USM Bylaws, Policies and Procedures of the Board of Regents
                              

   II-3.10 - POLICY ON PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT OF FACULTY
    (Approved by the Board of Regents, November 30, 1989;
       amended by the Board of Regents, June 27, 2003)
                              
I.   INTRODUCTION

     By accepting an appointment to an institution in the
     University System of Maryland, faculty members make a
     major professional commitment to the institution, its
     students, and the State of Maryland.  Maryland law
     encourages higher education institutions to promote
     economic development in the State and to increase their
     financial resources through arrangements with the
     private and nonprofit sectors, including collaborative
     research and development, commercial application of
     institution-owned intellectual property, and provision
     of technical assistance.  The University System of
     Maryland encourages its faculty to use its expertise in
     serving the economic and social interests of the
     community and the advancement of the academic
     disciplines.

     Faculty members may be expected to contribute to all
     aspects of the mission of the institution, including
     such essential components as teaching, student
     direction, and advisement; research and economic
     development; professional, public, and institutional
     service; and administration.  The distribution of
     assignments will vary greatly from year to year and
     from person to person according to the particular
     talents and interests of the faculty member and the
     needs of the institution and the academic unit as
     determined in consultation with the department chair or
     responsible administrator.

II.  SCOPE AND PURPOSE

     A.   Scope.  This policy applies to all faculty members
          in the University System of Maryland and shall be
          incorporated in the published policies of each
          institution.  By explicit reference, some sections
          of the policy apply only to full-time faculty
          members.

     B.   Purpose.  Recognizing the need for balance among
          personal, institutional, and social missions and
          goals, this policy establishes broad guidelines
          for avoiding conflicts of commitment and requires
          each institution to review or develop procedures
          for handling possible instances of conflict of
          commitment.

     C.   Definition.  A conflict of commitment situation
          arises when outside activities substantially
          interfere with the person's obligation to
          students, colleagues, or the institution.


III. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITHIN THE INSTITUTION

     Full-time faculty members may undertake consulting,
     overload teaching, or professional services within he
     constituent institution during an appointment period
     for a stipend only with the advance written approval of
     the President or designee.

IV.  EXTERNAL COMMITMENTS

     Consulting and other external professional services may
     enhance the reputation of the institution as well as
     the individual, assist in recruiting or placing
     students, apply the expertise developed in its
     academies to the enterprises of the State, and test the
     applicability of theoretical ideas.  Nevertheless, the
     faculty and the institution must remain vigilant to
     ensure that such external services enhance and do not
     detract from a faculty member's fulfillment of his or
     her responsibilities to the institution.  Therefore,
     external professional services, whether income-
     producing or not, may be undertaken only when it is
     ensured that all responsibilities associated with the
     individual's faculty position are fully satisfied and
     will continue to be met.

     A.   Professional Services

          1. Within USM or State of Maryland.  Consulting or
            professional services which carry a stipend and are rendered
            to another institution in the University System or another
            State agency in Maryland require the advance written
            approval of the President or designee of the faculty
            member's institution.
          2. Use of University Resources.  A faculty member may use
            the physical resources of his or her institution in
            connection with consulting or professional services beyond
            routine use of the office, computer, library, and telephone
            only if the institution is reimbursed in accordance with
            prior arrangements, or if such reimbursement is waived by
            the President or designee of the affected institution.
          3. Endorsement Not Implied.  A faculty member shall not
            convey endorsement by the institution or the University
            System of the recommendations or results from his or her
            consulting or professional services.
          4. Protection of Intellectual Property.  No individual
            shall enter into an agreement in the pursuit of consulting
            or professional services which conflicts with the University
            System policy on intellectual property (See Policy IV-3.20)
            without the advance written waiver or consent of the
            Chancellor or designee.

     B.   Teaching Outside the Home Institution.  A full-
          time faculty member, with the advance written
          permission of the President (or designee) of his
          or her institution, may teach a maximum of two
          courses at another institution for extra
          compensation during the individual's contract
          year.
     
V.   DISCLOSURE TO PREVENT CONFLICT OF COMMITMENT

     Although external activities may enhance the
     institution and the University System of Maryland, they
     also bring with them the potential for conflicts of
     commitment.  Although some situations carry the
     potential for a conflict of commitment, the faculty
     member and the University may be able to avoid actual
     conflict by careful attention to the individual's
     assigned institutional responsibilities.  In situations
     that have the potential for conflict, a faculty member
     must confer with the department chair or other
     appropriate administrator and resolve the potential
     conflict according to institutional procedures before
     assuming additional professional responsibilities
     outside the unit.

IV.  IMPLEMENTATION

     A.   Limits of Application to Contract.  Nothing
          contained in this policy shall be construed as
          imposing any obligations on faculty members to the
          institution or to the University System beyond
          those required by law or contract, nor as adding
          any grounds for termination of a faculty
          appointment beyond those stipulated in the
          polities governing faculty appointments, ranks,
          and tenure, as approved by the Board of Regents.

     B.   Procedures at Each Institution.  Each institution
          of the University System of Maryland shall develop
          and publish procedures to implement this policy.
          Such procedures shall include provisions for
          regular reporting by faculty members to the
          institution on all outside professional consulting
          or teaching and substantial external professional
          services, whether paid or unpaid.
     
     
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