of the university for a use that benefits student welfare at the university, with priority given to use that will benefit students academically.
- By the deadline established by the university for the reporting of outside employment, an employee receiving permission under the terms of this paragraph to use proprietary materials shall provide a report acceptable to the employee’s dean on compensation received and its disposition.
Violations of this policy shall be reported within ten business days to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, who shall within the ten business day window, forward the report to the general counsel of the university and the Legislative Council of the Arkansas General Assembly.
Source: 2007 Regular Session of the 86th General Assembly, UALR Faculty Senate, July 2007
Revised:
Approved By:
Custodian: Faculty Senate